White Room

Overview

White Room is an interdisciplinary performance-installation in which the audience’s presence actively shapes the experience. As the audience moves through the arranged objects, they become a dynamic part of the installation, directly confronting the central themes of power and control. This journey invites a personal reflection on the nature of individual influence, or lack thereof, within societal systems. The installation functions as a microcosm of society, revealing how individual choices and actions can either uphold or resist dominant narratives and power dynamics. This project seeks to illuminate how people often unconsciously consent to the narratives of the ruling class, thereby relinquishing control over their perspectives and viewpoints. The goal is to heighten awareness of these dynamics and inspire active engagement in dismantling the status quo.

 

This project was created with help from Andrew Burcks, Evan Kassof, Parsa Ferdowsi, and Sean Baily.

About the Artist

Sepehr Pirasteh is a composer, conductor, and interdisciplinary artist born and raised in Shiraz, Iran. His compositions draw on Persian classical and folk traditions, as well as contemporary classical music vocabularies, to express his deep concerns about the political and social realities of the world. Through his art, Sepehr reflects on his personal journey as an immigrant and his commitment to activism. He has been commissioned and performed by American Composers Orchestra, Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, Ensemble MISE-EN, Network for New Music, Arcana New Music Ensemble, ENA Chamber Opera Company, Pacific Chamber Orchestra, Argus String Quartet, PRISM Saxophone Quartet, PushBack Ensemble, and Unheard-of Ensemble. Sepehr has also received fellowships from Harvard University's Fromm Foundation (Composers Conference) and the Presser Foundation.

Sepehr pursued his Ph.D. in Music Composition at Temple University. His research interests focus on political music in Iran and the Iranian diaspora, the dynamics of hegemony in performance arts, the intersection of art and activism, and the role of music under totalitarian regimes.
www.sepehrpirasteh.com

Credits