sass popoli (b. 1990, Iran) is a multidisciplinary artist living and working in London whose practice includes painting, drawing, poetry, and printmaking to investigate themes of displacement, memory, and (un)belonging. Joining a background in BSc Mathematics with an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, popoli’s work acts as a structural and emotional exploration of language and material. By breaking down pastels with charcoal and paraffin wax, and physically joining surfaces using industrial hardware like metal plates and wingnuts, popoli embraces experimental DIY tactile assemblages. sass's work operates as sites of delay, rest, mourning, and whatever-home-means elsewhere.
sass popoli (b. 1990, Iran) is a multidisciplinary artist living and working in London whose practice includes painting, drawing, poetry, and printmaking to investigate themes of displacement, memory, and (un)belonging. Joining a background in BSc Mathematics with an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, popoli’s work acts as a structural and emotional exploration of language and material. By breaking down pastels with charcoal and paraffin wax, and physically joining surfaces using industrial hardware like metal plates and wingnuts, popoli embraces experimental DIY tactile assemblages. sass's work operates as sites of delay, rest, mourning, and whatever-home-means elsewhere.
popoli has exhibited and performed internationally across the UK, United States, Germany, and Iran. Recent highlights include a solo exhibition at Lungley Gallery, London (2024), Dig and Rise at The Kala Gallery, Berkeley, CA (2023) Spider on Hairs at Stiftung Künstlerdorf, Schöppingen, Germany (2023); Present Artifact at Ralph Arnold Gallery, Loyola University Chicago (2021); Kolombeh at 6018NORTH, Chicago (2019); and Sahand Bijeh [Kalam] Zanjani at Azad Gallery, Tehran (2017), and collaborative performances and exhibitions at Peer Gallery and The Mosaic Rooms, London (2025). They have been supported by an Arts Council England project grant (2024) and held fellowships at Stiftung Künstlerdorf Schöppingen (2023) and the Kala Art Institute (2022). sass is the author of Mahbubeh (Poor Farm Press, 2021), i’m spring clouds of smiles (2024),the co-creator of common/play\grounds (2025), and participate in print fairs internationally. Their work is held in several permanent collections, including the MOP Foundation, the Stiftung Künstlerdorf Schöppingen collection, and special collections at the Flaxman Library at Chicago.
popoli has exhibited and performed internationally across the UK, United States, Germany, and Iran. Recent highlights include a solo exhibition at Lungley Gallery, London (2024), Dig and Rise at The Kala Gallery, Berkeley, CA (2023) Spider on Hairs at Stiftung Künstlerdorf, Schöppingen, Germany (2023); Present Artifact at Ralph Arnold Gallery, Loyola University Chicago (2021); Kolombeh at 6018NORTH, Chicago (2019); and Sahand Bijeh [Kalam] Zanjani at Azad Gallery, Tehran (2017), and collaborative performances and exhibitions at Peer Gallery and The Mosaic Rooms, London (2025). They have been supported by an Arts Council England project grant (2024) and held fellowships at Stiftung Künstlerdorf Schöppingen (2023) and the Kala Art Institute (2022). sass is the author of Mahbubeh (Poor Farm Press, 2021), i’m spring clouds of smiles (2024),the co-creator of common/play\grounds (2025), and participate in print fairs internationally. Their work is held in several permanent collections, including the MOP Foundation, the Stiftung Künstlerdorf Schöppingen collection, and special collections at the Flaxman Library at Chicago.