The World Viewed Chapter 1 by Arash Shabbin

The World Viewed* “… To imitate not the look of nature, but its conditions, the possibilities of knowing nature at all and of locating ourselves in a world.” “It is not how things are in the world that is mystical, but that it exists.” as Wittgenstein says. Existence is by itself a matter of surprise. In Art realm, we are seeking the kind of Art that is not merely imitating the appearance of Nature, but the kind that tries to capture the essence of existence and after all, the world; Art is grasping the soul of life and this seizure or tendency for possession not only belongs to the artists, but also to their audience; Art is possessing what is pictured. In today’s Art world, probably cinema is the most available sort of Art which can frequently exist in the mind and life of the viewer. According to Stanley Cavell: “My way of studying films has been mostly through remembering

them, like dreams.” In other words, it is the viewer who recalls “himself” in some movie scenes. For years, “ambiguously remembering” was part of the treasure of the personal memories of those who watched movies, and later remade them in their minds the way they desired. However, with the emergence of various technologies, personal recalls were replaced by genuine equipment that were capable of reproducing the first scenes over and over again. Although, photography and painting cannot impress the audience in a real and live manner outside the frame they are being presented in. The artistic work receives its meaning from the context originated in artist’s mind. When a work is presented by itself, it can only be

recognized as a good work. Whereas, each work of art is the product of a distinct period of its creator’s thoughts. For this reason, photos/paintings cannot - or better to say must not - be viewed separately. Each work is the outcome of a thought; a thought that has been developed by the Artist’s personal and environmental experiences during years and finally produces a set of works that depicts his mental world. A world that perhaps is not meaningful through a single work which goes among the indefinite images that one sees (and forgets) during each day. Presentation of a single work alone makes it a suspended image in time. This image is a piece to the puzzle named “Collecting the World” by Susan Sontag; the images that “do not seem to be statements about the world so much as pieces of it. ” These pieces are like disconnected jottings of an author: even though they are separately impressive, they will not deliver the mission

unless put altogether. Regarding the fact that fully understanding the Artist’s mind and personal world is impossible, in the exhibition series of “The World Viewed”, we are trying to present different work sets of the same Artist in time and put the pieces of images together to attain a new world, a slice of the personal reality of the Artist, an image of his/her world; a strange image that invites us to company and viewing.

*Title of a book by Stanley Cavell

KOUROSH ADIM | 1971 Kourosh Adim was born in 1971; Kourosh Adim has a BS in biology and has been active in the world of photography art since 1983. Adim is a distinguished, well respected photographer and lecturer, both in Iran and around the world. His works have been on display in many group and solo exhibitions. In 2011 Adim founded HASTMAG, an online photography magazine, focused on â&#x20AC;&#x153;establishing proper means for transmitting information in the field of Photography and Thoughtâ&#x20AC;?

“ASCENSION”, From “Tunisia: The Dream City” Series C-Print on Paper | 80x90 cm No. 1 in an edition of 3 | 2012

MEHRDAD AFSARI | 1977 Looking at photography as a personal way of experiencing life, Mehrdad Afsariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focuses his works mostly on the mere meaning of life. From his early projects to his emotional pictorial tribute to his late grandmother to his old and new Polaroid photos and all other projects of his, which are too many to mention but equally worthy to be seen and experienced. Born in 1977, Mehrdad has a BA and MFA in Photography. Since 1997 to 2014, he has participated in more than 50 national and international solo and group exhibitions. In addition, he has been teaching photography at art universities of Tehran and Tabriz since 2004. He is an HonoraryÂ Member of Iranian Visual Artists Society.

Untitled, From “White Side of the Winter” Series Polaroid | 9x11cm No. 1 in an edition of 1 | 2013

Untitled, From “White Side of the Winter” Series Polaroid | 9x11 cm No. 1 in an edition of 1 | 2013

ABNOUS ALBORZI | 1981 Abnous Alborzi was born in 1981. She has a B.A in Photography from Azad University of Arts, Tehran, Iran. Known as a young and talented artist, she tries to merge tradition with modernity and create a new concept. She has been a part of numerous solo and group exhibitions in Iran and other countries. Her most recent exhibition was in a project at “Igreg Art Studio” in January 2015 in Tehran. Her work has also been on the list of Tehran’s Raad Charity Auction 2015.

