Behnaz Fatemi: Sumâq / Sumac / سماق

The sumac tree first appeared to me in Canada with its twisting red branches and vibrant leaves—a quiet yet striking presence. In Iran, I knew sumac only as a spice: crimson, ever-present, and above all, sour. That sharp, sour taste carries memory—of food, family, healing, and home.

On Persian tables, sumac is a symbol of hospitality and health. During Nowruz, it marks the triumph of light over darkness. Encountering the living tree in Canada felt both unfamiliar and deeply intimate.

I began collecting its fallen branches, searching for something familiar. In my studio, they took on new life—bridging a poetic relationship between myself and the environment, between memory and material, grief and growth.

Sumâq / Sumac / سماق  traces a path between places. It reflects on how cultural memory endures and takes root in new soil. Like the tree itself, the work carries the taste of survival—sharp, persistent, and quietly alive. 

- Behnaz Fatemi, artist. 
 

"Plants are often considered static. The word we often use to describe them, ‘rooted,’ is also how we might describe our human belonging to place. But when I think of seed, of blossom, root, and rhizome, it is movement that I think of." 
- Jessica J. Lee, Dispersals: On Plants, Borders, and Belonging

"Even in the busy city streets small plants push bravely up through the cracks in the paving. Pause and look at the next one you see, marvel at its determination, its will to live." 
- Dr. Jane Goodall, Seeds of Hope, Wisdom and Wonder from the World of Plants

These two quotes, one from environmental historian, Jessica J. Lee, the other from Dr. Jane Goodall, provide a framework for considering Behnaz Fatemi's exhibition, Sumâq / Sumac / سماق. In a time of transition, sumac holds a quiet, steady presence in Fatemi's life, naturally finding its way into her artistic practice and grounding her to the respective places she calls home. Plants have no boundary lines. They grow and move, becoming many things to many species, providing the basis for inspiration, medicine, shelter, and food. Through the themes of connection, belonging, resilience, healing, diasporic grief, and transformation, Fatemi explores the various ways sumac has become an essential symbol in her life.

- Karly Boileau, curator

Note: Sumac is used in this show.
 

Behnaz Fatemi is a multidisciplinary artist and PhD candidate in Visual Culture at Western   University. In 2025, she was selected as one of only two artists for the International Residency at The Art House and the Royal Over-Seas League in the UK. She was Kitchener’s Artist in Residence (2020–21), participated in the CAFKA Biennial (2023), and was an Artist in Residence for Femme Folks Fest (2025). Her work has been exhibited in Canada, Iran, and the United States, including at Art Windsor-Essex, the Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery(Canada), and Otagh Bargh gallery, Matne Emrooz Gallery (Iran). Fatemi received the Emerging Artist Award from Arts Awards Waterloo Region (2021) and has been supported by scholarships and grants, including the International Master’s Award of Excellence (University of Waterloo), the Doctoral Entrance Scholarship (Western University), Pat the Dog Theatre Creation, and the Region of Waterloo Arts Fund.