Creative Spotlight | Sahar Mokhtari

Published on 16 December 2025

Tell us a bit about who you are and what kind of creative work you make.

I’m Sahar Mokhtari, a Sydney-based visual artist and theatre maker. My work explores memory, migration, and identity through both performance and visual art. I often collaborate with local artists and communities to create pieces that bring people together through shared stories.

One of my recent projects, Under the Skin of Carpet, brought 25 artists into a large-scale installation inspired by hand-woven Persian carpets. I’m now developing its continuation, So Far, So Close, a group exhibition exploring connection and belonging.

Where can we find out more about your work and get in touch?

Instagram: @artglow.s
Email: artglow.s@outlook.com

Are there any special processes, techniques or tools you use to make your creative work?

My creative process is deeply collaborative. I believe in collective energy, and I often begin each project by sharing ideas with the artists around me. Working with my creative team - including performers, musicians, photographers, and designers - allows each work to evolve through diverse perspectives.

Together, we experiment with collage, mixed media, sound, performance elements, and intuitive discussion. This shared approach builds trust and helps shape the final artistic outcome in a way that feels alive and communal.

What is a creative project that you’ve worked on that you’re really proud of? Why?

I’m especially proud of Under the Skin of Carpet. I used a hand-woven Persian carpet as an installation, with a setar (a Persian stringed musical instrument) instrument by musician performing beneath it. The carpet symbolised the migrant before migration, whole and tightly woven, while the setar represented the homeland.

As part of the work, I also created a short theatrical piece exploring the emotional experience of those who leave their home and those who stay behind, adding a more intimate and human dimension to the performance.

As the performance continued, the carpet gradually descended and was cut into pieces, showing how migration can fragment a person. Each piece was later transformed into a framed artwork, symbolising how something new and meaningful can grow from that fragmentation.

What creative project are you working on at the moment?

I am currently working on my upcoming exhibition, So Far, So Close. This exhibition features the artworks created during Under the Skin of Carpet, where I brought together 14 artists to transform fragments of a hand-woven Persian carpet into individual pieces of art. 

Participating artists:

• Dr. Marjaneh Malihi
• Mahan Tavakoli
• Maryam Ganji
• Niloufar Sharifi
• Parto Nickhoush
• Rounak Sanati
• Sahar Ghomeshi
• Saina Ghomeshi
• Tara Bidar
• Thelma Ghayyem
• Nooshin Khairollahpour
• Parishad Nourazar
• Behzad Eslami

This new exhibition continues my exploration of memory, transformation, and the poetic journey of migration through collaborative art.