Sherry Shayan

My artistic practice has evolved from a foundation in philosophy and literature to a visual language shaped by absurdism and cartoon aesthetics. I was first drawn to existentialist thinkers like Heidegger, Nietzsche, and Sartre. Since my mid-20s, my art has paralleled my philosophical exploration, especially the existentialist idea that life has no inherent meaning—that we must create our own. This led me to question identity, morality, and the absurdity of existence.

Later, I turned to Absurdist literature—Beckett, Ionesco—whose irrational logic and moral ambiguity deeply influenced my view of being-thrown-in-the-world and the nature of consciousness. These works reflected my own internal contradictions: the desire to find meaning in a world that defies it.

In 2019, I left my engineering job and began working in remote, often harsh environments. These experiences were an attempt to live more authentically, engaging directly with reality. My time in the Yukon and on a cattle farm shaped my understanding of ideological conflicts—how beliefs are often formed through pain, survival, and environment. I became fascinated by how identity and ideology arise from personal condition and emotional experience.

The political uprising in Ira...

Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien, Anonymous Drawings, Berlin, Germany, 2024-11
Humboldt-Forum Wirtschaft, The Wealth Puzzle: Fair Share or Unfair Divide?, Berlin, Germany, 2024-05
BcmA, Drop it!, Berlin, Germany, 2024-04
Chroma Artspace, Authentic Self, Berlin, Germany, 2023-05
Chroma Artspace, Shadows, Berlin, Germany
2023-01
Art Revolution Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan
2021-02
Jacoby Arts Center, Phantasmagoria III, Alton, Illinois, US
2020-09
Florence Contemporary Gallery (CATALOG ISSUE 2), Florence, Italy
2020-09
Raw Artists, Toronto, Canada
2019-05
Ryerson University Expressions Art Festival, Toronto, Canada
2019-04
Slanted Door Coffee Art, Toronto, Canada
2019-02
Queen Gallery Winter Fair Exhibition, Toronto, Canada
2018-11