C.V | bio
Bio
Nima Dehghani, born in Tehran, Iran in 1986, is an award-winning artist, writer, and director. He obtained his Bachelor's degree in Architecture from IUST in 2012, and his MFA from Carnegie Mellon University in 2016, focusing on digital media and performance art.
Nima's artistic endeavors are transdisciplinary, utilizing various technologies to explore human experience and the themes of estrangement and displacement. With a unique and eclectic approach shaped by his cultural heritage and personal experiences, he constructs hypermediated and highly systematized social architectures through theater, film, and digital forums. His research centers around Contemporary Middle Eastern Studies, examining communication hacking, creative social justice divination, and implicit politics.
Dehghani has a background in using technology to create interactive performances, including "MonoTalkhak," "The Manual," and "In Praise of Theater, Tehran and Telecommunication" in Iran. Since 2011, he has been working on online performance projects called "Netformance," including "Webcam", "The Body of Woman as a Battlefield", and "Telepuppet.tv." In 2017,
Currently based in San Francisco, Nima predominantly teaches and works in theater and digital media, combining video, VR-AR, net art, and performing arts in his practices. Nima has received numerous accolades for his work as a playwright and director, including "The Best Young Director of the Year" from the Iran Theater Forum in 2012. His past works have been showcased in Iran before 2012, and subsequently at festivals in Spain, UK, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Turkey, and Germany.
Dehghani started a new research project called "The Aesthetics of Ugliness" or "Behavior of Iranians in Social Networks from a Performative Dimension," which lead to an ongoing documentary lecture-performance based on the life of Iranian YouTuber Nasim Najafi Aghdam. As the director of the Control-Zed Theater Group, Dehghani is also the director and co-founder of the "Re-Connect" online performance festival, which aims to bring together digital art experts and explore new ideas for utilizing digital media and experimental performance art.
To learn more about Nima's work, visit his website at Nimadehghani.com.
About me
As a transdisciplinary artist, I use various technologies to explore human experiences of estrangement and displacement. My work incorporates a range of cultural customs and personal experiences. Through theater, video art, and participatory digital platforms, I create hypermediated and highly systematized social architectures that encourage people to search for evidence of the sensual and connect with one another on an inter and intrapersonal level.
By amplifying the distance between people through mediated technologies, I inspire my audience to seek connections and work together to shape their world. This makes the audience active participants in the work and agents of change in their communities.
My process is experiential and highly collaborative, and I often depart from traditional methodologies to create new networks of mechanization and invite diverse audiences to engage with even complex topics through curiosity and play.
As an architect of fragmented realities, I use my background in architecture, VR, and theater to create (usually) digital spaces and design (mainly) virtual platforms for the audience or other artists to make dialogue with each other and "the others".
Nima Dehghani
Education
2016 M.F.A. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA ,USA
2012 B.A. Architecture, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran
Founder/ Ctrl+Z Theater Group
Co-Founder/ Peykart.com
Teaching Experience
2019 Digital Storytelling workshop for refugee students, Back to Track NGO, Berlin, Germany
2019 Digital Storytelling workshop for immigrant students, Oakland International Highschool, CA, USA
2019 Workshop: Digital theater, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
2018 Workshop: Digital Storytelling workshop for Refugees, Emil Fischer School, Berlin, Germany
