Asad Faulwell Caldwell, Idaho, USA, b. 1982

Faulwell’s work explores the formation of cultural identity and mythology over time and how this mythology is used to create power. His portraits act as architectural structures propping up narratives of identity, nationality and ambition.

Featuring figures loosely based on Iranian historical archetypes of kings, queens and magi, masked, anonymous and often hollow, each painting is a vignette that relates to specific, ancient and recent historic events in Iran, specifically the constitutional revolution of 1951 and the CIA backed coup of 1953. In this way the contemporary is embedded in the mythology of the past while simultaneously becoming part of that mythology. Alongside this, Faulwell addresses his own family history, broken and fractured by political upheaval, the very same political upheaval without which he would not exist.

Faulwell's work has been included in exhibitions at LACMA, Los Angeles and the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City. 

His work has been acquired by the Perez Art Museum Miami, The Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento and the Rubell Family Collection.