Iran Modern

Page 1



IRAN MODERN Edited by

Fereshteh Daftari and Layla S. Diba

ASIA SOCIETY MUSEUM in association with

Yale UNiversity Press New Haven and London


Published on the occasion of the exhibition “Iran Modern” organized by Asia Society Museum.

The paper in this book meets the requirements of ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (Permanence of Paper).

Asia Society Museum New York, NY September 6, 2013­–January 5, 2014

Front cover: Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian. Untitled (detail), 1977. Mirror, reverse-glass painting, and plaster on wood. 41½ x 41½ in. (105.4 x 105.4 cm). Collection of Zahra Farmanfarmaian. Frontispiece: Parviz Tanavoli. Heech (Nothing), 1972. Bronze on wood base. 22¼ x 12 x 8 in. (56.5 x 30.5 x 20.3 cm). Base: 5 x 5 x 5 in. (12.7 x 12.7 x 12.7 cm) Grey Art Gallery, New York University Art Collection, Gift of Abby Weed Grey, 1975.

© Asia Society, New York, NY, 2013 All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, including illustrations, in any form (beyond that copying permitted by Sections 107 and 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law and except by reviewers for the public press), without written permission from the publishers.

Published by Asia Society 725 Park Avenue New York, NY 10021 www.AsiaSociety.org

Distributed by Yale University Press P.O. Box 209040 302 Temple Street New Haven, CT 06520-9040 www.yalebooks.com

Project Manager: Marion Kocot In-House Curator: Michelle Yun Production Coordinator: Katherine Williamson Copy Editor: Linda Truilo Designers: Miko McGinty and Rita Jules Typeface: Marat Sans Printing: Trifolio S.R.L., Verona, Italy

The transliteration system in this volume is a modified version of the style used by the Journal of the International Society for Iranian Studies (Oxford: International Society of Iranian Studies). Our system was derived with an emphasis on helping non-specialists pronounce Persian words properly. Names either follow the aforementioned transliteration system or are given a form preferred by participating artists. Every effort has been made to credit the photographers and the sources; if there are errors or omissions, please contact Asia Society Museum so that corrections can be made in subsequent editions. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the texts are the views of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the guest curators. ASIA SOCIETY is a registered trademark of Asia Society, New York. © 2013 Asia Society, 725 Park Ave., New York, NY


Contents

6

Director’s Preface

Melissa Chiu

8

Curatorial Acknowledgements

Fereshteh Daftari

9

Curatorial Acknowledgements

Layla S. Diba

10

Exhibition Funders

11

Lenders to the Exhibition

93

K a Mountain and Guardenia Terrace: A Story about a Family and Some People Changing, a 168 Hour Play for the 1972 Festival of Shiraz

Robert Wilson

97 A Remarkable Oversight: Iranian Art

Photography of the 1960s and 1970s

Hamid Severi

103

Works in the Exhibition Historical Documents

13

Iranian History 1945–79

Houchang Chehabi

225

17

Historiography of Modern Iranian Art

Hamid Keshmirshekan

225 Foreword Inaugural Tehran Biennial Catalogue, 1958

25 Redefining Modernism: Pluralist Art

Before the 1979 Revolution

Fereshteh Daftari

45 The Formation of Modern Iranian Art:

From Kamal-al-Molk to Zenderoudi

Layla S. Diba

226 Foreword Tehran Biennial Catalogue, 1966 Director General of Cultural Relations— Ministry of Culture and the Arts

227 “ Why Persian Carpets Fly! An art expert

hits Iran to find out—and a lot more you need to know”

67 A Short History of Art Exhibitions in Iran,

1946–78

Media Farzin

73

Modern Iranian Architecture, 1941–79

Nader Ardalan

79

Interview with Kamran Diba

Nagar Azimi

87 Perspectives on the Shiraz Arts Festival:

Ehsan Yarshater

Arne Glimcher

230 “ Saqqakhaneh School Revisited” from Saqqakhaneh, 1977

Karim Emami

231 “ The Saqqa-Khaneh” from Saqqakhaneh, 1977

Peter Lamborn Wilson

A Radical Third World Rewriting Vali Mahlouji

234 Chronology of Historical and Art Events 242 Select Bibliography 248 Contributors’ Biographies 250 List of Participating Artists 251 Index 256 Photography Credits



Works in the Exhibition


plate 1. Ahmad Aali. Self-Portrait, 1964–Reconstructed in 2010. Mixed media. 84 1 /4 x 30 1 /4 x 24 1 /2 in. (214 x 76.8 x 61.6 cm). Aaran Art Gallery.

104



plate 17. Mohammad Ehsai. GEREHAYE KHAYAM , 1968. Acrylic and oil on canvas. 39 x 53 15/16 in. (99.1 x 137 cm). Collection of the artist. plate 18. Mohammad Ehsai. Untitled, 1974. Oil on canvas. 37 7/16 x 68 1 /8 in. (95.1 x 173 cm). Collection of the artist.

128



plate 22. Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian. Heart Beat, 1975. Mirror, reverse-glass painting, and plaster on wood. 35 7/16 x 47 1 /4 in.

(90 x 120 cm). Collection of Nima Isham. plate 23. Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian. Untitled, 1977. Mirror, reverse-glass painting, and plaster on wood. 41 1 /2 x 41 1 /2 in.

(105.4 x 105.4 cm). Collection of Zahra Farmanfarmaian. 134



plate 62. Nicky Nodjoumi. Standing Tall, 1976. Oil on canvas. 70 x 45 in. (177.8 x 114.3 cm). Collection of the artist. plate 63. Nicky Nodjoumi. Untitled, 1976. Oil and charcoal on canvas. 70 x 45 in. (177.8 x 114.3 cm). Collection of the artist.

180



plate 81. Parviz Tanavoli. Innovation in Art, 1964. Mixed media. 60 5/8 x 45 1 /4 x 7 7/8 in. (154 x 115 x 20 cm). Collection of the artist. plate 82. Parviz Tanavoli. The Poet and the Beloved King (Lovers), 1964. Wood, tin plate, copper, steel, fluorescent light, perspex, and oil paint.

76 1/4 x 40 3/16 x 43 5/16 in. (194 x 102 x 110 cm). Tate: Purchased using funds provided by Edward and Maryam Eisler, 2011. 206



ISBN 978-0-300-19736-5

PRINTED IN ITALY


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