Aliaskar Abarkas

Aliaskar Abarkas is an Iranian artist based in London. Informed by alternative and communal art education, his practice fosters dynamic encounters that move from solitary experience toward collective expression. He works fluidly across compositional, choreographic, and sculptural forms. His projects often begin with a simple gesture — a sound, a score, or a shared activity — that invites others to take part. He sees art-making as a space for mutual learning, where processes remain open to those involved. Through this, he aims to reimagine the contexts in which his work can evolve and circulate, continuously reshaping the dimensions of ideas and materials.

HOW DOES YOUR SUBMITTED WORK RESPOND TO THE CIRCA 20:25 MANIFESTO?
This work captures a moment of precarious connection in times of crisis. A real WhatsApp conversation with my mother during the outbreak of war exposes both the persistence and breakdown of communication. The video unfolds with the rhythm of breath, each message a vital thread binding us across physical distance, asking, “Mom, are you okay?” It reaffirms the quiet strength of care in a fractured world, showing that empathy endures despite fear and uncertainty.

IF AWARDED THE £30,000 CIRCA PRIZE, WHAT 10-MINUTE WORK WOULD YOU CREATE – AND HOW WOULD IT EMBODY THE SPIRIT OF REFUGIA?
I will create a text-based film developed through public gatherings, where artists and cultural workers share experiences of precarity, fatigue, and the pressures shaping creative life today. These sessions will generate a collective script of fragments, interruptions, and rhythms, revealing how we listen to one another. On screen, phrases will appear in a breath-like cadence, sometimes unfinished, sometimes fading, reflecting attention and presence. The work embodies refugia as a temporary, shared space—a moment to hold, witness, and persist, giving voice to experiences often overlooked and sustaining collective endurance.

FOLLOW ALIASKAR ABARKAS ON INSTAGRAM

Funding for the CIRCA PRIZE is generated entirely by the #CIRCAECONOMY, a circular model that reinvests proceeds from affordable art sold on CIRCA.ART into new public art commissions, charitable causes, art education and prizes. Since launching in 2020, the initiative has raised over £1 Million, placing artists and communities at the centre of an economy that continually reinvests in the future of art and culture.

The CIRCA PRIZE 2025 winners will be revealed LIVE in Piccadilly Circus on Monday 13 October, with a special 30-minute award ceremony starting at 20:00 BST. Don’t miss it!