Artist Kamrooz Aram had long admired Diane Simpson's work, but her 2021 exhibition at JTT affected him on a profound emotional level. When the two artists met in person in Chicago, they talked for hours and soon became enthusiastic pen pals, sharing books, sources, and ideas about form, making, and the artist’s hand.
Simpson has invited Aram to lead visitors through Formal Wear and share his perspective on her work. (She will be there in spirit from Chicago). Come with questions and thoughts. This event is free and open to the public with RSVP. Reservations can be made here. Space is limited.
Brooklyn-based artist Kamrooz Aram's work disrupts the false opposition between ornament and abstraction, challenging ornament's relegation to discourses of criminality and excess. In his exhibitions, he stages encounters between the Euro-American avant-garde and non-Western forms of abstraction. Combining painting, sculpture, collage, and exhibition design, he creates an interdependence between object and display, revealing the significance of design and architecture in shaping the interpretation of art. Aram has a solo exhibition opening at Alexander Gray Associates in February 2026, and his work will be included in the 2026 Whitney Biennial.