Laleh Motlagh

Laleh Motlagh is a Lecturer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), specializing in Contemporary Practices and interdisciplinary art education. She holds an MFA from the University of Illinois Chicago. Her work explores themes of love, spirituality, multicultural identity, and socio-cultural alienation through mediums like drawing, performance, and installation. Motlagh’s research interrogates human-nature boundaries, geopolitical borders, and notions of belonging, often collaborating with nonhuman elements.

Education: MFA from University of Illinois Chicago (UIC).

Research Interests: Motlagh’s practice bridges art and activism, addressing multicultural identity and geopolitical dynamics. Her work challenges socio-cultural norms through immersive installations and performances, often reflecting her Iranian-Azerbaijani heritage and diasporic experiences. She employs interdisciplinary methods to explore trust, resilience, and the interplay between admissible and taboo cultural narratives.

Awards:

• Individual Artists Program grant (Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs)
• Newcity’s Breakout Artist
• U.S. Fulbright Independent Artist Research grant
• Provost’s Award for Graduate Research

Teaching & Grants: Motlagh teaches courses in sculpture, portfolio development, and architecture. She integrates critical discourse on cultural context into her pedagogy. Her grants support research into border zones and identity politics.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with global institutions like Museo Universitario del Chopo (Mexico City) and NAHR (Italy), fostering cross-cultural artistic dialogues.