Exhibition Description:

In Lullaby (Lalaee لالای /ی ), Nasim Moghadam presents a monumental, room-scale sculptural installation that confronts the inherited violence of political imprisonment and the gendered control of women’s bodies. Inspired by the thousands of children born and raised in prisons due to their mothers’ and in some cases both parents’ detention as political activists, the work reflects on motherhood under surveillance, resistance forged
through care, and the cost of breaking silence.

The installation takes the form of an oversized wooden cradle whose structure echoes the visual language of prison bars. This formal resemblance collapses the boundary between protection and confinement: elements meant to safeguard a child become visually indistinguishable from the bars that restrict freedom. Through this convergence, Moghadam reveals how systems of power regulate women’s bodies precisely because of their capacity to nurture, resist, and generate change.

Grounded within the room, the cradle rocks slowly from side to side, its monumental scale transforming a familiar gesture of care into one of unease. The motion generates a deep, resonant sound, both rhythmic and unsettling, shifting the act of rocking from comfort to tension. This movement is accompanied by a sound piece composed of twenty folkloric lullabies, filling the space with voices that soothe even as they mourn. The lullaby emerges as a quiet form of defiance, carrying love, fear, and endurance across generations born into confinement.

Through scale, sound, and restrained motion, Lullaby (Lalaee لالای /ی ) portrays childhood not as innocence untouched by politics, but as something shaped from birth by systems of control. Moghadam’s work honors imprisoned mothers worldwide who risk their freedom in defense of unalienable rights, while bearing witness to the children whose earliest memories are formed within walls of silence.

About the Artist:

Nasim Moghadam is a multidisciplinary artist working with photography, video, sound, and sculptural installations. Her practice examines discrimination, hyphenated identity, and the constraints placed on women’s bodies, voices, and visibility. Born in Iran and based in the Bay Area, her work is shaped by experiences of migration, gendered silencing, and cultural and political resistance.

Using materials such as Iranian women’s hair, wood, fabric, mirrors, sound, and photographic transfer, Moghadam creates immersive environments that transform personal trauma into collective witnessing. Her work has been exhibited internationally and nationally, and she has received awards from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts and the H.A.R.D. Foundation, along with residencies at the Recology Artist in Residence Program, Makaan at Minnesota Street Project, Kala Art Institute, Cubberley Artist Studio Program, and Building 180. She teaches at California College of the Arts and Foothill College. Lullaby (Lalaee لالای /ی ) continues her ongoing engagement with motherhood, resistance, and the body as both archive and battleground.

About the Art Kiosk:

Since 2019, the Art Kiosk aims to bring thought-provoking installations and public art to Redwood City and the Bay Area through eight, six week-long exhibitions throughout each year. Artists from the Bay Area and around the world have been invited to realize their ambitious, site-specific artworks for our audience to enjoy. The initiative was conceived and is curated by Lance M. Fung. Donated curatorial work and project management for the exhibition series is provided by Fung Collaboratives. The Redwood City Improvement Association (RCIA) is the sole sponsor since the inaugural year. Redwood City acts as the logistical partner and provides the space and utilities. Please drop by for a visit 24/7 at 2208 Broadway, Redwood City, CA for a free viewing. Details may be found at: www.fungcollaboratives.com