Embodiment

The body, as a living concept, has always been defined and redefined throughout history. The body is a concept that, in a context of ideas and behaviors, presents the form of human life before history. The body’s connection with the world is not just a physical connection, the body is the intermediary between man and the universe, the body is the subject, the body is the tool, the body is the goal, the body is the sign, the body is the concept, the body is the center, the body is the essence, the body is the identity, the body has rights, the body has value, the body is important, imagine life without the body or the removal of part of it… The world is understood through the body. And our worldview is based on understanding the body’s experiences of the world. The works exhibited here, with “The Theme of Embeddedness in the Habitat of Today’s Iran,” are a look at this.

Curator: Tahmoores Bahadorani

Artists:

laleh ayati . Tahmoores Bahadorani . Mahdi Tamizi . Fahimeh Haghighi . Pari Zangeneh . Parvaneh Silani .Rasoul Moarek Nejad . Nooshin Naficy . Farnaz Nikookhah

The statement provided reflects upon the concept of “ashen”. It derives its name from the image of ash and embodies a phenomenon that transcends the seven vibrant colours of fire. It signifies a sense of certainty and neutrality, influenced by the purification of sacred fire. And purity akin to Eastern religions. This state of tranquillity ashen is not derived from mere experience but from a sense of calmness and serenity. It stands apart from the spectrum of colours. A representation of nothingness that holds great meaning and depth

((You came to mind; I seek my desire,

For in good fortune lies the essence of a good omen))

Hafez’s sonnets are the manifestation of the Iranian collective and individual spirit, interpretable and rich contextual. Hafez’s divination (Fal) serves important social functions such as relaxation, promoting positivity, making things easy and seeking solution for the future, bring relief and inner peace. For years, they have been taking the Hafez horoscope at various events. Hafez himself has mentioned this ability in his sonnets

((Although the Tranquility of the Heart, I know, does not grant the desire of the heart.

I draw an imaginary figure, I cast the spell of continuity.))

Gizella Varga Sinai is an artist who has been paying attention, during her career, to aspects of everyday life and the beauties of Iranian art and literature in all periods. Her recent collection reflects her memories and fascination with divination (Fal) and Fal-sellers, has been recounted in the first memory of her trip to Shiraz.

In her collection Hafez ‘s Divination (Fal -Hafez), she paints plants, flowers, birds, mythical creatures, angels, and lovers alongside the divination texts. It is as if she has compressed the fundamental contents of Iranian literature and put it on canvas.

She uses the compositions and sometimes marginalizations of traditional Iranian paintings in a new way to create a free, multifaceted space. A space that   combines several dialects and collages and reconnects literature and painting, a space that is both accessible and enigmatic, brimming with meaning and beauty.

Behnam Kamrani

Spring 2024

Statement:

“creation is nature. The beauty and hidden secrets of nature and boundless and have always been a primary source and inspiration for art. I am passionate about nature and photography, and the work presented in this collection reflect my visual experiences of landscapes, expressed in a simple manner. Along the way, photographs.”

Behrooz Naderi    (2024) 1403

I am Mahboubeh Nikoonejad, a Master of Art Studies from Isfahan University of Art and an art instructor at several art universities since 2012.

I have a profound passion for Iranian art, culture, and literature. For years, I thought that I could express this passion best through learning and then teaching as much as possible about them, and sometimes by writing related book and articles. However, after being deeply captivated by the beauty of Iranian geometric designs, I decided to combine geometric patterns with Iranian paintings to depict beautiful Iranian literary stories. In this way, maybe I could demonstrate the enchanting beauty of Iranian geometry, painting and literature to the viewers more effectively.

Why should geometric patterns only serve as decorative elements in a painting? Why can’t they narrate a beautiful story? Thus, I created several artworks where I creatively utilized geometric patterns to create illustrations that are both traditional and somewhat modern.

Through this method, I could reimagine beautiful Iranian stories that unfortunately have been forgotten among the youth today.

