My name is Chira, and I am a Kurdish painter, creative artist, and dancer. I was born in 1990 during the Gulf War in Sulaymaniyah, northern Iraq, and later raised in Gothenburg, Sweden.
From a young age, I was drawn to the world of art in all its forms. I loved the feel of new materials beneath my hands, the way they responded to my touch, transforming into something unique and expressive. My hands were never still: they were always sketching something, capturing the world as I saw it, and sewing by hand was also a particular interest. I truly loved losing myself in a world of colors, textiles, and textures, experimenting with various styles and combinations of clothes and accessories. Each moment felt like an exploration of my deepest passions and creativity. Music has always been a profound inspiration, a bridge between my mind and body. Through it, I found a deep connection to the art of movement. At times, I feel like the waves, flowing with grace and rhythm; at other moments, I am as free as a bird, or like a burning flame, alive with passion and desire.
"Conversations through movement. I don’t speak: my body sings. In every brushstroke, in every dance, in every touch of my skin, my spirit finds its voice, telling stories that words could never capture. Through my work in the visual and performing arts, I strive to communicate and express the complexities of the human experience in ways that transcend words."
My childhood was filled with warmth and joy, but it was also shaped by challenges that introduced me to new experiences, emotions, and even sadness at a very young age. These experiences had a profound impact on me, often leading me to question and to reflect deeply. My curiosity was boundless, driving me to seek understanding in many aspects of life and a world that sometimes felt overwhelming.
My mother taught me the true essence of love and kindness. I feel deeply grateful and incredibly lucky to have been raised by such an inspiring and wonderful mother. Her guidance and love have shaped who I am, and I carry her strength and wisdom with me every day.
I have always been a dreamer, imagining the boundless possibilities in everything. Studying, working, and managing a business at a young age endowed me with profound motivation, experience, and insight. I remember that as a teenager, I saw myself as an entrepreneur—someone ready to take risks and share my passions with the world. In 2014, I felt a strong need to change my life. I began to experience life in a new way, bringing a profound sense of rebirth that gently washed away my fears and traumas. A new chapter started, everything around me and inside me felt profoundly different. I saw life with new eyes, vibrant and full of colors like never before. I was reconnected to my spiritual self. It became clear that I needed to let go of certain things to welcome new and meaningful experiences. I wanted to understand my true self, my purpose, and the essence of life. Driven by a desire to explore the world, I decided to follow my truth and begin traveling. I believe that everything unfolds in its own time, and that everything is interconnected and occurs for a reason.
The energy within me, this beautiful chaos, called out, urging me to express my inner voice, my emotions, my feminine essence. I felt strongly compelled to channel it all through dance, the touch of colors, and the connection with my own skin—each stroke of the brush on canvas becoming an extension of my soul. I felt a profound need to transform the emotions from every experience I’ve encountered—both joyful and challenging—into something beautifully creative. For me, dancing and creating art are deeply personal and spiritual acts that set me free. I also felt ready to begin photographing and filming myself during this creative journey, capturing the essence of the process.
I have always found myself wondering about the unknown, that mysterious dimension we all come from, connected to our past lives, the present, and the future. I want to share what I experience, feel, and believe in, without any fear. To me, it is a great mystery waiting to be explored.
In 2015, I made the decision to move to Milan, Italy, where I discovered a vibrant world rich in culture, history, exquisite food, art, fashion, design, and architecture. It felt like entering a dream, where every corner of the city held something inspiring and beautiful, waiting to be explored. I studied Fashion Accessory Design and graduated in 2018 from Istituto Europeo di Design Milano. During my time in Italy, I began painting professionally, creating artworks that led to several exhibitions. I presented my thesis in Italian, "My Final Collection," which was connected to my artistic creations.
Before graduating, I was approached by the fashion house Versace, where I began my first professional experience in their footwear department, focusing on women’s shoes. Alongside this, I worked on projects for other brands and continued to develop my own creative projects. In 2019, I was honored to be one of the students selected to participate in Graduate Fashion Week in London, where I presented my thesis project.
After many years of my life, with a lot of courage, passion, dedication, and sacrifice, I felt a deep calling and decided to break through the silence, begin to discover my own nature and the great mystery behind it; I was ready to share it with the world.
"Step into the echoes of dreams, where each footstep reveals a hidden story." — Chira Latif
"She is Love. She is Light. She is stronger than Fear." - 2022 Sicily