Artist Saladhead’s Creative Challenge of the Corporate World
A lawyer-artist? Taneen Jafarkhani may be the first one we’ve ever met. Jafarkhani’s profile explains the seemingly juxtaposed careers well: “Right and left brain must play nice.” We caught up with the artist — also known as Saladhead — at her Confessional exhibit during Downtown L.A.’s Art walk last week. The L.A.-based painter talks about her itchy scalp, inspirational fire hydrants and how corporate and creative go hand-in-hand:
What is your earliest memory of creating something, a painting or otherwise?Â
Saladhead: After law school, I started working at a big law firm in San Francisco. I worked long hours and didn’t have much time to explore and enjoy the city. One day—I couldn’t tell you why I did this—I hiked down into the basement of my apartment building (the basement was old, dark and full of spider webs). I found these old broken scraps of wood (literally broken and frayed at the ends). I suddenly had the idea to paint something on it; I dug up some old house paint samples and painted this deconstructed tree. The whole process brought me so much joy. I placed the painting in my teeny, sunlight kitchen and looked at it every morning. From then on, I’d always start exploring basements and dumpsters for discarded wood to paint on. Â
What inspired you to pursue painting?
It was a year ago, right around my birthday. My coworkers (I work at a national education advocacy nonprofit in Downtown L.A.) threw me the sweetest surprise birthday party and all pitched in to buy me hundreds of dollars worth of art supplies (spray cans, acrylics, even a gift certificate to Home Depot). I suddenly had art supplies that I had never even heard of (and I didn’t quite know how they were supposed to be used!). Despite being the attorney, I always took on creative projects in our office. My co-workers saw something in me and fed that artist inside of me. Once I was equipped with art supplies, I started painting almost every day. My apartment quite literally turned into an art studio overnight. For me, painting is like journaling.
My medium is anything I can get my hands on. I value resourcefulness. But typically, I work with spray paint and acrylics. I also love working with water — I love watching the water move across the surface and interact with colors. It’s like I’m watching the water create its own masterpiece.  Â
So, Saladhead has something to do with dry shampoo? Tell us more.
You can read this blog post for the full, tongue-in-cheek description behind the inception of Saladhead. But, Saladhead is much more than just a funny story about an itchy scalp. It’s about healthiness and cleansing, something that’s good for your soul. And of course, it reminds me of my family’s immigrant roots. Growing up, I was told that the U.S. was a “tossed salad” — a wonderful mix of different identities and cultures. Diversity and inclusion are major themes in my work. And, of course, Saladhead also reflects my own strangeness and spontaneity.
You proudly state being Iranian-American on your website. Does it affect your art or what you want to communicate?
I believe in diversity, inclusion, and compassion. This comes from my own personal experience as a first-generation, Iranian-American woman. I believe that all people are a product of their environment, and that there are many natural allies that are not aware of the impact of their actions. My objective as an artist is to inspire self-aware, compassionate, and socially mindful dialogue. I think it is critical that we create spaces where we can raise issues surrounding diversity and inclusion. This is what my work is about — not just the visuals, but the difficult moments and conversations that bring about transformation and empowerment.
Yes! I am currently, and will always, always be a social justice advocate. Advocacy and advising are deep in my soul.
How do you juggle such opposite right and left-brain endeavors?Â
It is my deep belief that excellent attorneys are exceptionally creative. Although the practice can (and often does) get bogged down in best practices and adherence to black letter law, the reality is that few legal cases actually end up in front of a jury. It’s the creativity of the advocate and their ability to empathize that often brings resolution. Â
What was the inspiration behind the Confessional show held on March 12 during DTLA Art walk?
SH: No matter where I go, I cannot escape the dark side of the corporate world. Issues around diversity, power, and entitlement haunt me. I have been harassed and discriminated against (and have witnessed others being mistreated). I see biases play out in ways that are not always overt. Even when issues are raised, it is easy to “plausibly deny” the intentions and impact—a maddening experience. I might not be able to solve the problem, but I can show people in my position that they are not alone. This was the guiding principle around Confessional. It was a place where we, as artists, could express ourselves fully and unapologetically—and invite others to do the same.
Three artists, historical or current, you’re most inspired by?
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Tim Burton and Tony Hsieh.
Where do you go in L.A. for inspiration?
Downtown L.A. The fire hydrants, hash marks, chipped curbs, crosswalks, and of course, the street art. An L.A. model walking past the homeless man begging for spare change. This place is diverse, beautiful, haunting, and definitely transforming.Â
When is your next exhibition?
I am honored to be showing my work on March 30 during UCLA’s screening of The Hunting Ground. This documentary examines sexual assault on college campuses. My work is about raising issues, so it’s a great artistic match.
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