Having been releasing music since 2019, Darvishi, synonymously known as the “Persian Pop Princess”, is continuing to elevate the indie pop scene with what she calls her “favorite song ever”, “Jelo.’
When artist Mari Gior and curator Marina Dojchinov come together, the result is not simply an exhibition; it is a declaration. The Afterlife, debuting December 20 at 219 Bowery in SoHo, marks the unveiling of Gior’s new body of work, The Shadow Dancers. Together, the two women are asserting a form of creative leadership that is intimate, intellectually rigorous, and unmistakably powerful.
At its core, The Afterlife is an exhibition about survival rather than spectacle. Gior’s paintings resist overt dramatization, instead offering ethereal figures suspended between presence and disappearance. Rendered in oil and mixed media, often incorporating deconstructed antique book pages the works feel both archival and immediate, as if memory itself has been pressed into the surface of the canvas.
“I didn’t paint grief,” Gior says. “I painted what survives it. These figures are still moving, still devoted, even when everything else has fallen away.”
A former principal ballet dancer, Gior brings the discipline of choreography into her painting practice. The bodies in The Shadow Dancers are not posed; they are felt. Each canvas captures a moment of transition-movement without destination, reflecting Gior’s belief that the afterlife of love is lived quietly, through continuation rather than closure.
That restraint is precisely what drew curator Marina Dojchinov to the work. Known for crafting exhibitions as immersive narratives rather than static displays, Dojchinov frames The Afterlife as a threshold moment in Gior’s career and in the broader cultural conversation around grief, femininity, and power.
“This show isn’t about loss as an ending,” Dojchinov explains. “It’s about what women build afterward. Mari’s work holds space for tenderness without collapsing into fragility, and that’s where its strength lives.”
Dojchinov’s own trajectory mirrors that ethos. A gallerist and art dealer who opened her first gallery at just 25, she has carved out a reputation for championing emotionally intelligent, narrative-driven work, often by women whose practices defy easy categorization. Her collaboration with Gior follows their earlier success with Down the Rabbit Hole, but The Afterlife signals a deeper, more mature alignment between artist and curator.
“Girl power doesn’t have to be loud,” Dojchinov adds. “Sometimes it’s quiet, precise, and devastating in its beauty. When women lead together, we don’t compete; we amplify.”
Visually, the exhibition unfolds like a whispered confession inside the noise of downtown Manhattan. Blurred figures hover across the gallery walls, layered with fragments of antique texts that read as relics, history colliding with the present tense of paint. A standout work, The Return of the White Rabbit, encapsulates the show’s ethos: romance without nostalgia, devotion without sentimentality.
For Gior, now stepping fully into her voice as a fine artist, The Afterlife represents rebirth. For Dojchinov, it is another example of curatorial authorship that privileges emotional truth over market spectacle. Together, they offer a model of what happens when two female powerhouses meet not to dominate, but to collaborate.
In a city saturated with openings, The Afterlife arrives as something rarer: a sacred pause. A reminder that the most radical power in art often lies not in volume, but in intention.
For Mari Gior, The Afterlife is unmistakably a moment of emergence. Long recognized for her physical intelligence as a dancer and her instinctive visual sensibility as a muse, Gior now claims her place fully as an artist with an independent, emotionally precise voice. The Shadow Dancers are allowed to breathe, hover, and command attention on their own terms, signaling not just a debut, but a declaration of authorship.
Event Details:
Artist: Mari Gior
Exhibition: The Afterlife — Debut of The Shadow Dancers Mari Gior
Curated by: Marina Dojchinov Date: Saturday, December 20, 2025
Location: 219 Bowery, Time to Be Happy Gallery, New York City
Format: RSVP-only
Schedule:
• 5:00–6:00 PM VIP & Press Reception (RSVP required)
•
6:00–9:00 PM – Gallery Viewing (RSVP required)
RSVP: LIFEAFTERSVP@gmail.com
On August 2nd, Chinese artist 蔡徐坤 Cai Xu Kun, famously known as KUN, helmed his sold-out first-ever U.S. headlining show, ”KUN: ONE NIGHT ONLY” at the Henry Fonda Theater in Los Angeles, CA. We got up close and personal to view the unforgettable performance, which doubled as a celebration with fans in honor of his 27th birthday and introduced the next stage in his solo career.
Bold Ombre Transitions and Artistic Flourishes Define a Collection Inspired by the Designer’s Early Days in the Studio.
