Ahmadi, Mehdi | Arkani, Homa | Esfandiyari, Shima | Farnoud, Raana | Oshidari, Pooneh | Vahid, Chamani | Khamehchian, Behnaz | Khataei, Mehrdad | Rahemi, Mehdi | Razavi, Marjan | Raeesi, Bahareh | Gholami, Mani | Faridani, Shima | Mozaffari, Masoumeh | Nourozi, Shaahin | Valiani, Behrooz |
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
MEHDI AHMADI | 1966 Mehdi Ahmadi is an Iranian artist, actor and painter. Born in 1966 in Tehran, he is a graduate of graphic design from Art University of Tehran. He started painting since 1984 and has his first solo show in 1995.
Untitled Charcoal on Paper | 35x42 cm 1999
Untitled Charcoal on Paper | 35x42 cm 2000
Untitled Charcoal on Paper | 35x42 cm 2001
HOMA ARKANI | 1982 Homa Arkani is a self-taught painter born in 1982 in Tehran, Iran. Her paintings are mostly portraits of her surroundings, inspired by a convoluted generation of young Iranians. Arkani’s observations are critical yet celebratory, with a touch of humor that attracts the unfamiliar as well as the familiar.
“FRIDA” Oil on Canvas | 150x120 cm 2014
SHIMA ESFANDIYARI | 1977 Born in 1977, Shima Esfandiyari began to learn drawing and painting at the age of 14; she received her BA in painting from Tehran Art & Architecture University in 2000. Following her graduation, she completed courses on drawing and sculpture, and went on to study alongside art instructors at Aftab Art Institute and the Iranian Cultural Heritage University between 2000 and 2007. In 2007 she won the First Drawing Biennial Award. Esfandiyari currently works and lives in Tehran.
Untitled, From “Obscurity” Series Ink on Cardboard | 100x70 cm | 2011
RAANA FARNOUD | 1953 Raana Farnoud, Born in 1953, Iran, with an Art diploma from the Tehran School of Art and a B.A. in English. She belongs to a generation of artists who matured during the hard and ever changing era of revolution of Iran, during this time art was being overlooked in the shadow of war and economic problems, but Farnoud and her colleagues never lost their hope and kept working to keep the light on for the next generation and so they did. Farnoud is one of most respected female painters of Iran, her unique style of painting does not communicate easily with the viewer and challenges reality as it’s normally seen and understood.
“A REQUIEM FOR FRIENDS, 01” Mixed Media On Canvass | 150x100 cm 2007
POONEH OSHIDARI | 1984 Pooneh Oshidari, born in 1984, received her BA and MA in Fine Arts from Tehran University. Her style recalls the French artist Paul Gaugin. She uses the image of a woman not only as a more tangible subject for herself, but also to create poetic forms alongside the picture of plants, which can be reminiscent of Iranian gardens; a personal setting, which attempts to present form more than it tends to reflect the content. These women find comfort against an abstract and peaceful background as if they are awaiting for a simple event.
“WAITING FOR PEACE” Mixed Media on canvas | 120x100 cm 2014
VAHID CHAMANI | 1984 Born in 1984, Vahid has earned his BA in painting from Tehran’s Soureh University. Art Price put him on the list of 5 best-selling artists under 30 in Middle East and Africa region in summer 2014. Art Bridge residency in Washington D.C, US in 2009 and Magic of Persia Contemporary Art Prize, in London, UK in 2009 selected him as the participant artist. He is also the 2007 winner of special prize from the 3rd Youth Art Festival, Tehran, Iran and the 2006 winner of Art Festival (Faber-Castell).
“Amino Acid” Oil on Cardboard | 50x35 cm 2013
BEHNAZ KHAMECHIAN | 1994 Being only 21 years old, Behnaz Khamechian has quiet an impressive resume for a girl her age. Her paintings and drawings are very powerful. She has earned many awards and trophies. In 2011 she came in 3rd at the 13th “Kharazami Festival� in Iran. She is a student of painting at Al Zahra University and is currently working to perfect her skills. Future seems to be bright for a girl with this much talent.
Untitled, From “The Others” Series Mixed Media on Cardboard | 50x35 cm 2014
MEHRDAD KHATAEI | 1976 A master in printmaking, Mehrdad Khataei got his BA and MA from University of Tehran. He has taught and instructed many skilled students who are becoming new treasures to the art scene of Iran. Khataei is a member of International California Society of Printmakers, the Print Center, and Iranian painters Association. His works are featured in public and private collections such as The Printmaking Center of New Jersey and Istanbul Museum of Graphic Arts (IMOGA), Istanbul, Turkey. Mehrdad has won the 2014 Award of IV International Printmaking Biennial “Aguafuerte�, Spain and was also selected and Appreciated at the 14th International Biennial of Graphic Forms, Poland.
