Kill Me Softly: Counihan Gallery

Ali Tahayori

4 May - 28 Jul 2024

Counihan Gallery
233 Sydney Road Brunswick

In ‘Kill Me Softly’, Iranian-Australian artist Ali Tahayori explores themes of desire, intimacy and violence through a queer lens.

Same-sex relationships are prohibited in Iran and carry a maximum penalty of death. Many members of the Iranian queer community are forced to flee their home country. However, in many places where LGBTQIA+ rights are recognised, homophobia and transphobia remain.

Highlighting recent reports of homophobia and transphobia in sports, ‘Kill Me Softly’ aims to raise awareness of LGBTQIA+ rights in many parts of the world where homosexuality is still prohibited and penalised.

‘Kill Me Softly’ combines the traditional Iranian craft of Āine-Kāri (mirror-works) with video installation. Tahayori’s practice encompasses a discourse about diaspora and displacement with an exploration of queerness – in both cases, poignantly testifying to his experience of being othered.