Born in 1995 in Zurich, Switzerland, to Swiss and Iranian heritage, Alaïa Parhizi relocated to Los Angeles in 2012. A self taught artist, poet, and musician, he challenged traditional educational norms early on to build an intuitive creative practice anchored in poetry, painting, and sound. In 2013, he began releasing experimental instrumental music under the moniker Olïa. By 2014, Parhizi coined the artistic movement of Imperfectionism, a philosophy of raw authenticity that has guided his multidisciplinary work ever since. That same period marked his visual art debut, exhibiting paintings alongside artist Matthew Jackson at the Maker’s Loft in Oakland, California.

In April 2018, Parhizi cofounded Wönzimer alongside Aidan Nelson in Los Angeles, establishing an independent cultural sanctuary in Lincoln Heights. Drawing directly from its German namesake meaning living room, the space was built to foster genuine community where diverse mediums coexist without hierarchy. Later that year in December 2018, Parhizi released his debut vocal album, Sad Of Eye, launching an extensive discography on Bandcamp that includes releases such as Eigensinn, Troubled Little Angel, Erziehungsresistenz, YOU, and Akiko. During this time, he also expanded into cinema, composing the original score and starring as Richard Nixon in artist Julien Nguyen’s film Spiritus Mundi, which premiered at the Swiss Institute of Art in New York, while also filming and editing Matthew Jackson’s film Fugazi.

Parhizi subsequently built a major footprint as an international curator. In 2021, he cocurated the landmark 46 artist Salon de Imperfectionism at Wönzimer alongside artist and frequent collaborator Lucien Dante Lazar. He continued to champion the movement through survey exhibitions such as Drawing from Imperfectionism, while cocurating major group shows including The Theory of the Green Painting in 2024. His curatorial work and exhibition history span notable spaces and institutions including the Torrance Art Museum, House of Cohit, Gallery Sade in Los Angeles, and BBAM Gallery in Montreal, Canada, where he presented his solo exhibition In A Beautiful Haze.

In his recent visual practice, Parhizi creates hyper detailed, psychedelic explorations rendered in white ink on black canvas. Defined by intricate line work and deep spatial complexity, these paintings have gained broad recognition and have been acquired by prominent collections across California. Synthesizing poetry, fine art, sound, and gallery leadership, Parhizi remains a vital voice in contemporary art.

All Inquiries:
alaiaparhizi@gmail.com