Kaya Jafari, an Afghan artist who grew up in Iran, now wants to teach her skills in hyperrealistic art to artists in Munich. After moving to Germany over two years ago, she realized that the art form may be in need of a revival.
Kaya Jafari is an Afghan artist who grew up in Tehran, Iran. As a young child, she impressed her teachers with her drawings, winning school art competitions every year.
She studied fine art in Tehran after graduating high school and later became an art teacher. “My parents encouraged me to continue with my art,” she tells InfoMigrants.
She moved to the southern German city of Munich two and a half years ago after marrying her husband. Jafari notes that she can enjoy a greater amount of freedom in her new home country than she could back in Iran. "I am able to kiss my husband on the street or dance, things I could never do when was in Iran," she says
Also read: French artist JR's show on refugee kids opens in Turin
All about the details
When looking at the paintings, it is highly impressive to imagine the pieces were meticulously handcrafted rather than the result of a photograph. Jafari told InfoMigrants each piece took her between two and three months of daily painting.
“When I’m choosing what to draw, I usually look for things that have a lot of detail, such as faces, because then I can bring these out in my art,” she says.
“I enjoy black and white drawings the most, because that’s where my strength lies."
She notes that many people in Germany have asked her why she paints pieces that look like photographs, but she sees it as a highly valuable art form and is confident that it will grow more popular.
Also watch: Video: 'I'm a man without a country', in conversation with Afghan cartoonist Hossein Rezaei
Hyperrealism revival
Hyperrealism is very popular in Iran, she explains, but it is much less visible in Germany. After visiting a number of museums, she realized that popular art was often much simpler.
“When I came to Germany, I noticed that hyperrealism was not very common and not very popular. I would like to change that, and teach these techniques in Germany," she says.
"If you draw hyperrealist pieces, you need to focus on faces or portraits with a lot of detail. I really like these small details, that’s where my talent lies.”
Jafari's Instagram feed depicts the process from start to finish, showing the amount of hard work that goes into her paintings.
She said she hopes to join the art academy in Munich and teach again in the future.
“When I applied to the art academy, one of the professors didn’t believe that my drawing was real. He kept saying it couldn’t be a painting and it was a photograph," she laughs.
Jafari recalls that he eventually took out a magnifying glass and carefully examined it.
"Then he realized that it was indeed a painting, and he asked me ‘how did you draw this!’ And then he also asked me ‘why did you draw this?’ and I explained how popular this is in Iran.”
The professor may not be the only person in disbelief of the piece she describes -- it does indeed look like a photograph.
Also read: 'Drawing a world I once knew' - a portrait of cartoonist Hossien Rezaye
Experimenting with different materials
Jafari also likes to experiment with different techniques. 3D paintings hang on the wall behind her, showing women dancing, a self portrait and a horse with a wild mane. Each piece is unique and displays her versatility as an artist.
She draws and paints in black and white, crafts 3D paintings out of mixed materials and experiments with hyperrealism and color. “I am interested in experimenting with different techniques, black and white drawings, 3D paintings and oil paintings,” she says.
When asked what inspires her, she notes “the 3D paintings are modern, I enjoy interior design and decorating my home. I saw several paintings online and thought, I could do something similar!”
She notes that the freedom she now explores in her art is also reflected in her life in Germany.
“Here I have a lot more freedom. In Iran I have to wear a hijab, there are many things I wasn't allowed to do, if I wanted to paint a nude woman, I wouldn’t be allowed to do that. Iran is a form of dictatorship and I didn’t want to live like that anymore."
When speaking about Iran, she notes that many women like herself are feeling increasingly frustrated by the lack of control or opportunities in their lives. "Women in Iran have wanted freedom for a long time but they are still being denied this,” she says.
Also read: Refugees in Lithuania create art to cope with detention