Born in Teheran, Iran, and based in Toronto, Canada, Mahsa Merci creates textured and detailed artwork that draws the viewers in and keeps them curious. Her main inspiration is queer individuals that are portrayed in all their complexity, together with bold makeup, tattoos, vibrant hair colors, and everything else that makes them unique.
Merci finds inspiration in the work of anonymous feminist group from the ‘80s called Guerrilla Girls, who had rebellious ways to make people aware of the discrimination happening in the art world. Merci’s work is against showing those that “should” be shown, so she picks subjects that are often marginalized. “When you visit the most important art museums you see wealthy, powerful, heterosexual cis white as the most important people in art history,” the artist tells It’s Nice That. “I capture people from the queer community, I spotlight those who have been forced into the shadows for so long, and I want to document their existence, rather than ignorance.”
Find some of her recent works below and visit her Instagram for more of her bold and beautiful art.
