A Monument Of The City To Build is a process-driven social engaged artistic project, initiated by Azadeh E Zaghi and Reyhaneh Mirjahani, presenting the concept of the “right to the city”, public space, residentship right and responsibility through the series of pedagogical processes events and discussions and the exhibition format.

The project aims to engage the residents of Gothenburg via similar content, placing an emphasis on dialogical meetings, and to understand the differences of response, engagement, and conversation around the right to the city. This approach is pursued in an effort to stand against the marginalisation of Gothenburg.

Through a method of pedagogical artistic integration, this project intends to empower the residents to be part of the ongoing discussion on the “right to the city” and to see themselves capable of demanding a better environment for themselves, for those around them and for their city Gothenburg, by speaking their stories and reflecting on their lived experience in the city, while translating this exploration into a collaborative artwork.

At Floras Rike, the two artists exhibit part of the ongoing research process of this project.

The project is funded by Göteborg Stad in collaboration with Blåstället Konsthall, Hammarkullsskolan, Dômen konstskola and Konstepidemin.

Azadeh E. Zaghi is educated in Critical Pedagogy and Project Management and holds an MFA in Fine Art from HDK-Valand. She is a visual artist and artistic pedagog based in Gothenburg. She often works with the topics of international relations, anti-racism, political economy, exceptionalism, and historical representation of trauma. Her projects take the form of performances, videos and installations, documentary films, as well as artistic educational social engagement projects in the public space. She is the founder of East In West FineArt and has been involved in all the projects initiated by the organization. Currently she is an artistic project leader at Naved, in Bergsjön.

Reyhaneh Mirjahani is a visual artist and artistic researcher based in Gothenburg. She holds an MFA in Fine Art from HDK-Valand, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture from University of Tehran. Her artistic practice is concerned with the idea of political agency, international relations, nationality and institutional critique through video, sculpture and participatory installations. She has collaborated with and exhibited in various organizations and institutions in Iran, Italy, Poland, UK and Sweden. Moreover, for the past year she has been engaged with research and writing about social engaged art, physical presence and sensory experiences which have been published in critical journals in Iran, Sweden and the UK.