Artist Robert Karimi finds success living in the in-between

Robert Karimi is versatile, and his vast range of knowledge and experience will be a spark for the fellows he will be working with as a mentor in the Towards 2040 Creative Leaders Fellowship.

Poet, author, performer, educator, no title encompasses the work of Robert Farid Karimi. Karimi has explored every corner of the art industry, from spoken word to game design and theater.

Being Iranian and Guatemalan influences his work, allowing him to explore complicated topics from a unique perspective. As a mentor in the Towards 2040 Creative Leaders Fellowship, Karimi will utilize decades of experience to stoke the fires of young artists.

Karimi wants to normalize exploration- one day, live in a world where anyone can pursue their passions without fear of being looked down upon or discounted.

He does not believe in being forced to live either-or, that you either need to stay on your path or explore new horizons. He posits that living in such a binary way prevents us from achieving our true potential,

“usually the time when we lose the most hope is when we confine those possibilities.”

Karimi has written, directed, crafted, and performed, yet he continues to step outside his area of expertise to gain more knowledge. To him, anyone should be able to feel comfortable doing the same if they desire to. 

As the first generation of a multicultural family born in the United States, Karimi has always lived his life between multiple worlds. He has come to see himself as a bridge. Karimi does not exist on one side or another; instead, he resides in the middle, bringing over bits and pieces from both.

He has embraced living in between, constantly exploring new territory and learning from it. He has never felt overwhelmed by all the gear shifting,

“what I do, how I do, and how I am– to me; it makes sense.” 

In many ways, hip-hop is how Karimi learned to be American and survive. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, he was surrounded by various DJs and artists.

He saw hip-hop as a way for those “that felt in the in-between, and didn’t feel part of the majority, to find their place.”

Karimi resembles himself to a bunch of samples; in one moment, you may experience him as one track, but in another, you could meet him as an entirely different mix. This ability has been invaluable in his life as an artist and a human being, traversing a cruel and unrelenting world. 

Karimi learned to utilize art and comedy as social commentary at a young age. “The people who were the funniest in my house were listened to the most,” he shared.

“Talking about politics and difficult things through humor was always part of my household.”

Art allows Karimi to engage and communicate with his audience about uncomfortable topics while bringing everyone together positively. At his first one-man show, Karimi included a DJ to make the audience a part of a party before he discussed intergenerational trauma and politics. 

Karimi has had more mentors in his life than he could ever name. Some of his most influential mentors are close to home; his mom and dad. Karimi has also learned under well-known industry professionals such as director Ellen Sebastian Chang, actor Harry Waters Jr., and performer Laurie Carlos. Karimi echoes that, in a way, his students are his mentors because he learns from them just as they learn from him.

When asked what important lessons Karimi has learned from his mentors, he happily reflected on the wisdom he implements in his work. He says to be humble yet be fabulous. You can let your work talk for you, so you don’t have to talk all the time. To take risks,

“and just because somebody says no, doesn’t mean it’s over.” 

Until the obstacles pop up, there is no way for Karimi to know how he will help the fellows overcome them. He does know that in his life, the best mentors have been those that listen. He plans to do that with the fellows in the Towards 2040 fellowship– listen.

Karimi will help guide the fellows when they feel lost. He will motivate them to keep flying when they feel they may stumble and fall. When Karimi looks towards the year 2040, he hopes to continue to do the same for future students. To nourish the world with his art and be a beacon of light for those who need it. 

Robert Karimi has lived a life like no other, and he is not stopping any time soon. When we spoke, he was working on four separate projects, all of different forms and nature. The diverse nature of Karimi’s work and his extensive history in the art world will allow him to be an invaluable mentor to our Towards 2040 inaugural fellows.