In Conversation: Personal Narratives in Visual Storytelling

Visual storytelling has long allowed artists to convey personal narratives and complex ideas. In this conversation with Two Rivers Gallery Curator, Ehsan Mohammadi, we explore key moments that have shaped the evolution of visual storytelling—beginning with classical painting and its influence on new forms of expression. The discussion traces how innovations like photography and personal cameras expanded artistic possibilities, enabling more immediate, experimental, and intimate narratives. We also examine the influence of literature, highlighting how narrative techniques continue to enrich contemporary visual art. This talk reflects on visual storytelling’s ongoing transformation—a dynamic practice where artists combine personal experience, collective memory, and diverse media to create deeper, more nuanced reflections on the world around us.

Image credits: Hiroshi Sugimoto. Tri-City Drive-In, San Bernardino, 1993.