On Thursday, American Express and Grammy-nominated artist Teddy Swims delivered an exclusive Album Preview Event for Swims’ new album, I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Pt 2) at Webster Hall. American Express card members were granted early access to the event — which included fun photo opportunities, themed cocktails and sweet treats — as well as exclusive merchandise.
On Dec. 6, SpringHill teamed up with Bulleit Frontier Whiskey and artist Ian Woods to introduce a custom design reimagining the iconic Bulleit bottle, in celebration of Springhill’s bold zine, The Program Vol. 3.
“Vital Impetus: Life Signs” is a new art exhibition featured at The Gallery at the UNTITLED at 3 Freeman Alley Hotel. The exhibition, in partnership with Azure Arts, is a collection of mixed media works by NYC-based artists: Alice Garik, Gina Kropf, and jdx.
by Alice Garik
visitant by jdx
Head of Eirene by Gina Kropf
The French philosopher Henri Bergson’s word “élan vital” (vital drive) is the source of the exhibition’s title and subject. Life Signs explores the relationship between the so-called “creative self” and human connection through the lens of black-and-white imagery. In doing so, we truly see self-expression along with how we connect or don’t connect with the world around us.
The exhibition additionally reflects the history of the Bowery which acted as a refuge for artists who were willing to push boundaries in the 70s and 80s, such as Scharf, Haring, and Sherman. Today, the Bowery boasts some of the most refined and vibrant street art in the city. This exhibition truly begins this to the centerfold.
Vital Impetus: Life Signs is Azure Arts first exhibition. Azure Arts is known as a nomadic gallery anchored in supporting emerging and mid-career artists living in New York City. They connect and cultivate a community for creative minds who maintain a genuine curiosity about human nature, the universe, and an appreciation for the practice of making the intangible tangible. Azure Arts host and facilitates artist dinners, gallery talks, studio visits, and many more opportunities for curious collectors to gain insight into any artist’s creative process.
Vital Impetus: Life Signs is on view at UNTITLED now until February 10, 2024.
Delphine Diallo is a visual artist and photographer who’s captivated the industry with her deep exploration of women, race, and history through her lens. A major aspect of Diallo’s work is mythology. She often makes her subjects appear almost as powerful mythical beings in her photos. Each photograph tells a unique story, showcasing the strength, vulnerability, and grace of feminity.
Prior to the reveal of the works, a short film “Soulscapes: The Artistic Journey of Delphine Diallo,” was shown.”Soulscapes” sees Diallo in Paris, New York, and Miami encapsulated by moments of nature and movement. In a park in New York, she gives a demonstration of how Tai Chi helps her to balance her mind and body so that she may explore the soul of her creations. One clip sees her submerged by water at a beach symbolizing rebirth and clips of fire that symbolize death. As the film develops, Diallo brings viewers along her creative journey. She discusses how carefully stacking images and other components gives her collages the narrative richness they possess. The film was directed by Nicole Ianniello and produced by DK Johnston, with cinematography by Marissa Kaiser, additional footage by Marilyn Clark, and edited by Dorian Duvall.
Delphine Diallo, Mark Musselman
Seeing the actual work Diallo was able to create from this film was stunning. With a keen eye for detail and a deep appreciation for the beauty of the female form, Diallo photographs the simple movements of woman. Each frame is adorned in an intricate collage of images. The collages contain images of historical African art and photographs of the human body. The border additionally seems woven by braids, a staple of Black culture. Diallo’s work has often voiced the struggles and beauty of the Black diaspora. This exhibition served as a powerful reminder of the importance of representation and the celebration of Black beauty. It is through such exhibitions that honor and elevate narratives that have been historically marginalized. Diallo’s talent and dedication shine through every captured moment, making the photos a remarkable and inspiring experience that will leave a lasting impact on all who have the privilege to witness it.
The exhibition is on display at 685 Third Avenue through November 2023.
When Tessa Medina was four years old, she met her first love: New York City. Refusing to stay put in her stroller, she wanted to be out and about, experiencing the city firsthand with everyone around her.
The Institute of Arab and Islamic Art (IAIA) presented the first solo exhibition of Behjat Sadr’s art. Selected pieces depict her career over five decades. The display showed Sadr’s diverse skills, which spanned photography, photomontage, painting, kinetics, and unusual materials. The show will run from May 15thIr to August 27th.
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