Setareh Hosseini
Visual Artist
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At the centre of this work appears an ultrasound image of a fetus, a symbol of beginning, of the possibility of birth, and of a future not yet formed. Upon the body of this fetus, I have created perforations; marks that echo wounds inspired by the painful realities of my homeland. Each point recalls bodies that were injured for nothing more than the demand for freedom.
These openings do not signify physical harm alone; they stand as metaphors for the ruptures inflicted upon our collective spirit and memory. Wounds that persist not only in flesh, but across streets, histories, and generations.
Encircling the image, a woven structure emerges, evoking the umbilical cord, a bond between body, mother, and homeland. Upon this surface, red suture-like stitches appear: gestures of repair, of endurance, of survival.
In this work, the fetus becomes a metaphor for a generation still living in darkness and within wounds, yet sustained by its roots, awaiting its birth. Each perforation may signify not only pain, but also a point of growth, the potential for another becoming.
This year’s Hygge Property Award is presented to Setareh Hosseini, who received a high commendation overall for her outstanding contribution to the program, Emigrabilia, presented at Roy Hammond. The panel of judges praised the exhibition, “The artist weaves fragments of migration, longing, and cultural inheritance into a visual tapestry. It’s an evocative meditation on displacement and belonging, where everyday objects become vessels of emotion, history, and the quiet resilience of lived experience. The installation sits in a busy, dimly lit bar yet makes an impression on the onlooker, gently nudging them to drift off and contemplate.”
https://ballaratfoto.org/news/nevetts-lawyers-open-program-2025/
https://ballaratfoto.org/program/emigrabilia/
Setareh Hosseini is the recipient of the Noel Counihan Commemorative Art Award 2024
https://www.merri-bek.vic.gov.au/exploring-merri-bek/events/whats-on/merri-bek-summer-belonging/#:~:text=This%20prize%20is%20generously%20sponsored,Noel%20Counihan%20Commemorative%20Art%20Award.
The award celebrates an artist whose work explores the exhibition theme (Be) Longing and engages with social, political, or environmental ideas.
The judges noted that Setareh’s work spoke to this year’s theme of (Be) Longing poetically and delicately through ideas of displacement and memory embedded in objects.
Setareh Hosseini. Emigrabilia, 2024, photograph, 70 × 50 cm.
Rosewater sprinkler 1 
Primus stove 
Rosewater sprinkler 2
Pitcher 
Spinning wheel 
Lamp
Every object holds a story and captures a special moment in time that can evoke a range of emotions.
Objects are vestiges that form parts of our memories and nostalgia.
When we move from the things we love to another place, we inevitably leave behind parts of our lives, often trying to take what we hold dear. However, many times we have to content ourselves with the memories of them captured in our photos.
The connection between objects and the photos we take of them is profound. They can evoke nostalgia, joy, sorrow, or a mix of emotions. Objects, photos, and memories are deeply intertwined. Tangible reminders from seeing the things we love help us connect with our past, share our stories, and preserve our memories for the future, wherever in the world we might be.
Shadow of bubbles 
Shadow of bubbles 
Shadow of bubbles