All of my selected stories are famous ones in Persian myths and literature, particularly the beautiful narrations of the “Shahnameh”(the Book of Kings).

Overall, I don’t consider myself a traditional Persian painter, nor do I want to adhere strictly to their methods and rules. I simply want to represent Persian stories that were created by Iranian masters over centuries, through geometric methods.

All my inspirations do not solely come from Iranian illustrated manuscripts; they can also arise from paintings of a Seljuk clay dish or an engraved Sasanian silver plate.

In my artworks, all lines are drawn based on the geometric pattern or emerge from connecting the corners of geometric shapes. I don’t draw any line without paying attention to the geometry and its linear directions.

Although some of my works are more associated with abstraction and geometry while others are more linked to Iranian paintings, the common feature among them all is that they are prominently based on geometric patterns.

The most challenging part of my work in the artistic production process is when I try to depict the story within the geometric design. This stage requires a great deal of creativity, innovation, and imagination, and sometimes it takes me several weeks to find the main characters of my story and come up with an engaging composition.

Statement

Theoretical foundations and intellectual framework

My paintings contain all the social and cultural artistic experiences and knowledge that I have gained over many years of careful and sensitive observation of the natural environment and society.

In a sense, it is a reflection of the look that reached me while walking in the back alleys, streets, markets, parks, etc. of the city.

The shapes are designed and then integrated into the combination of geometric and traditional forms that I have used in my previous works.

The idea is achieved in continuous designs.

In other words, in a painting, the relationship of form, color, space and other visual elements and materials reach unity in a random structure.  So that we can compose and structure

Bring new to the topic and topic.

The form in my paintings does not imply a specific subject and is used completely independent of the narrative or symbolic meaning.

The structure of the image is formed by following the principles and abstract method.  As a result, the expression of the image and its content is created without referring to the literary meaning.

In the same way, the color is also in the composition of the form.  Space, texture, etc. play a role in abstract structure.

Working on large canvases is amazing and interesting for me.  The big canvas surrounds me at work.  And it is at that moment that I can easily enter the painting and create the work as I like.

When done right.  Painting calls me, then I surrender myself to work.

This collection is a combination of drawing, painting and calligraphy, which is performed mentally and improvisational with a pen on the canvas.

Crows are among the most sociable and intelligent birds. Their lifestyle represents the fact that they have a correct perception of living.

In Zoroastrianism, the crow is considered a symbol of the purification of various impurities. Besides, ancient Iranian beliefs, it was considered the messenger of the spirits of the ancestors.

Throughout history, the crow has always attracted the attention of humans. It has been described with characteristics such as message carriers, wisdom, perseverance, purity, strong memory, foresight, and problem-solving.

They show human behaviors such as lovemaking, a sense of humor, playfulness, and joyfulness.

It is said that humans have performed some fundamental behaviors in the imitation of these birds.

Admittedly, what attracted me to this creature are their awareness and their social life.

Crows mourn the death of their fellows. If one of them gets hurt, the others will not hesitate to help immediately. If a crow chick is in danger, a group will counter the predator.

It seems that awareness and consciousness as a group ensure the survival and freedom of these marvelous creatures.

Farideh Malekolkalami, “a self-instructed artist” was born in Iran in 1929.

For Farideh, art has always been a top priority in her life.

Her paternal grandfather was Ahmad Shah special tutor and was bestowed the title of “Malek-ol-Kalam” , a literary honor, by Mohamad Ali Shah Qajar.

Due to her father’s frequent travels & missions, Farideh was home schooled by her mother who was a teacher until the sixth grade. After that, her family moved to Tehran where she continued her education at Anoushirvan Dadgar school for girls.

she graduated high school at the age of 16 but soon after, she lost her father. It was around this time that she was admitted to the University of Tehran to study midwifery. She graduated at the age of 20 and was assigned to the area of Masjed-e-Soliman, in Iran’s Khuzestan Province, for duties. It was there that she met her husband Dr. Pakdel.  They had two children, “Pirooz and Shiva, both of whom currently reside in the United States.”