2017 Workshop: VR Digital Storytelling workshop, Inverse Visual Art School, Tehran, Iran
2016 GA, Intro to contextual practice (with Jon Rubin), CMU, School of Arts, Pittsburgh, USA
2016 GA, The Amateur- digital culture (with Jon Rubin), CMU, School of Arts, Pittsburgh, USA
2015 GA, Internet resistance (with Paolo Pedercini), CMU, School of Arts, Pittsburgh, USA
2015 GA, Temporary arts for public spaces (with Jon Rubin), CMU, School of Arts, Pittsburgh, USA
2014 Workshop: Creative Writing, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
2014 Workshop: Performance and Multimedia, Roodaki Art Center Iran
2013 GA, Urban intervention (with Ali Momeni), CMU, School of Arts, Pittsburgh, USA
2013 Online Workshop: Creative Writing Workshop, Artiman Center, Tehran, Iran
2012 Casual Writing, Creative writing workshop, Peykart art department, Tehran Iran
Awards- Grants
2020 Best Production Award, Decompensation VR film, FINNOF Festival, Argentina
2019 Official Selection, Decompensation VR film, CPH Web series Festival, Copenhagen, Denmark
2018 Official Selection, Decompensation VR film, Harlem VR Film Festival, New York, USA
2018 Official Selection, Decompensation VR film, Kinetoscope VR Film Festival, Seattle, USA
2017 Official Selection, Decompensation VR film, FIVARS VR Film Festival, Toronto, Canada
2015 Frank-Ratchye Fund for Arts
2014 Connecting Cities Fund, Co-investigator: Ali Momeni, Telepuppet.tv, Brussels, Liverpool, Madrid
2014 Konrad and Gisela Weis Fellowship (Carnegie Mellon School of Art)
2013 Magalios Foundation Scholarship (Carnegie Mellon School of Art)
2013 Awesome Pittsburgh Grant, Pittsburgh, USA
2012 Best young Director of the year, Iran Theater forum, TheatreTehran, Iran
2012 Honored in 2012 Evolo skyscraper architecture competition, USA
2011 Best playwriting, best directing - King’s flight, Fajr international students theater festival, Iran
2011 Best original performance, World Festival of Puppet Art, The day after tomorrow, Prague, Czech
2010 First prize of playwriting, The day after tomorrow, UNIMA Puppet theatre festival, Tehran, Iran
2008 First prize of playwriting, The suspicious case, UNIMA Puppet theatre festival, Tehran, Iran
2007 First prize of playwriting, Rooster-Less, Theater for Children Biennale, Tehran, Iran
Talks, Workshops, Panels, Conference Presentations
2021 Panelist: Online Festivals, IV GEMinis International Journey (JIG 2021),Brazil, Online
2021 Panelist: Theatre during the Pandemic, Freie Universität Berlin/Germany, Online
2020 Panelist: Liveness in digital theatre, Reconnect Festival, San Francisco, Online
2020 Paper Presentation: Aesthetics of ugliness- the internet, IVSA Dublin Conference, Dublin, Ireland
2019 Artist Talk: Digital media and performing arts, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2018 Artist Talk: My practice as an Interdisciplinary Artist, Inverse Visual Art School, Tehran, Iran
2016 CFC Media lab VR storytelling panel, Panelist, CFC Canadian Film Center, Toronto, Canada
2016 Panelist, FIVARS VR Film Festival, Toronto, Canada
2015 Panelist, Digital Storytelling Conference 2015, Northampton, USA
2015 Member of the selection committee, Open Engagement 2015, Pittsburgh, USA
2015 Panel Discussion: Producers as international changemakers, IBT15 Festival, Bristol, UK
2014 Workshop: Creative Writing, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
Selected shows-Exhibitions
2021
The Portrait of a woman, a lion, a monster, Video designer, Directed by Ali Kamran, Tehaterlab,NYC, USA
2020
Decompensation, VR film, FINOFF Festival, Rosario, Argentina
Rhyme, VR video installation, New York, USA
2019
"As you like it", Video projection designer, Kassel, Germany
"I am not your food ", Charles University, Prague, Czech
"I am not your food ", Beckech, Berlin, Germany
"I am not your food ", Spectrum, Emruz festival, New York, USA
"El-Muerte", Video projection designer, San Francisco, Toronto, Montreal, NYC, US and Canada
"Wounded bear". Video projection designer, Tehran, Iran
2018
"In Praise of Theater ", Mostaghel Theater, Tehran, Iran