Untitled, From “Oblivion Garden” Series Digital Print on Epson Traditional Photo Paper 330 g | 31x20 cm No. 1 in an edition of 5 | 2014

ALI & RAMYAR | 1976 - 1979 Born in 1976 and 1980, Ali and Ramyar are both photography graduates of Tehran University of Fine Arts. Though they have both been active in various field of photography, their works together are mainly “staged”. Acknowledged worldwide for displaying a new and fresh image of Iran, their works have been in many exhibitions around the world, most recently in “Burnt Generation” at Calgary Museum of Canada.

Untitled, From “We Live In Paradoxical Society” Series Slide Film, Drum Scan, Digital Print | 80x80 cm No. 2 in an edition of 5 | 2010

SHAHRZAD CHANGALVAEE | 1983 Shahrzad is a “Yale” University alumnus, with an MA in Sculpture. She got her BA from Tehran University, Faculty of Fine Arts in graphic design. She was born in 1983 in Tehran and currently resides in New Haven, Connecticut. She has been an active graphic designer, photographer, video artist and sculptor. She has also worked at Reza Abedini’s studios from 2003 to 2006. In 2011, she was a Runner Up, Magic of Persia Contemporary art prize.

“MOTHERLAND IN BOX” Photography | 13X10 cm No. 1 in an edition of 5 + AP | 2013

NADER DAVOODI | 1962 Nader Davoodi was born in 1963 in Herat, Afghanistan. He studied archeology and art history for BA and MA respectively. He is an award winning Iranian photojournalist and is the first Iranian sport photographer to cover the FIFA World Cup (USA 1994). He is a Founding Member of the Iranian Photojournalists Association (1998) and one of the first that has created an all-English photo blog on Iran (July, 2005). He is the publisher of Tamashagaran Weekly (1992-2002).

“PATIENCE”, From “Tehran – New York” Series Digital Print from Negative | 70x100 cm No. 1 in an edition of 3 | 1994

ALIREZA FANI | 1975 Alireza Fani, born in 1975, got his diploma in graphic design and continued his education at Tehran’s Azad University of art and architecture. He has been working as a graphic designer, art director, and freelance photographer since 1997. He started to focus on fine art photography since 2007. Reading Fani’s statements we realize that as an artist, he has perpetually been searching, on a conscious level, for a means of narrating the story of personal life through signs and symbols that adopt surrealist gestures. Alireza has participated in various solo and group exhibitions in Iran, China, UK, USA, and India.

“A MEMORIAL FOR TODAY NO. 2”, From “A Memorial for Today” Series Digital Print on Photo Paper | 90x120 cm No. 2 in an edition of 5 | 2011

FARZANEH GHADYANLOO | 1989 With a diploma in humanities, Farzaneh Ghadyanloo continued her education at Art university of Tehran, in Cinema major. Farzaneh has a unique take at photography, using her family as her subjects. Her works are very resemblance of intimate and bold portraits of Nan Goldin. She won the 2nd prize for the Camping Photography Group of young cineastes in 2009. In 2014-15 she had very successful exhibitions at “Arte” and “IGREG ART STUDIO”.

Untitled, From “Thursday” Series Digital Print on Photo Paper | 13x18 cm No. 1 in an edition of 3 | 2014

AMIR ALI GHASEMI | 1980 Amirali Ghasemi was born in 1980 in Tehran. He is a graphic designer, media artist, and curator and is most famous as the founder and director of Parkingallery, an independent art space in Tehran. Ghasemi has shown his photography, video, and design works in various festivals and exhibitions internationally. As a curator, he has directed various exhibition projects for Parkingallery among which four annual editions (2007-2013) of Limited Access Festival for Video and Performance is of note. In 2003, he was selected to contribute to the “International Art Blog Project” by The Centre of Attention in London and in 2005; he contributed to The Guardian’s “Imagine Art After” project.

Untitled, From “Globe and Feelings” Series Photography | 30x30 cm No. 1 in an edition of 5 | 2014

KATAYOUN KARAMI | 1967 Born in 1967, Katayoun Karami started her graduate studies in Architecture at Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey. Later she shifted her focus to photography, and during the years, she has achieved success through many solo and group exhibitions in Iran and other worldwide. Katayoun challenges the traditional ideas and standards of art boldly. She has many solo and group exhibitions on her Curriculum vitae, including 2014 Group Exhibition, “Fragile Hands” at “University of Applied Arts”, Vienna, Austria and 2014 Group Exhibition, “Recalling The Future” at “Brunei Gallery” at “SOAS University”, London, UK, and many more.

