When Unearthed Sights Collide

The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) Main Gallery is pleased to present When Unearthed Sights Collide, a two-person exhibition featuring Bay Area-based artist Shirin Khalatbari and San Francisco-based artist Sun Park, curated by independent curator Shirin Makaremi.   

This exhibition features the work of two emerging Bay Area artists Shirin Khalatbari and Sun Park. In When Unearthed Sights Collide, both artists established their own narratives of spirituality and history, questioning Western doctrines and exploring alternative methods in order to reclaim autonomy over spiritual and historical narratives.    

When Unearthed Sights Collide marks the first exhibition in a new program with SFAC Galleries: a mentorship fellowship, where two emerging artists work closely with a curator for eight months on their professional development and to create new work for an exhibition in the Main Gallery. SFAC Galleries launched an open call for artists in January 2024 with over 160 artist applications submitted. Shirin Khalatbari and Sun Park were selected a panel of both SFAC staff and stakeholders in the Bay Area arts community.   

Shirin Khalatbari is an artist, educator and activist born and raised in Tehran, Iran and currently based in Oakland, CA. In their interdisciplinary work, Khalatbari confronts archeology as a tool used by colonial powers to exploit Iran’s archaeological treasures and natural resources during the early 20th century. Her work references the manipulation of history as means to justify domination and erasure of cultural heritage. In order to reclaim the narrative, they use what remains to flip and reshape what has been lost. Khalatbari’s work asks the viewer to reconsider their perceived knowledge of the objects that are displayed in front of them.  

Sun Park is a visual artist and writer based in San Francisco. Park’s work responds to bodily sensations that signal the connection between internal and external environments, exploring the porous boundaries were identity is formed and altered. For When Unearthed Sights Collide, Park’s installation delves into personal mythology and ritual. They pull from childhood experiences and narratives from literature that illuminate the act of consumption and invite viewers to reconsider the boundaries of identity and community. Park leaves the viewer with the question of what feeds us spiritually and how we digest that in our bodies. 

About the Artists: 
Shirin Khalatbari is an artist, archaeologist, activist, and educator, born and raised in Tehran, Iran. Their artistic focus revolves around transdisciplinary and research-based exploration, delving into the consequences of colonialism in West Aisa by scrutinizing historical narratives and archaeological discoveries. They investigate the interplay among politics, poetics, and aesthetics in objects, aiming to envision a world liberated from colonial influences. Khalatbari holds a BA and MA in Near Eastern Art and Archaeology from La Sapienza and an MFA from San Francisco State University. They have exhibited internationally in the United States, Italy, and Iran.  

Sun Park is a visual artist and writer based in San Francisco. Sensory overload, disassociation, collective effervescence, stimming: Park responds to bodily sensations that signal the connection between internal and external environments, the porous boundaries where identity is formed and altered. Park’s work is informed by their experience with the white Protestant church, Korean shamanism, and Bay Area landscapes. They hold an MFA from San Francisco State University and has exhibited their work at / (slash gallery), SWIM Gallery, Southern Exposure, among others. Park is a member of the Dong Ji Collective.  

About the curator 
Shirin Makaremi is an Iranian-American artist and curator based in San Francisco, CA. Makaremi is the former Director of Incline Gallery in San Francisco, where she curated and facilitated exhibitions and programs. She enjoys working with emerging local artists, collaborating and supporting them to take a leap with their practice. Makaremi has worked with a number of Bay Area organizations, such as Zamin Project, Southern Exposure, SF Camerawork, and SOMArts. Makaremi received her BA from San Francisco State University in Studio Art and Art History.  


Image credit: (left) Shirin Khalatbari, From the series Time without Duration, 2024. Scanned Luristan bronze artifacts. Courtesy of the artist. (right) Sun Park, Eating as Becoming, 2024 (detail). Slime, pine needles, wire thread, beads. Courtesy of the artist.

When Unearthed Sights Collide is supported in part with funding by