Salar Ahmadian

B E A U T Y

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A H M A D I A N

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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 SALAR AHMADIAN

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 Oil on canvas 177 Ă— 187 cm 2014

Untitled Oil on canvas 180 Ă— 250 cm 2014

Untitled Oil on canvas 260 Ă— 160 cm 2014

Unitled Oil on canvas 170 Ă— 180 cm 2014

Untitled Oil on canvas 180 Ă— 180 cm 2014

Untitled Oil on canvas 150 Ă— 200 cm 2014

SALAR AHMADIAN Iranian artist Salar Ahmadian’s works weave together text, color, tradition and modernity. Though the artist studied calligraphic art at Tehran University, he endeavored to move calligraphy from a traditional practice to a contemporary art form able to synthesize past and present. His paintings draw from Ahmadian’s experience as a goldsmith, sculptor, designer and traditional calligrapher, as well as pay homage to the visual legacy of his homeland, such as, Islamic architecture, traditional gilding and metal work and the color and detail found in Persian miniature paintings. He currently works and lives in Canada.

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, Germany1999 Total Art Gallery, Dubai, UAE 1998 Castle of Art, New York, USA 1995 Gallery Aurum, Lausanne, Switzerland 1994 Manly Museum Gallery, Sydney, Australia

AUCTIONS:

2012 Christies Auction Dubai, UAE 2012 Art Expo, Kuwait 2011 Art Expo, Tehran, Iran 2011 Christies Auction Dubai, UAE 2011 Art Expo, Kuwait 2010 Christies Auction, Dubai UAE

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.