Untitled, From “Resurrected” Series Mixed Media | 30x24 cm No. 4 in an edition of 10 | 2009

TOORAJ KHAMENEH ZADEH | 1977 Tooraj Khamenehzadeh was born in 1977 in Qazvin. He is a visual artist, curator, and art manager currently living in Tehran. He was graduated in 2002 with a BS in computer engineering/software from Azad University. Khamenehzadeh has shown his photographs, videos and installation works in various festivals and exhibitions nationally and internationally. Khamenehzadeh is co-founder and a member of the board of directors of Rybon Art Center, an independent art institute in Tehran.

Untitled, From “Apprehension Jungle” Series Digital Photography, Face-Mounted Digital Print | 100x150 cm No. 1 in an edition of 5 + AP | 2014

BEHNAM SADIGHI | 1979 Behnam Sadighi was born in 1979, in Sari. He has a BA in Photography from the Faculty of Fine Art, University of Tehran and has been a photography lecturer in several universities and art institutes. He has recently published “The Reminder” by “Motto Books” Publication. He is the winner of “Magic of Persia” in 2013 and has many more awards and exhibition in his resume. Behnam currently works and lives in Tehran and holds frequent photography workshops in different cities of Iran.

“FA’EZEH”, From “Reminder” Series Analogue Photography, 4x5 Slide film, Digital C-print. Full HD Video | 120x150 cm No.2 in an edition of 5 + 2 AP | 2014

BIJAN SAYFOURI | 1968 Bijan Sayfouri is an Iranian graphic designer, art director, photographer, writer and academic. He was born in Iran’s Kurdistan on May 5th, 1968, and entered the School of Fine Arts at Tehran University, concurrently beginning his professional career in 1988 in a private studio in Tehran. Sayfouri is known in the realm of graphic design for his innovative and unique style of Iranian typography. He has also been on the jury of several art and design international competitions and has curated many exhibitions himself. In 2011 he unveiled General Defection, a graphic art / photography series that broke the sales record at the Contemporary Photographs auction held at Bonhams. This collection was later presented at various exhibitions and auctions such as Christie’s, Art Dubai, Tehran Auction, and Paris Photo. Bijan Sayfouri is one of Iran’s most influential figures in the fields of graphic design, photography, and visual arts. His art and design has been presented in many exhibitions, museums, galleries, collections, websites, books and magazines internationally.

“PARALLEL DESCENT”, From “General Defection” Series Agfa Anapurna MV Print, on Hp Artist Matte Canvas | 1401x140 cm No. 1 in an edition of 5 | 2011

“PERVASIVE CRIME”, From “General Defection” Series Agfa Anapurna MV Print, on Hp Artist Matte Canvas | Triptych, Each: 70x70 cm, Overall: 70 X 210 cm No. 3 in an edition of 5 | 2011

MELIKA SHAFAHI | 1984 Melika Shafahi was born in 1984 in Tehran. She has an MA in Visual Arts from Lyon’s École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. She currently lives and works in Paris. Melika is blessed with wild imagination and is not afraid to picture them. She is a photography graduate from University of Tehran and has another BA from École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Montpellier. Her works have been on display in many solo and group exhibitions around the globe.

“LIKE EVERY DAY” Digital Photography on Photo Paper | 100x70 cm No. 1 in an edition of 5 | 2013

ARMAN STEPANIAN | 1956 Born in 1965, in Abadan, Arman Stepanian finished his studying at Tehran University of Fine Arts in graphic design and officially moved on to photography from 1999. His first photo series were of the old gravestones of Armenians in southern Tehran. Ever since he has been a part of various solo and group exhibitions. He is one of the Iranian artists whose works have been presented at Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Christieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s auctions. Stepanian has also done researches on the History of Iranian Photography.

“THE GAMBLERS”, From “New Art” Series Digital Photography on Photo Paper | 100x70 cm No. 3 in an edition of 7 + 2 AP | 2008

AMIN TALACHIAN | 1980 Born in 1980 in Tehran, Amin Talachian has BS in computer engineering. Amin started photography since he was 14 years. He is the winner of Crystal Cup of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Francesco Fornoâ&#x20AC;? competition in 2007 and currently works and lives in Tehran.

