Haleh Mashian has been creating art for over 20 years. She came to the US from Iran and used art as a way to connect with others and find her way through hard times. She opened Mash Gallery as a way to exhibit her own work, and provide local and international artists with a space to present their work to Los Angeles.
“I always wanted to own a place where I could bring the community together. I needed art, beauty, excitement, and joy to exist simultaneously. I did not want to stay alone in my studio all day and just create. I wanted to be engaged with the world. It is very exciting to exchange with others. I value that tremendously.” she explained.
Mashian’s own art is unique and colorfully illustrates her astute view of the world, both real and imagined. She has an abstract style, an appreciation of color theory, compositional form and the study of positive and negative space. Her work is often inspired by nature and her wonderful Tree, Figurative, and Rose series can all be found at the gallery and online.
MASH Gallery has garnered immense success since opening, and has recently featured exhibitions from artists like Maggi Hodge and Angela Johal. For Mashian, collaborating with other artists and creatives is essential for her own growth, and the growth of her business.
“I have been constantly going to the unknown and learning about the game in this business and developing personal and business relationships with amazing artists and collectors. It has opened me up to a whole new life and relationship that has been very growthful and empowering. It has expanded my view on the world and has made me a more dynamic and open minded person. I feel like my life has been even more infused with creative energy” she explains.
Along with the gallery, and her own artwork, Mashian owns MASH City, a high-end fashion and lifestyle brand. “MASH City is an artful lifestyle brand that merges fashion and art,” She said. “One must feel good in MASH city.” The line aims to inspire creatives and is a fun way to incorporate art into clothing. “It’s for sincere, but not serious people.”
For Mashian, clothes are simply an extension of her artistic nature. “I believe that there is really not that much separation between what you put on your walls and what you put on your body. It’s a way of expressing yourself and communicating your inner vibration with others. I have been stopped so many times on the street because of what I was wearing that led to very fun and sometimes meaningful exchanges. There is a lot of power in what you wear and how you present yourself. I believe you should live artistically with imagination, with freshness, with novelty-- not going about doing the same thing over and over.”
Mashian continues to put all of her energy into the arts, including other artists and fashion. Hers was one of the first galleries to reopen in Los Angeles since the Coronavirus pandemic started and she has hosted two exhibitions that were received incredibly well. We can expect more collaborations and events soon, as art is what most people need in these trying times.
To learn more about the wonderful world of MASH, visit mashgallery.com.
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