Buffered __access

‘Buffered __access’ explores how states use the legal principle of Ius sanguinis — the ‘right of blood’ —  to control diasporic bodies and movements. Kimia Amir-Moazami is a German-Iranian designer and researcher, and the project originated from her desire to understand why she had never been able to visit her family in Iran and what might happen if she did.

The country’s law defines anyone with an Iranian father as a citizen, regardless of birthplace or residence. For the designer’s mother, having a child outside of marriage made visiting the country legally difficult, intensified by worries passed down through generations.

The mixed-media installation comprises a looping video essay, a research booklet featuring screenshot images from Chadegan and a sculptural cable carpet. Referencing Persian ornamentation, the black cables trace a fragile digital network across the floor, navigating memory, longing, and the invisible boundaries of belonging.