"Hecuba-Helen", Video projection designer, Stanford University, Palo Alto, USA
"Routine or The Static Flood of Whimsical Thoughts in a Restless Mind, Mild", Berkeley, USA
2016
“Decompensation” , Harlem International Film Festival, NYC, USA
“Decompensation” , FIVARS VR Film Festival, Toronto, Canada
“Decompensation” , 3Rivers Art Festival, Pittsburgh, USA
“A VR Tour of Tehran”, Conflict Kitchen Film and Video Festival, Pittsburgh, USA
“Decompensation” , The Miller gallery, Pittsburgh, USA
2015
“Big Fish Eyes” , The Frame gallery, Pittsburgh, USA
“Where you stand” , 8 hour projects, Meadville College art gallery, Meadville, USA
“Above”, Co-curator with Andy Field, Online Project, Tehran-London, Iran-UK
“Metamorphosis , 808 Gallery, Pittsburgh, USA
2014
"telepuppet.tv" , Augmented Puppetry, Urban Projection, Brussels, Liverpool, Madrid
“MonoTalkhak” (The Clown and I), Kreuzberger HofFestSpiele Theater Festival, Berlin, Germany
“MonoTalkhak” (The Clown and I), English Theater Berlin, “The 2014 Expat Expo, Berlin, Germany
“Webcam”, Online Performance, www,Netformance.org, Pittsburgh, USA-Tehran, Iran
“Gross Domestic Product”(group show), (“The Body of Woman as a Battlefield”), The Mine Factory, Pittsburgh, USA
2013
“Kiss-for-Peace” (online performance), www.Netformance.org, Pittsburgh, USA
“Jeanparty” (online performance), www.Netformance.org, Pittsburgh, USA
“Whenever”, Ghasr Prison-Gallery, Tehran, Iran
“Anyway”, Café Genre, Tehran, Iran
"Where is the capital of RioDeJaniro?", Milad Tower & Arasbaran, Tehran, Iran
“Control Me”(Live Archive), Crucible Building , Pittsburgh, USA
“Talk to me 2” (collaboration with Felipe Castelblanco), Ellis Gallery, Tehran-Pittsburgh, Iran-USA
2012
“The Manual”, City theater, Tehran, Iran
“Denmark”, 30 performance 30 Artists Show, East Gallery, Tehran, Iran
“Salon-e- Tehrani” , (Playwright), Director: Narges Hashempoor, Dresden , Germany
2011
“Mono-Talkhak” (The clown and I), Entezami Hall, Tehran, Iran
“King’s Flight” , Fajr international festival(students), Molavi Hall, Tehran, Iran
“Horse, apple and spring”, (playwright), Director: Anahita Ghanizade, Talar Honar, Tehran, Iran
“The day after tomorrow” (Playwright), City Theater, Tehran, Iran- Prague, Czech Republic
“U-Turn”, (Playwright) , Director: Hamid Poorazari, IUT Parking lot , Tehran, Iran
“Orpheus” (Playwright), Director:Raha Shirazi, Entezami Hall, Tehran, Iran
Published Books
2015 “Normal” - (Playscript) - Boutimar publication
2014 “Mono-talkhak- (Playscript) - Hoze Noghre publication
2009 “The day after tomorrow”- (Playscript) - Namiesh Publication
2008 “Golestan-e- javanmarde ghassab” (Satiric poetry for young adults)- Shahr Publication
2007 “Tehran 1473” (Citizenship culture for children) - Shahr Publica
Work Experience
2020- 2020 Co-Founder and Director, Reconnect Oline Performance Festival
2012- 2020 Founder and Director, Ctrl+Z Performance group
2014- 2012 Art Director, Rah Foundation
2012-2020 Art Director, Co-Founder, Peykart (Art and media newsletter)
2016- 2017 Creative Director, iTutoregroup, SF Bay Area, USA
2012- 2017 Member of International Federation of Journalists
2015-2016 Coordinator of special projects and Researcher, Studio for Creative Inquiry, Pittsburgh, USA
2013-2016 Graphic designer, Photographer, and Videographer, Carnegie Mellon University
2013-2015 Member of the board of Iranian Students Association, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
2012-2013 Member of the editorial board, Khatkhati magazine
2012-2015 Member of the board, Iranian Playwrights’ Association, Iran Theater Forum
2010-2011 Designer and Architect, Bonsar Architecture Studio
2008-2010 Designer, Architect and Art Director, Carpira Architecture Studio
2004-2006 Copywriter and Graphic Designer, Nama Graphic Studio
Press:
Interviews, news, critics, articles about Nima Dehghani and his works:
نیما دهقانی هنرمند بینارشتهای، نویسنده و کارگردان تئاتر است. او دارای مدرک کارشناسی معماری از دانشگاه علموصنعت ایران و کارشناسی ارشد هنرهای زیبا از دانشگاه Carnegie Mellon امریکا با تمرکز روی دیجیتال مدیا و پرفرمنس آرت است.
