Myth, fantasy, and memory collide in Once Upon a Time, a group exhibition exploring the dialogue between contemporary artists of Iranian origin whose work is inspired by or acts as a reimagined form of a fairytale. Fairytales have been a central element of childhood for generations, they challenge our sense of reality while presenting universal, often dark, truths. The Persian equivalent of “Once upon a time” is “Yeki bood, yeki nabood,” literally translating to “There was one and there was not one.” Beginning stories with this tradition communicates an indefinite amount of time and space, likewise, the title of this exhibition expresses the omnipresent experience of folklore, across the world people of all cultures are bound by similar stories which offer proof of our common humanity. This exhibition is composed of artists working across various disciplines, the marriage of these disparate visual motifs crystallizes the concepts of myth, story, and memory into an entity that feels alive. Through Once Upon a Time, we aim to traverse the common narrative body in search of a central thread woven throughout the complex tapestry of life as we understand it.