Farideh who is proficient in English, having leaned it as a child, is also familiar with Spanish. She has had three books translated from English to Farsi. She is also a poet and has published a book of her very own poetry. She also has a strong streak of creativity in other areas. She paints on rocks and a number of these painted rocks are exhibited at the National Library of Tehran. I first met her during the period when she was making beautiful cushions from old and recycled clothes.

Farideh says “as far back as I can remember, I’ve been dedicated to collecting any-old odd object such as buttons, fabrics, curtains, and old clothing which can be easily found around any home and I would re-purpose them, giving them a new use.

The exhibition at hand today, is one of a select few of the rocks that she’s been collecting and painting for a number of years. Using glue, she assembles and creates diverse shapes by joining the rocks and in some cases, later framing them. Additionally, she has created sculptures by stacking and cementing them together.

At the age of 93, she is no longer able to work because of poor eyesight and illness, but a lifetime of artistic & creative work she has assembled and preserved will forever serve as a beacon of light for the rest of us.

I wish her health and longevity.

Parvaneh Silani

April 10, 2022

Sama of Colors

When the universe makes a spark of joy and delight in my spirit, it gives birth to an image in my mind that finds its way onto the canvas through the flames of color.

Color and motion start a sensational dance on canvas and leave an impression that lives forever.

And now, here, we behold the impression of this memorable dance.

Saeedeh Sarafchi

October, 2021

The face, Compared with the whole body, plays a major role in the representation of human identity and the image it has of itself.

In my suspended self-portraits, however, it has lost its symbolic and semantic character and is more like a delusion.

I stared at my face for days! Gradually, instead of seeing my eyes, mouth, and face, I saw surfaces and lines that were not my eyes, mouth, and face… It was an alien from me …… Who am I?

I am, not me

طرحی نگرورزانه بر روشِ طراحیِ سلف‌ْپرتره‌های معلّقِ ـمنمَنمْـ

Due to the current conditions in Iranian society, it seems that the younger generation has lived in a state of confusion and uncertainty about himself, the society and the era they live in. This phenomenon is especially evident in artists who have artistic returns; In fact, the young artist’s work largely reflects his mindset and understanding of these issues; Unfortunately, it often carries things that are not promising.

In the younger generation, most of the so-called artworks are afflicted by issues such as rootlessness, purposelessness, inefficacy in the form and content, misuse or misinterpretation of the western trends, indifference toward one’s own society and era, vulgarity, sloppiness and the like.

The generation that must make an effort to utilize the cultural traditions of their own country and the experiences of the previous generations, remain in a state of absurd suspension and inevitably resign themselves to their fate. The generation that must consciously attempt to understand the known and the unknown in order to eventually achieve positive outcomes and ramifications for the society, find themselves besieged and profoundly affected by incessant advertisements, fashions, and different types of foreign imports and suddenly observe themselves as a part of them without having had the opportunity or desire to experiment with and test these phenomena.

Now is the time when the younger generation aim to develop an awareness of and knowledge about themselves and their environment, substitute sloppiness with discipline and constant effort, know where they stand and what the value of life is and realize that the present and the future of this country, or generally speaking “the education and human culture” are dependent upon them.

*   *   *

This exhibition is an attempt at collecting the works in which some hints of hope about the future of art can be detected, the works that have been created because of the individual and social concerns of the artists and are seen as indicative of a determined effort at achieving an end result.

The artists have been selected from my close friends whose work and interests could cover some of the themes, which eventually leads to the gathering of a complete collection of different artistic tastes among Iran’s younger generation. I hope that this show will achieve its goal, or at least will be a starting point for the future activities of the artists toward advancing the cultural, social and national purposes.