دهقانی در دوران تحصیل خود تمرکزش روی طراحی فضاهای دیجیتال به عنوان بستر آلترناتیو برای اجراهای تجربی بوده است. «اجراهای اینترنتمحور و محیطی»، «همکاریهای بینارسانهای» و پژوهش حول «مختصات فضای مجازی برای میزبانی آثار نمایشی» موضوع تحقیقات وی، و «جابجایی و واقعیت مجازی» (Displacement and Virtual Relaity) موضوع تز کارشناسی ارشد او میباشد.
اغلب تجربههای وی در حوزه ترکیب تکنولوژی و پرفرمنس تعاملی بوده و از اجراهای مطرح او در ایران میتوان به «منوتلخک»، «شیوهی صحیح استفاده از دستگاه»، و «در ستایش تئاتر و تهران و تلهکامیونیکیشن» اشاره کرد. در تمام این آثار رد پای اجرای مشارکتی و استفاده از ابزار/رسانههای دیجیتال دیده میشود.
نیما دهقانی از سال ۹۰ روی پروژه های اجراهای انلاین با عنوان «نتفرمنس» کار میکرده و اجراهای «وبکم»، و «پیکر زن همچون میدان نبرد» , «telepuppet.tv» را روی پلتفرمهای آنلاین، طراحی و اجرا کرده است. در ادامه این تجربهها، پروژه اخیر خود را با عنوان «زیبایی شناسیِ زشتی و رفتارشناسی ایرانیان در شبکههای مجازی از بُعدِ پرفرماتیو»، با لکچر پرفرمنس مستندی بر اساس زندگی نسیم نجفی اقدم - یکی از یوتیوبرهای معروف ایرانی- در سال ۲۰۱۷ آغاز کرده است.
نیما دهقانی به عنوان مدیر گروه تئاتر کنترل-ضد، یکی از طراحان فستیوال «ارتباط مجدد» با هدف برگزاری گفتگوهای کارشناسی و گرداوری ایدههای نو برای کشف پتانسیلها و استفاده بهینه از رسانههای دیجیتال میباشد.
سابقه کاری
• گروه تئاتر Ctrl+Z | تهران | موسس و کارگردان هنری | 2009 تا 2018
• پیک اتفاقات فرهنگی هنری Peykart | موسس و مدیر هنری | 2011 تا 2018
• iTutorGroup Inc | سن فرانسیسکو | مدیر هنری | 2016 تا 2017
• دانشگاه Carnegie Mellon University | پیتزبورگ | استادیار و محقق هنر دیجیتال/ بینارشتهای | 2013 تا 2016
• Studio for Creative Inquiry | کیوریتور پروژههای ویژه و طراح گرافیک | 2014 تا 2016
• استودیو معماری بنسار | تهران | آرشیتکت | 2010 تا 2012
• استودیو نما گرافیک | تهران | موسس و طراح گرافیک | 2007 تا 2009
سابقه سخنرانی و تدریس
• برگزاری ورکشاپ دیجیتال استوری تلینگ | مدرسه Emil Fitscher برلین | 2018
• سخنرانی در نشست CFC Media lab VR storytelling در Canadian Film Center | تورنتو، کانادا | 2016
• سخنرانی در پنل Fivars VR film festival | تورنتو، کانادا | 2016
• سخنرانی در پنل In Between Time Performance Festival | بریستول، انگلستان | 2016
• سخنرانی در پنل Digital storytelling conference 2016 | نورثهمپتون، آمریکا | 2016
• برگزاری ورکشاپ Performance and Multimedia در مرکز فرهنگی هنری رودکی | تهران | 2014
• برگزاری ورکشاپ نویسندگی خلاق | دانشگاه USC لس آنجلس | 2014
• برگزاری ورکشاپ آنلاین نویسندگی خلاق در Artiman Center | تهران | 2013
