Farnaz Jahanbin

B E A U T Y

A N D

F A R N A Z

B E W I L D E R M E N T

J A H A N B I N

A R T S P A C E

H A M R A

P R E S E N T S

B E A U T Y A N D B E W I L D E R M E N T FARNAZ JAHANBIN

NOVEMBER 2015 B E I R U T, L E B A N O N

BEAUTY AND BEWILDERMENT ‘Beauty and Bewilderment’ presents the works of Salar Ahmadian and Farnaz Jahanbin, two artists extending the boundaries of contemporary Persian calligraphy. In the works of Ahmadian, precisely rendered scripts twist and overlap, migrating from traditional to pop and from ornate to expressive. In Jahanbin’s paintings, abstracted calligraphic gestures act as screens or veils through which can be seen figures derived from historic Persian paintings. Though the works of both artists are as diverse as they are similar, both explore the possibilities opened by the field of contemporary painting while continuing to develop calligraphic principles of precision, gesture and the beautification of script.

Ameera Kawash

Untitled (from the Persian Women Love Music series), Acrylic and mixed media on canvas 150 Ă— 150 cm 2015

Untitled (from the Persian Women Love Music series), Acrylic and mixed media on canvasn 150 Ă— 150 cm 2015

Untitled (from the Persian Women Love Music series), Acrylic and mixed media on canvas 150 Ă— 150 cm 2015

Untitled (from the Persian Women Love Music series), Acrylic and mixed media on canvas 200 Ă— 120 cm 2015

Untitled (from the Persian Women Love Music series), Acrylic and mixed media on canvas 120 Ă— 200 cm 2015

SALAR AHMADIAN Iranian artist Salar Ahmadian’s works weave together text and color, tradition and modernity.

Ahmadian delves beyond the calligraphic script to present a new visual language akin to the symbolism of Pop Art or the serendipitous creative process of Surrealism. In a manner that recalls the techniques of Jackson Pollock and Rothko, on his canvas the artist compromises between his artistic will, the uncertainty of the brushstroke and his imagination.

For Ahmadian, his creative process is based upon the crux of his Persian heritage and the achievements of Contemporary Western art history. While the artist studied calligraphic art at university, he also desired to move calligraphy away from merely a traditional representation to a form that included the abstract synthesis of the present. The works incorporate colors that refer to ideas of happiness, vitality and energy. Their vibrant coloring is just as strong as the movement each professes, while their imaginary abstract forms recall the shape of a colorful Iranian carpet or the country’s wild eternal gardens.

Selected Solo Exhibitions: 2010 Mah e Mehr Gallery, Tehran, Iran 2010 Niavaran Cultural Center, Tehran, Iran 2009 Niavaran Cultural Center, Tehran, Iran 2008 Hunar Gallery, Dubai, UAE 2008 Chelsea Gallery, London, England 2008 CCZ Gallery, Paris, France 2007 Lan Tan Gallery, Vancouver, Canada 2006 Arta Gallery, Toronto, Canada 2005 Georgetown Gallery, Washington, USA 2004 Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando, USA 2003 Celebrity Center International, California, USA 2003 Hourian Fine Art Gallery, San Francisco, USA 2003 Le Palais Oriental, Montreux, Switzerland 2002 Emory Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia, USA 2001 Boushahri Gallery, Kuwait, Kuwait 2001 Rockville Gallery, Maryland, USA 2001 Art Studio, Vancouver, Canada 2000 Cultural Centre, Kรถln, Germany 1999 Total Art Gallery, Dubai, UAE 1998 Castle of Art, New York, USA 1995 Gallery Aurum, Lausanne, Switzerland 1994 Manly Museum Gallery, Sydney, Australia 1994 Bernadettes Gallery, Vancouver, Canada

DESIGNED BY RAYAD ASSI

Artspace Hamra Artspace Hamra is an art gallery and multidisciplinary cultural space, promoting and supporting modern and contemporary Middle Eastern art. By conducting exhibitions, thematic residencies, art education and workshops, the organization aims to create an interactive and open platform for arts and culture. Our ambition is to initiate a dialogue between cultures and advance knowledge both locally and globally.

Artspace Hamra is home to both a commercial art gallery and nonprofit organization, which supports non-commercial art projects and events. This twofold approach allows our organization to broaden its engagement with the arts, creating a sustainable and uncompromising space for public interaction and cultural expression.

Artspace Hamra is situated on the 6th floor above bustling Hamra Street, an airy and versatile space of over 300 sq. meters, with a bird's eye view of cosmopolitan Beirut.

GALLERY Artspace Hamra showcases the work of emerging and established artists from Lebanon, the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean. While maintaining a broad regional focus, the gallery promotes art that is challenging and internationally relevant.

Artspace Hamra regularly holds solo exhibitions as well as collaborates with curators and guest artists to present thematic shows and events. We represent a multi-generational group of artists working across a diverse range of media and approaches.

PROJECTS Artspace Hamra Projects seeks to create a sustainable platform for non-commercial contemporary art events and activities in Beirut, Lebanon. ‘Projects’ funds and facilitates contemporary art practices that invite public interaction, cultural expression and community involvement. This includes thematic residencies for invited artists, non-commercial exhibitions, free lectures, symposia, workshops and other art-related events that are open to the public. The organization aims to create an interactive and open platform for the arts.