Mahsa Vahdat
"Wings of my Songs"

Showing August 9 - 29, 2025

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Mahsa Vahdat's butterflies have somehow sprung from her incredible musical talent! We are honored to display her work at the gallery.

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Mahsa Vahdat is an internationally celebrated Iranian vocalist, composer, educator, and advocate for artistic freedom living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Deeply rooted in the rich tradition of Persian classical music, her artistry transcends borders through an innovative blend of classical and regional Iranian music, poetic lyricism, and contemporary expression. For three decades, Mahsa has cultivated a distinct vocal style that both honors tradition and ventures into new musical landscapes.

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She has performed worldwide, both as a soloist and in collaboration with acclaimed musicians and ensembles. A central part of her artistic journey is her long-standing collaboration with her sister, vocalist Marjan Vahdat, with whom she has developed a deeply personal and poetic musical dialogue receiving global attention. Mahsa’s long-term collaboration with the Norwegian label Kirkelig Kulturverksted and producer and poet Erik Hillestad, and her extensive work with composer and arranger Atabak Elyasi, have led to the creation of numerous acclaimed and award-winning albums worldwide.

Her musical collaborations span a wide range of genres and cultures, including projects with Kronos Quartet, Tord Gustavsen, Mighty Sam McClain, Bridget Kibbey, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Pacific Symphony, the Skruk Choir, Zar Theatre, and the Grotowski Institute. She has brought her voice to stages such as Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall, the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony, and numerous leading music festivals and concert venues across Europe, the U.S., and beyond.

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“Wings of My Songs”

Though not a visual artist by profession, Mahsa began painting butterflies when the Women, Life, Freedom movement emerged in Iran. These delicate, layered drawings came to life instinctively, side by side with her music, born from the same inner source. Each butterfly is attached to a poem, tracing a quiet path of resistance, remembrance, and transformation.

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These butterflies are not separate from Mahsa’s artistic journey; they are its visual echo, fluttering with the same spirit of freedom.

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You can learn more about Mahsa at https://www.mahsavahdat.net/

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And you can see more of her butterflies on Instagram at

https://www.instagram.com/wings.of.my.songs

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