Saya Behnam’s work explores light, hope, and interconnectedness through repetition, texture, and handmade materials. Viewing texture as a form of sensory intelligence, their practice engages multiple senses through folded paper, layered surfaces, and pigments derived from botanicals and minerals. Using handmade kozo and mulberry papers, Saya creates contemplative works that emphasize time, memory, and gradual growth.

Saya is an Iranian-American artist with more than 20 years of experience in fine art. She lives in Virginia, and her studio is at Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA.

50 for 50 is an artist opportunity that invites 50 community artists to showcase their work at Touchstone throughout 2026, the year of Touchstone’s 50th anniversary.