Avarzamani’s creations are the product of her time as the inaugural Aga Khan Museum-Delfina Foundation Artist-in-Residence. While interacting with Museum curators and conservators, she was struck by how many measures were in place to preserve the artifacts in our Collection for future generations. It got her thinking about how the strides taken to protect the objects — from controlling the air temperature to displaying particular works only once every few years — influence the viewer’s experience of visiting an art gallery.

Of course, each of us navigates highly structured, pre-designed environments all the time. Whether we notice it or not, systems of control exist even in seemingly open and free-flowing shared spaces such as parks, malls, government buildings, and public squares. And with *Terms and Conditions Apply, Avarzamani challenges viewers to look out for these systems and reflect on how they might affect our behaviour.

How do these structures guide us, protect us, or enhance our experience? How do they shape our own choices or subtly limit our freedom? Is the trade-off worth it? Avarzamani’s work poses these and other important questions with her new exhibition for the Museum.