Brave Prince, 2026
Multimedia performance, 40 min
Performance, painting, sculpture, projection, and sound
The Brick Aux, Brooklyn, New York
Look into their eyes.
Look into their eyes.
I was born once, forever.
and I died once, forever…
A voice is coming.
This performance was a memorial, an attempt to keep alive the memory of those who lost their lives, their loved ones, their homes, and everything they cherished in the path of freedom for their homeland, for their mother, for Iran.
In hope of a free and independent Iran.
clean air… life… love.
Long live the people of Iran.
whose collective awareness accepts no force.
Brave Prince is made possible by the New York State Council.
on the Arts @nyscouncilonthearts with the support of the
Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and the support of @vangelinebutoh Vangeline Theater/New York Butoh Institute.
With deep gratitude to Karie Laks, whose direction, lighting, and sound shaped the spirit and presence of this performance, and heartfelt thanks to @kodinajm for capturing these moments with care, sensitivity, and vision.
Brave Prince reflects the body under pressure, a body silenced, watched, heavy with memory, yet still quietly resisting. Inspired by figurative sculpture, the movement feels as though it has been carved from endurance itself. Rather than telling a linear story, the performance invites the audience to witness a body that remembers, perseveres, and transforms.
Brave Prince is about courage that grows in silence and about the quiet decision not to surrender.
Shahryar Shahamat, Director and Performer
Karie Laks, Technical Director (Lighting & Sound)
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Photos by Kodi Najm
CALLA
Performed by Shahryar Shahamat.
Calla is a raw Butoh performance inspired by the stillness and sculptural purity of the calla lily, exploring the quiet tension between fragility and resilience found in nature and the human body. Through slow, deliberate movement and breath, the piece unfolds as a living sculpture, revealing the hidden stories we carry of grief, memory, and transformation while embodying the flower’s graceful defiance against time. It is an invitation to witness the body as a flower opening and closing, echoing the quiet strength and delicate survival of the calla lily in a world that demands constant bloom.
SEPTEMBER 6, 2025
Dock 11 Eden
Human on Human brings the abstract figurative painter's imagination into a living, breathing Butoh performance, translating the subtle layers of inner visions into slow, intentional movement.
Led by atmospheric sound design, traditional Iranian instruments, and bilingual poetry narration, the piece invites audiences into a
unique, organic world built through patience, presence, and deep emotional engagement.
Queer Butoh Festival - 2024
Brick Theater
