Press Release: The Armory Show 2023 | Desire Moheb-Zandi: Through the Peephole: Desire Moheb-Zandi at The Armory Show 2023, September 7 – 10, 2023

Dio Horia gallery is pleased to present ‘Through the peephole’ by Desire Moheb-Zandi — a live working artist studio to be created especially for the Armory Show, 2023.

The artist will be present working on a loom to create new works, invoking the actual artist’s studio. Collectors can take a peek through a peephole into the studio from behind a wall, or they can walk around this obstruction and enter into the studio practice and meet the artist herself, who will be working at times during the fair opening hours. The installation functions as a type of performance, presenting the hidden labor behind all art objects, as well as a chance to break down barriers.

With a view to really connecting the artwork with its creator and collectors, ‘Through the peephole’ aims to slow down and reconnect what can be the short-lived aesthetic trends, online sales & virtual distance, typical of art market frenzy. ‘Through the peephole’ encourages viewers to experience the booth as a perhaps one-time-only chance to peer into the artist’s spirit, a magical moment that historically elevates art.

In essence, ‘Through the peephole’ traces multiple transformations of identity through ritualistic encounters between the artwork, its creator and collectors. Thus, drawing inspiration from contemporary experiences of modern day webcams and 1970’s peep shows, to Duchamp's Étant donnés and the camera obscura of the Dutch Masters, the voyeuristic titillation is matched by the myriad of fantasy worlds entered into & unfolded by the artist.