“I find inspiration through improvisation. Very rarely will I approach a canvas with a result in mind, and when I do it usually changes drastically as I develop the work. I find no reason to stay attached to an idea if a better one presents itself, and the best ones always emerge from impulsive changes in direction. For me, the process is exciting precisely because the destination is unknown – every canvas remains a problem waiting to be solved, a jumble of color and shapes that demands to be worked out.
I am very interested in understanding how we seek order in ambiguity. The brain’s tendency to identify patterns, symbols and concepts is the basis for the evolution of intelligence on our planet. And creativity is the result of that intelligence perceiving new and unique patterns.”
Shirzad Khusrokhan was born in Bombay and grew up creating images emblazoned with the wildly bright colors and fantastic imagery of his native India.
Shirzad’s paintings tend to be diverse due to a process that he has honed over the course of many years: an improvisation on canvas with no pre-conceived direction is almost always the first step. The resulting image tends to invoke random visual associations in a manner similar to a Rorshach test or staring at clouds. Once the spark of an idea has been summoned, he paints it. Often this means reworking a composition numerous times as new ideas present themselves. The finished image tends to have little in common with its origins.
Over the years Shirzad has welcomed input from others viewing his works-in-progress, and with the advent of social media, the target for these Rorshach tests has grown. Many comments on evolving images posted on his facebook page have ended up being incorporated into his work, as he continues to challenge himself to paint a thematically, stylistically, and conceptually diverse range of ideas.
Shirzad has a Bachelors in Studio Art from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI. He lives in New York City, creating works on canvas alongside both a career in technology and involvement in New York’s music scene.