Khaled Esmaeilvandi

April 3, 2020

At a time when it is full of cultural and identity issues and crises, Alborz is constantly and carefully searching for these issues in the ideal past and representing it in a new image. Relying on its cultural heritage, it seeks to create works that fit the conditions of its time with a special selection and an innovative combination of past themes.

What Alborz has used in this collection includes two ideas: one is “fire”, which is derived from Zoroastrian thought and ancient Iranian culture, and the other is “geometric and Islamic motifs” which is the result of post-Islamic Iranian art. Each of these two has its own roots and concepts, which together and together, carry and create new concepts that the artist seeks.

Alborz’s interest in the history and culture of Iran made him fascinated by the myths and themes related to Iran’s past, and especially the Zoroastrian religion. Phenomena such as four seasons, twelve months, whiteness and blackness, good and evil, light and darkness, geometry and organism, captivity and freedom, and the like, which are derived from the same ideas, can be found in his works.

However, his works are, first of all, a new and attractive combination of the elements of Oriental art and Iranian, as if he is looking for his play without any intermediaries or excuses. In fact, we are confronted with spontaneous works that are beautiful before they reach beautiful and idealistic concepts. The geometric patterns, the organic forms, the colors, the contrasts, the texture and everything that is included in these images are spectacular.

Khaled Esmaeilvandi

The world moves toward Chaos and the occurrences toward being scattered, The scientists call this phenomenon entropy.

It seems that nature is running away from symmetry, uniformity and cliche.

Around us is an endless tangle of space and time.

My paintings narrate a universe full of happenings, action and sometimes ambiguous dreams and fantasies.

In this effort I used limited colors such as black and white and sometimes grey. Forms are unrepeatable and are made from colors and happenings. Textures are produced from combining multiple materials.

The fusion of insignificant things.

This all, is a pleasant experience for me of freely expressing emotions.

My paintings visualize an unknown and untouchable universe, sometimes full of voice , sometimes full of silence.

A reverse world.

Cancer, Saratān (arabic) or Changār (persian) are all different names for a disease that gives a sudden shock and fright not only to the affected person but also to the people around her/him. Yet, talking about it remains a kind of taboo topic in society. I accompanied my sister in our fight against the disease and whatever was burdening me or gave me hope I drew on papers that were nothing but a mystery for me. Doctors saw a tumor in medical images (sonographies), but I saw fear, I saw doubt, and I heard the scream of silence. The “Changār” collection is the result of this journey. I made the Installation “Hur Carpet” (Hur means marsh but also sun) with 2001 pieces of paper, which illustrates hope and overcoming the darkness.

The exhibition coincides with the international Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The pink color in the “Changār” collection also refers to the pink ribbon that is a symbol for raising awareness to this disease and showing solidarity with affected persons.

The Artists of This Collection:

·        Abolfazl Aghaei·        Lale Ayati·        Mona Aghababaei·        Alireza Esmaeilpoor·        Parvin Erisian·        Molood Esnaasharimini·        Masoomeh Amini·        Morteza Basravi·        Zahra barahimi·        Tahmoores Bahadorani·        Parsa Payandeh·        Hosein Tahvilian·        Maryam Tavakoli·        Elham Jazayeri·        Seyyed Mahmood Hoseini·        Parvin Hakim·        Gelareh Khorasani·        Mohammad Khalili·        Marzieh Khoshfetrat·        Elham Rafiaei·        Hajar Rahgozar·        Parvaneh Silani·        Manoochehr Soltani·        Javad Taheri·        Foroozan Montazeri·        Sadegh Farhadian·        Majid Faal·        Nasim Mahdavi·        Foroozan Montazeri·        Abbas Mirzaei·        Ali Mirzaei·        Nooshon Nafisy·        Zahra Yoosofi

At a time when the human soul breathes and walks, there is so much endless and unreasonable turmoil for him, or so immersed in painful rest and deep sleep, they have kidnapped the pleasure of life from man.

This man, the birth of world anxiety,the heir of loneliness of ourselves, and this man, who has no background, Except that Facing.