“BLEAK”, From “Nocturnal” Series Digital Photography on Photo Paper | 70x100 cm No.2 in an edition of 4 | 2012

SHAHRIAR TAVAKOLI | 1969 One of Iran’s most respected photographers and lecturers, Shahriar Tavakoli was born in 1969 in Tehran. He has a BA and MFA in photography from Tehran’s Art University. He has been teaching in several universities and art institutes. Once a renowned landscape photographer Tavakoli turned to a more simple and less complicated camera, a Canon G10 and has a taken a more personal approach towards photography. In 2002, he founded “Herfeh: Honarmand” magazine along with Iman Afsarian. Over the past years, Herfeh: Honarmand (Occupation: Artist) turned into a giant publication house. Tavakoli currently works and lives in Kish.

“TEHRAN”, From “Wanderings with G10” Series Digital Print | 70x100 cm No. 1 in an edition of 5 | 2009

‫*‪The World Viewed‬‬

‫‪look of nature, but its conditions, the possibilities of knowing nature at all and of‬‬ ‫‪locating ourselves in a world.‬‬

‫بــه گفتـ ‌ه ‌ی ویتگنشــتاین رازآلــود بــودن جهــان در چگونگــی بودنــش‬ ‫نیســت بلکــه در ِ‬ ‫ذات بــودن آن اســت‪ .‬بــودن‪ ،‬خــو ْد امــری حیرت‌انگیــز‬ ‫اســت‪.‬‬ ‫در حــوزه‌ی هــر‪ ،‬در جســتجوی هــری هســتیم کــه تنهــا بــه دنبــال‬ ‫تقلیــد از ظاهــر طبیعــت نیســت‪ ،‬هــری کــه تــاش می‌کنــد تا بــه ذات‬ ‫و بــودنِ هســتی‪ ،‬و در یــک کالم‪ ،‬بــه خــو ِد جهــان دســت یابــد؛ کــه ه ْرن‬ ‫همیــن دســتیابی بــه جوهــره‌ی زندگــی اســت و این دســتیابی یــا هامن‬ ‫میــل بــه متلــک نه‌تنهــا در میــان هرنمنــدان کــه در میــان مخاطبــانِ آثار‬ ‫آنهــا نیــز وجــود دارد؛ کــه هــر تــرف چیــزی اســت کــه بــه تصویــر‬ ‫در‌می‌آیــد‪.‬‬ ‫در دنیــای هــر امــروز شــاید ســینام تنهــا هــر ســهل‌الوصولی اســت که‬ ‫می‌توانــد حضــوری مــدام در ذهــن و زندگــی بیننــده داشــته باشــد‪‌.‬بــه‬ ‫اعتقــاد اســتنلی کاول «فیلم‌هــا ماننــد رؤیاهاینــد و ســخت بــه خاطــر‬ ‫می‌‌آینــد»‪ .‬بــه تعبیــر دیگــر‪ ،‬ایــن خــو ِد بیننــده اســت کــه «‌خــود ‌» را در‬ ‫لحظات ـ ‌ی‌از فیلــم بــه خاطــر م ـی‌آورد‪ .‬تــا ســال‌ها «‌بــه‌‌‌خاطــر آوردن‬

‫گنــگ و مبهــم ‌» بخشــی از گنجینـه‌ی خاطـرات شــخصی متــام آنهایــی‬ ‫بــود کــه بــه متاشــای فیلم‌هــا می‌نشســتند و بعــدا ً در پــس ذهـ ْن فیلــم‬ ‫را دوبــاره و بــه آن‌گونــه کــه خــود دوســت داشــتند بازمی‌ســاختند‌‪ .‬پس‬ ‫از ظهــور‌انــواع تکنولوژی‌هــا امــا‪ ،‬باز‌آفرینی‌هــای شــخص ‌ی جــای خــود‬ ‫ت نخســتین‬ ‫را بــه ابـزاری واقعــی دادنــد کــه قــادر بودنــد هــان لحظــا ِ‌‬ ‫را بـرای بیننــده بارهــا و بارهــا بازســازی کننــد‪‌.‬ایــن در حالــی اســت کــه‬ ‫عکــس و نقاشــی هنــوز منی‌تواننــد خــارج از چهارچوبــی کــه در آن‬ ‫بــه منایــش در‌می‌آینــد بــه گونـه‌ای زنــده و‌‌واقعـ ‌ی بــر مخاطــب تأثیـر‌‬ ‫‌بگذارند‪.‬‬ ‫ـق خــود نشــأت گرفتــه معنــا‬ ‫اثــر هــری در بســری کــه از ذهــن خالـ ِ‬ ‫می‌یابــد‪ .‬زمانــی کــه اثــر به‌تنهایــی بــه منایــش درمی‌آیــد تنهــا‬ ‫ب تلقــی شــود و ایــن در حالــی اســت کــه هــر‬ ‫می‌توانــد یــک اثـ ِر خــو ‌‬ ‫اثــر محصــول دوره‌هــای فکــری مختلـ ِ‬ ‫ـف خالق آن اســت‪ .‬از این‌روســت‬ ‫س‪‌/‬نقاشــی‌ها را به‌تنهایــی منی‌تــوان ـ یــا شــاید بهــر اســت‬ ‫کــه عک ‌‬ ‫بگوییــم ـ‌نبایـ ‌د دیـد‌‪ .‬هــر اثــر حاصــل یــک تفکــر اســت‪ ،‬تفکــری کــه‬

