Cultured Pallets series are transient installations which grow out of an ongoing process of marking shipping pallets with an email address and a variety of collected motifs and designs. The cultured pallets are then sent back into circulation. Soheila completes the project by tracking the pallets after they leave the exhibition and engaging in correspondence with the individuals who find them. These installations focus on the notion of translation in its etymological meaning as the process of ‘carrying across’ and employ shipping pallets as metaphors for the transfer of units of ‘culture.’ The pallets also represent ‘in-betweeness’ by being in a permanent state of transit.
“Cultured Pallets: Idea Exchange”, acrylic on wooden shipping pallets, 95” x 96”x 41”, 2022
photo: Bradley Southam
“Cultured Pallets: True North”, acrylic on wooden shipping pallets, 24’x 48″x 10′, 2019
“Cultured Pallets: True North”, acrylic on wooden shipping pallets, 24’x 48“x 10′, 2019
“Cultured Pallets: True North”, acrylic on wooden shipping pallets, 24’x 48″x 10′, 2019
“Cultured Pallets: SAIB”, acrylic on wooden shipping pallets, 24’x 48″x 10′, 2018
“Cultured Pallets: SAIB”, acrylic on wooden shipping pallets, 24’x 48″x 10′, 2018
“Cultured Pallet: Indian Chest at Farmhouse I”, acrylic on wooden shipping pallet, 36″x 48″x 4.5” , 2018
“Cultured Pallets: Ross Creek”, acrylic on wooden shipping pallets, 40″x 48″x 36” , 2018
“Cultured Pallets: Ross Creek”, acrylic on wooden shipping pallets, 40″x 48″x 36” , 2018
“Cultured Pallet: Annie’s Garden”, mixed media on wooden shipping pallet, 40″x 24″x 4.5” , 2018
“Cultured Pallet: Annie’s Garden”, mixed media on wooden shipping pallet, 40″x 24″x 4.5” , 2018
“Cultured Pallet: Scot’s Bay”, mixed media on wooden shipping pallet, 40″x 48″x 4.5” , 2018
“Cultured Pallet: Scot’s Bay”, mixed media on wooden shipping pallet, 40″x 48″x 4.5” , 2018
“Cultured Pallet: Indian Chest at Farmhouse II”, mixed media on wooden shipping pallet, 40″x 48″x 4.5” , 2018
“Cultured Pallet: Indian Chest at Farmhouse II”, mixed media on wooden shipping pallet, 40″x 48″x 4.5” , 2018
“Cultured Pallets: Windsor”, acrylic on wooden shipping pallets, 144″x 120″x 4.5” , 2017
“Cultured Pallets: Windsor”, acrylic on wooden shipping pallets, 144″x 120″x 4.5” , 2017
“Cultured Pallet: FMC”, mixed media on wooden pallet, 10″x 31″x 47”, 2015
“Cultured Pallet: FMC”, mixed media on wooden pallet, 10″x 31″x 47” , 2015
“Cultured Pallet: FMC”, mixed media on wooden pallet, 10″x 31″x 47” , 2015
“Cultured Pallet: Homage to Jeannie Thib”, mixed media on wooden pallet, 10″x 31″x 47” , 2015
“Cultured Pallet: Homage to Jeannie Thib”, mixed media on wooden pallet, 10″x 31″x 47” , 2015
“Cultured Pallet: Homage to Jeannie Thib”, mixed media on wooden pallet, 10″x 31″x 47”, 2015
“Cultured Pallet: Homage to Jeannie Thib”, mixed media on wooden pallet, 10″x 31″x 47” , 2015
“Cultured Pallet: Persian”, acrylic on laser-etched wooden pallet, 5″ x 40″x 48” , 2014
“Cultured Pallet: Persian”, acrylic on laser-etched wooden pallet, 5″ x 40″x 48” , 2014
“Cultured Pallet: TO”, mixed media on wooden pallets, 5″ x 96″x 120” , 2014
“Cultured Pallet: TO”, mixed media on wooden pallets, 5″ x 96″x 120” , 2014
“Cultured Pallet: TO”, mixed media on wooden pallets, 5″ x 96″x 120” , 2014
“My Place is Placeless”, laser-etched wooden pallets, 10’ x 12’x 40” , 2013
“My Place is Placeless”, laser-etched wooden pallets, 10’ x 12’x 40” , 2013
“My Place is Placeless”, laser-etched wooden pallets, 10’ x 12’x 40” , 2013
“My Place is Placeless”, laser-etched wooden pallets, 10’ x 12’x 40” , 2013
“My Place is Placeless”, laser-etched wooden pallets, 10’ x 12’x 40” , 2013
“Cultured Pallets: KW”, stenciled recycled wooden pallets, approx. 60’ x 10’x 40” , 2011
“Cultured Pallets: KW”, stenciled recycled wooden pallets, approx. 60’ x 10’x 40” , 2011
“Cultured Pallets: KW”, stenciled recycled wooden pallets, approx. 60’ x 10’x 40” , 2011
“Cultured Pallets: KW”, stenciled recycled wooden pallets, approx. 60’ x 10’x 40” , 2011
“Cultured Pallets: KW”, stenciled recycled wooden pallets, approx. 60’ x 10’x 40” , 2011
“Cultured Pallets: KW”, stenciled recycled wooden pallets, approx. 60’ x 10’x 40” , 2011
“Cultured Pallets: KW”, stenciled recycled wooden pallets, approx. 60’ x 10’x 40” , 2011
The pattern for the Vagireh Pattern is based on a design from a Persian book of illuminations. This particular pattern is a continuous design that can be expanded in both directions. The word “vagireh” means transmittable or contagious. This installation reflects these ideas in both a practical and conceptual way. Practically, the inscribed pattern can be expanded onto a larger number of pallets, and the pallets will re-enter circulation. Conceptually, the installation refers to the spread (transmittance) of cultural motifs in various societies.
“The Vagireh Pattern”, Laser-etched wooden shipping pallets, 62”x48”x40”, 2010
“The Vagireh Pattern”, Laser-etched wooden shipping pallets, 62”x48”x40”, 2010
“Rothko: Golden Stack”, Altered wooden pallets, posters, 2010
“Rothko: Golden Stack”, Altered wooden pallets, posters, 2010
“Cultured Pallets: UWO”, Altered & stenciled recycled pallets, dimensions varies, 2010
“Cultured Pallets: UWO”, detail, Altered & stenciled recycled pallets, 2010
[…] Recently, curator and writer Noa Bronstein wrote an article on client Soheila Esfahani (www.soheila.ca) for Rungh. The article, Cultured Pallets: Translating the Global, looks at Soheila’s ongoing project that engages with the use of shipping pallets as a way to interrogate circulation with regards to cultural exchange. In her artist statement on this body of work Soheila writes “[t]hese installations focus on the notion of translation in its etymological meaning as the process of ‘carrying across’ and employ shipping pallets as metaphors for the transfer of units of ‘culture.'” (read more) […]