Khalvat
Kurzfilm (06:38 min) by Roya Keshavarz

‘’This film is a result of a research project exploring the concept of personal space within the context of Iranian society.’’ In this project, I have worked on three main concepts in public art; Personal Space, Combining Energies, and Movement. These three concepts merge when we are talking about public environments. I have been living in Tehran for more than 25 years and I have witnessed a big difference between the concept of personal space in this city compared to the foreign cities I visited and the definitions I was given in academic courses. This misunderstanding about personal space in Tehran deeply affects society as well as family relationships. The main cause for this mistaken approach to personal space is tightly related to the cultural features of the Middle East. Problems about privacy and personal space are very common inside the smallest structure of society, the family. Family has a central place in Iranian culture and being at the core of society has a direct impact on the way people use or learn to use public spaces. In particular, there is no or is not enough respect for other’s personal space in this lively city of approximately 13 million inhabitants. In this project I tried to analyze and film the reactions and moods of pedestrians when their personal space is invaded, ordinary people passing or working in this public place when confronted with dancers in this crowded space in a creative and unexpected way. How will the crowd receive this energy given by the dancers, how will they share the space?
“KHALVAT” is a development of Rapoport’s definition of the environment to me, which suggests a framework for understanding the nature of the environment and its components. “According to this framework, environment is a set of relationships between objects with objects, objects with humans, and humans with humans. Based on this, the environment has three components: natural environment, human-made environment, and human-interaction environment.” (1982. The meaning of the built environment). The last model was the base of the project which is directly related to combining people’s energies; Human-Interaction environment.

BIO
Roya Keshavarz

As an Iranian artist who immigrated to Belgium in 2020, my work explores the intersections of body, disabilities, and social structures. Initially trained in sculpture, I later delved into video and installation art, expanding my artistic repertoire. Seeking further depth in storytelling, I pursued an education in film studies in the UK, with a particular focus on experimental documentaries. Through my art, I aim to challenge perceptions, provoke thought, and evoke emotions, offering unique perspectives on complex societal issues.

Image credits: Roya Keshavarz