‫ـی هرنمنـ ‌د تغییــر و تحول‬ ‫ســال‌ها تحــت‌‌ تأ‌‌ثیــر اتفاقــات شــخصی و محیطـ ِ‬ ‫می‌یابــد و در نهایــت مجموع ـه‌ای از آثــار را شــکل می‌دهــد کــه دنیــای‬ ‫ذهنــی هرنمنــد را بــه تصویــر می‌کشــد‪ ،‬دنیایــی کــه شــاید به‌تنهایــی و از‬ ‫خــال یــک اثــر در ذهــن بیننــده معنایــی پیــدا نکنــد و بــه انبــوه تصاویری‬ ‫کــه فــرد هــر روز در زندگــی خــود می‌بینـ ‌د (و فرامــوش می‌کنــد)‌بپیونــدد‌‪.‬‬ ‫منایــش یــک اثــر به‌تنهایــی‪ ،‬آن را تبدیــل بــه تصویــری معلــق در زمــان‬ ‫می‌کنــد‪ ،‬ایــن تصویــر قطعـه‌ای از پازلــی اســت کــه ســوزان ســونتاگ آن را‬ ‫«‌جمـع‌آوری جهــان» می‌خوانــد‪ ،‬تصاویــری کــه «‌بیــش از آنکه تفســیرهایی‬ ‫از جهــان باشــند قطعاتــی از آننــد»‪‌.‬‬ ‫ایــن قطعــات بــه یادداشــت‌های پراکنــده‌ی نویســنده‌ای می‌ماننــد کــه‬ ‫اگرچــه به‌تنهایــی‌تأ‌‌ثیر‌گذارنــد‪ ،‬امــا تنهــا زمانــی کــه در کنــار هــم ق ـرار‬ ‫ت خــود را بــه انجــام می‌رســانند‪.‬‬ ‫می‌گیرنــد‌رســال ‌‬ ‫ن ایــن امــر کــه شـ ِ‬ ‫ـناخت کامــل از فضــای ذهنــی و دنیــای‬ ‫بــا د‌ر نظــر گرفـ ‌‬ ‫شــخصی هرنمنــد امــری اســت غیرممکــن‪ ،‬در رسی منایشــگاه‌های «‌جهــان‬ ‫نگریســته ‌» برآنیــم کــه طــی منایــش مجموعه‌هــای مختلــف هرنمنــد‪،‬‬ ‫دغدغه‌هــای ذهنــی او را در طــول زمــان دنبــال کنیــم‌و‌قطعاتــی از تصاویر‬ ‫را کنــار هــم قراردهیــم تــا بــه جهـــانی جدیــد دســت یابیــم‪ ،‬بــه برشــی از‬ ‫واقعیـ ِ‬ ‫ـت شخصی‌شــده‌ی هرنمنـــد‪ ،‬تصویــری از جهـــان او‪ ،‬تصویــر ذهنــی‬ ‫غریــب و ناشنـــاس کــه مــا را بــه همراهــی و متاشــا مــی خوانــد‪ .‬‬ ‫لیلی وکیلیان‬

‫*‪ .‬عنوان کتابی از استنلی کاول‬

28 MOHAAJER ALLEY, IRANSHAHR ST., KARIMKHAN ZAND ST., TEHRAN, IRAN TEL: +98 21 88 86 71 09 FAX: +98 21 88 31 61 98 WWW.IGREGARTSTUDIO.COM INFO@IGREGARTSTUDIO.COM