about
Banafsheh hemmati
Designer_Artist
Banafsheh Hemmati is an independent Iranian designer-artist whose work lies at the intersection of art, design, and philosophy. She holds a master’s degree in Industrial Design and a PhD in Philosophy of Art, where her research focused on the philosophical foundations of the relationship between art and geometry.
For over two decades, Hemmati has been professionally active as a designer-artist and is the founder of the Banafsheh Hemmati Design Studio. Her extensive body of work spans sculpture, artistic jewelry, interior design, lighting, and furniture.
Hemmati’s unique approach to jewelry and sculpture is deeply rooted in the appropriation of Islamic geometry. Inspired by the motifs of Islamic architecture, she integrates geometric patterns into her creations while disrupting their rigid order to expand their visual and formal possibilities. Her work reinterprets Islamic geometry in contemporary contexts.
While her jewelry and sculptures are conceptually interconnected, they primarily differ in scale. By elevating jewelry to engage with the “body” as a site of connection, her sculptures transcend traditional notions of adornment, creating a dialogue between body and space.
Hemmati’s works have been showcased in numerous exhibitions across Iran, the United States, Italy, Germany, Malaysia, Turkey, and the UAE. Among her notable achievements is her 2023 installation Seven Cypresses, exhibited at the 2nd edition of DIFC Sculpture Park. Acquired by the private collection of DIFC, this installation, blending Gothic and Islamic geometry, bridges Eastern and Western artistic traditions.
She is the only independent artist associated with DIFC and was invited to the 3rd edition of DIFC Sculpture Park to present an interactive site-specific installation titled The Eternal Gateway.
In addition to her artistic practice, Hemmati is an educator and has served as a juror for prestigious design festivals. She has received numerous accolades, including the Florence International Art and Design Award in 2017. She is also a member of Klimt02, an international platform for contemporary art jewelry, and contributes as a writer to the Art Jewelry Forum (AJF) in the United States.
Education
. B.Sc. Industrial and product design, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Azad University
. M.Sc. Industrial and product design, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Azad University
. PhD. Philosophy of Art,Faculty of Human science, Azad University
Some Educational Activities
. 2018-present Teaching at the Al-Zahra University - Systematic Approach to Jewelry Design
. 2016 Design Workshops based on the Development of Creativity in Design at Shahid Beheshti University
. 2015 Jewelry Design process in Aria Gallery Art Classes
. 2009-2004 Teaching at the Faculty of Art and Architecture, (Tehran Central Branch) - Design
Referee
. 2018 Member of Jury in Fajr International Festival of Jewelry
. 2017 Member of Jury in Tehran Jewelry Design Week Competition
Awards
. 2017 - Winner of the Florence International Art and Design Award
. 2016 - Winner of the 6th Tehran International Festival in the field of jewelry
. 2015 - Winner of ‘A Design Award’
Publication and Lectures
. 2024 - Interview with Canvas DIFC, Third Sculpture Park, 2024
. 2024 - Lecture, «Adaptation or Appropriation», Manipal University, Dubai, 2024
. 2024 - Article «Adaptation or Appropriation», 2A Magazine, Issue 31, Autumn 2024
. 2023 - «Dismantling the Order of Islamic Geometry» a photo essay, published in ART JEWELRY FORUM Journal- USA
. 2022- A photo essay about Body Geometry collection published in the Munich Jewelry Week.
. 2022- An interview with Klimit02 (is an international authentic institution in the field of contemporary artistic Jewelry and handicraft)
. 2021- A lecture presented in Iran Craft Week- Adaptation or Appropriation - Tehran
. 2020 - Essay about contemporary jewelry in Today's Architect and Fashion journal - Tehran
. 2018- Banafsheh Hemmati’s speech at the fourth #I_designed conference - Tehran
. 2017- Lecture about contemporary jewelry at the Commemoration Ceremony of Parviz Tanavoli in Tehran University- Tehran
. 2016- Symposium on the subject of “Books and Sculpture” with the presence of a group of members of the Iranian Sculpture Association, Published in the journal of the Sculptors Association of Iran.
. 2016- A photo essay published in Herfeh-Honarmand Magazine.
Design Week
. 2022 - presenting the “Seven Cypresses” installation in Dubai Design Week, UAE
Jewerly Week
. 2022 - Participation in Munich Jewelley Week
Biennial
. 2020 - 8th Tehran International Sculpture Biennial
Membership
. 2023 - Member of ART JEWELRY FORUM Journal as an Author - USA
. 2022 Member of Klimt02 the Internatinal Authentic Institue in the field of contemporary artistic jewelry and handicraft
Art Fair
. 2024 - Istanbul Artweek, Muse Contemporary, Istanbul, Turkey
. 2023 - Istanbul Art Fair
Solo Exhibitions
. 2024 - The Trace of Absence Jewelry, Muse Contemporary, Istanbul, Turkey
. 2018 - Sculpture, the Trace of the absence, Iranshahr Gallery
. 2014 - Sculpture and Jewelry, The always, Gallery 26, Tehran
. 2013 - Jewelry, Distance, Vali Gallery, Tehran
. 2011 - Jewelry, Fluctuation, Vali Gallery, Tehran
. 2010 - Jewelry, Seyhoun Gallery, USA
Selected of Group Exhibitions
. 2024 - 3rd Edition of DIFC Sculpture Park, Dubai, UAE
. 2024 - Garden-Gate to Heaven, Carpet Museum of Iran, Tehran
. 2024 - Patternitecture, Niavaran Complex, Tehran
. 2023 - Baltimore, Baltimore Jewelry Center
. 2023 - 2nd Edition of DIFC Sculpture Park, Dubai, UAE
. 2017 - Contemporary Jewelry, Aria Gallery, Tehran
. 2017 - Trends and Approaches in Contemporary Iranian Art (Painting and Sculpture), Pardis Mellat Gallery, Tehran
. 2017 - Contemporary Jewelry, Florence, Riacci University Gallery
. 2017 - Paintings and Sculptures, Farmanfarma Gallery
. 2017 - Iranian Artists, Expo Malaysia
. 2016 - Visual Art & Painting, Nowruz-New Day, Vista Gallery
. 2015 - The Association of Iranian Sculptures, Aaran Gallery, Tehran
. 2015 - Small Sculptures, Aria Gallery, Tehran