He is sometimes at his most dangerous point.A point in which he does not feel at risk, and at that moment he is a contemporary man.

He looks, rotate at the Contemporary Word, around nothing, As long as it only seeks to mean it, and thus the words themselves are Meaningless.

Not very complicated, Anonymous is around him, and he looks at him, It is simple to simply calm the turbulence of man in himself, and simply her loneliness. Depth of loneliness in oneself.

Only so much that my loneliness is like my hidden disruption,Behind the pupils of my eye,a corner of the immense flaw that I recently found.

A corner of strange situations, Do not die without death, I live without life and it’s really hard the most difficult miracles, A perspective for believing

Watch with your eyes, Touch with your hands, and measure your perceptions

But let’s go to your heart, Feel whatsoever,Or calm down, Or you will try, Or you will stay in the stillness.

I belong to the nature, where I found myself, walked and pictured what I have heard or touched. Being and not being, talking and silence were visualized by colors and forms.

The riot of memories

Heshmat-ollah Behzadi is from the same generation of gold born in the 20’s. A generation whose relationship with the art school of fine arts in Isfahan is deep and eternal. Behzadi, in the 40’s where Isfahan’s art exhibition and art event is not traditional today, displays in Abadan and modern Ahwaz at that time, and these works are also featured in prestigious Tehran exhibitions.

The roots of Behzadi are back to Isfahan and during his teenage years, with the first spark of art: “Our house was a choreographed painting. After school, I went to a stamina on Shaykh Bahai Street, which stroked the most beautiful beauty, and placed its dark signs on its display. That’s where the master of the work disappears. “The fine art school for Behzadi, 13, is all about her. The first day is the decisive day: “On the first day of the Isfahan Fine Arts Conservatory, they told me to go through the design of Mr. Poursafa. The professor also said that I must learn materials and design. “If in recent years, despite the lack of centers of art and colorful artistic classes, the student is always sacrificed and abused financially and even spiritually, but 60 years ago in Isfahan and at the fine art school such It was not, and everything was calculated and supported by an immersive approach: “Every year we provided the pen, the color of the painting, and everything we needed for our paintings. Professor Poursafa wrote the requirements and we were going to take from the warehouse. Even every year Eid donated sixty Tomans as an artist’s encouragement. “The professors were also exceptional professors:” Hajj Mosaverul Molki had a room and accepted the students of the Conservatory. This master taught us how to make brushes from the cat’s back. Master Bahadori also married in hand in Iranian art. The professor was like a kind and loving father once a week to our class. “The conservatory’s exams were not a bit of exams, and with planning, and even tedious:” For the last year, Professor Poursafa took us to the field of play and all of the children in a place. It was winter, and the canvas and paint were with us. I took it to the top of the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque and told me to draw this Isfahan and Isfahan. My hands were frozen. He began to paint himself and began to go throughout the day. How long we should deliver the work. “The six-year course of the Conservatory ends, and the path to Khuzestan is a continuation of Behzad’s life. Several solo and group exhibitions in Abadan and Ahwaz, where modern conditions are experienced, is a young and passionate way of life.

Isfahan enchantment is a return to this city again, but 60’s is the cultural and artistic vacuum of Isfahan. Patience and teacher in 68 and the start of the artist’s exhibitions will lead to five individual exhibitions in the classical gallery. Iranian paintings and modern styles are exhibited, and the exhibition is a place to visit old professors and students. Thirty years ago, its first exhibit in Isfahan and in the classic gallery was presented to its three professors: “Bahadori, Abu Ata and Poursafa”.

Today, at 77, with a quill artworks , history and bitterness of humor, it has taken an impressive look at the events surrounding it. Heshmatollah Behzadi, with a poetic look, has set our times in such a way. And in addition to seeing the works, the exhibition can be the presence of old schoolchildren, the golden and irreversible generation of 60 years ago.

Hamed Ghasri