Untitled, From “Glass Room” Series Unique Intaglio | 29x42 cm 2014
MEHDI RAHEMI | 1979 One of Mehrdad Khataei’s finest students, Mehdi Rahemi was born in 1979 in Kashan. He is a permanent member of the art association of Iranian painters. He published his collection of drawings in 2004 and 2007, and has been a part of many group, solo shows and biennials.
“STUDY OF FIGURE” Charcoal on Paper | 50x35 cm 2012
MARJAN RAZAVI | 1984 Born in 1984, Marjan Razavi has a BA and an MA in painting. She is a member of the art association of Iranian Painters; she has also worked as animator and was the chief animator for “Explosion” and “The Noise”.
“NO. 1”, From “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” Series Ink and Watercolor | 35x25 cm 2006
“NO. 2”, From “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” Series Ink and Watercolor | 25x35 cm 2006
BAHAREH RAEESI | 1976 Bahareh Raeesi was born in 1976 in Tehran. She received her MA in painting from Tarbiat Modares University. Massimo Innocenti described her work as “The colors walk in the style of painting of Bahareh Raeesi”. In her own words “The two words, life, and humanity, have always been full of inspiration and also contradiction for me. I can see the modern human being who is always running away. From what? Why? To where? I don’t know… I don’t know… Just running away… I make the time go slowly. So slow that I can stare at the human being, to try to find something in his eyes, before he can run away with all his strength from me… his gaze is empty… I leave him alone and he runs away… and the only thing remains there for me is the gaze of the eyes that seek life through all the pain, anxiety, confusion, and tranquility.” Raeesi currently works and lives in Tehran.
“TALK TO ME OH MYSTERIOUS SILENT ONE”, From “Chairs” Series Mixed Mixed Media on Canvas | 220x150 cm 2013
MANI GHOLAMI | 1970 Mani Gholami was born in 1970 in Tehran. He has a MA and BA in painting from Faculty of Fine Arts of Tehran University and the Art University of Tehran respectively. Gholami’s first group exhibition was in 1997 and his first solo show was held in 2001 and ever since he has participated in many group and solo shows. Since 2000 he has started teaching.
“NEGAR & FARHAD”, From “Déjeuner du Matin” Series Mixed Media on Board | 25x35 cm 2014
MASOUMEH MOZAFFARI | 1958 One of the leading figures of Iranian painting, Masoumeh Mozaffari was born in 1958 in Tehran. She has an MS in Art from the Tehran’s Azad University of Art and Architecture. Since 1991, she has been teaching at this faculty. She is a member of Dena (8 Iranian Women Artist Group) and has been on the Supreme Councils of Iranian Artist’s Forum, also she served as chairwoman of the board of Society of Iranian Painters.
“TABLE” Acrylic on Canvas | 180x300 cm 2010
“HEAT STROKE” Acrylic on Canvas | 100x100 cm 2013
SHIMA FARIDANI | 1982 Shima Faridani, member of Uppsala konstnärsklubb (Art Club) Sweden, born in 1982, has a B.A in painting from Tehran Azad University. She has had many solo and group exhibitions in Iran and different countries, and won prestigious awards. She is the winner of “The First International Fajr Festival” at the Iran’s Museum of Contemporary Arts. Moreover, she came in second in UK’s “The International Young Artists Competition” of 2009 in the painting section, and won the third award at Iran’s “The Collection of New Generation”, held in Mellat Gallery in 2009.
“IN THE LATE STAGES OF PREGNANCY”, From “Chairs” Series Mixed Media on Canvas | 100x100 cm 2012
“SNOOZE”, From “Chairs” Series Mixed Media on Canvas | 100x80 cm 2012
SHAAHIN NOROUZI | 1972 Born in 1972, Shaahin Norouzi is an Iranian artist working and residing in Tehran. Norouzi has been active in various fields of art and is a wellknown artist in the art scene of Iran. He was part of Visual and auditory Installation in documentary voice film festival with Nader Mashayekhi and Tehran’s symphony orchestra in 2008.
Untitled Acrylic on Canvas | 160x150 cm 2012
BEHROOZ VALIANI | 1979 Behrooz Valiani was born in Iran in April 1979. He currently lives and works in Esfahan. His minimalist style and techniques are very mysterious and often forbidden subject matters, which drives him to think on a new untapped level. Often painting single images of women in a peaceful could like dream. First class understanding of human anatomy and use of colors makes the simplicity of his paintings very desirable. The space he creates is not very obvious of where the subject matter comes from or where they are going.
“NO. 2”, From“Cityscapes” Series Oil on Canvas | 20x40 cm 2014
“NO. 3”, From“Cityscapes” Series Oil on Canvas | 40x50 cm 2014
*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
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