• برگزاری ورکشاپ نویسندگی خلاق در دپارتمان هنری Peykart | تهران | 2012
نمایشگاهها و اجرها
• طراحی ویدیو پروجکشن "Helen-Hecuba" | دانشگاه استنفورد، آمریکا | 2018
• صحنهخوانی "This Damn Boat" | Golden Thread Theater Company | سانفرانسیسکو آمریکا | 2018
• نمایش "در ستایش تئاتر و تهران و تله کامیونیکیشن" | تئاتر مستقل | تهران، ایران | 2017
• نمایش "سیل ساکن تفکرات نا آرام" | Central Stage | برکلی، آمریکا | 2017
• ویدیو پرفورمنس "Decompensation" |FIVARS VR Film Festival | تورنتو، کانادا | 2016
• نمایشگاه "Decompensation" | 3Rivers Art Festival | پیتزبورگ، آمریکا | 2016
• ویدیو اینستالیشن "A VR Tour of Tehran" | Conflict Kitchen Film and Video Festival | پیتزبورگ، آمریکا | 2016
• نمایشگاه ویدیو واقعیت مجازی "Big Fish Eyes" | The Frame gallery | پیتزبورگ، آمریکا | 2015
• نمایشگاه "Where you stand" | مدیویل، آمریکا | 2015
• نمایشگاه "Above" | Online Project | تهران،ایران | لندن،انگلستان | 2016
• نمایشگاه "Metamorphosis" | 808 Gallery | پیتزبورگ، آمریکا | 2015
• اجرای ویدئو پروجکشن شهری "telepuppet.tv" | مادرید، بروکسل، لیورپول | 2014
• نمایش "MonoTalkhak" | Kreuzberger HofFestSpiele Theater Festival| برلین، آلمان | 2014
• پرفورمنس "Webcam" | Online Performance| www.Netformance.org | 2014
• پرفورمنس "Whenever" | زندان قصر | تهران، ایران | 2013
• پرفورمنس "Anyway" | کافه ژانر | تهران، ایران | 2013
• نمایشگاه "Control Me" | Crucible Building | پیتزبورگ، آمریکا | 2013
• نمایشگاه "Talk to me 2" با همکاریFelipe Castelblanco | Ellis Gallery | پیتزبورگ، آمریکا | 2013
• نمایشگاه "The Manual" | تئاتر شهر | تهران، ایران | 2012
• پرفورمنس "Denmark" | گالری ایست | تهران، ایران | 2012
• نمایش "Mono-Talkhak" | تالار انتظامی | تهران، ایران | 2012
• Frank-Ratchye Fund for Arts | 2015
• Connecting Cities Grant, Co-investigator with Ali Momeni | 2014
• بورس تحصیلی Magalios Foundation | 2013
• جایزه Awesome Pittsburgh ا 2013
• بهترین کارگردان جوان سال از سوی خانه تئاتر ایران | تهران | 2012
• برنده جایزه بهترین کارگردانی در بخش دانشجویی چهاردهمین جشنواره تئاتر فجر | ایران | 2011
• برنده جایزه بهترین پرفورمنس غیر اقتباسی از Festival of Puppet Art | شهر پراگ جمهوری چک | 2011
• برنده مقام نخست نمایشنامهنویسی در دوسالانه تئاتر کودکان | ایران | 2007
• نویسنده کتاب "سیل ساکن تفکرات ناآرام" (نمایشنامه) | انتشاراتBoutimar | 2015
• نویسنده کتاب "منو تلخک" (نمایشنامه) | انتشارات حوض نقره | 2014
• نویسنده کتاب "پسآنفردا" (نمایشنامه) | انتشارات نمایش | 2009