Bita Ghezelayagh, "Felt Memories", 21 May- 20 June 2009

BITA GHEZELAYAGH FELT MEMORIES

Bita Ghezelayagh’s first solo exhibition in Europe features a collection of felt costumes, made for display only, which combine talismanic symbols, silk screen printing and embroidery.

Previously an architect and art director of several Iranian films, Ghezelayagh started working with felt in 2004. She feels that it embodies qualities such as simplicity, heft and resilience, which she notices are often disregarded in Iran’s march to modernity.

Ghezelayagh began designing her own display tunics and capes as felt canvasses on which to express her memories of growing up in Iran. She was born in Italy in 1966, and brought up in Tehran where she lived through the revolution of 1979 and the war with Iraq (1980-88). She found herself heavily influenced by post-revolutionary visual popular culture – particularly its symbols of resistance, protection and martyrdom. A thousand and one metal keys, crowns, tulips and images of the renowned Iran-Iraq war hero Hossein Kharazi printed onto metal tags are sewn onto the garments. Ghezelayagh combines these elements with Persian phrases – such as ‘Martyrdom is the Key to Paradise’ – and the names of military campaigns or the testaments of war heroes, which are silkscreen printed and embroidered onto the felt.

Like the well-known Iranian artists from the Saqqaqaneh movement of Iranian Pop Art in the 1950s, Bita Ghezelayagh has sought a new visual language that embraces tradition and modernity through a unique combination of ancient signs, symbols and calligraphy with conceptual art.

For further information, exhibition images and interview requests please write to info@roseissa.com or visit www.roseissa.com.

ALL WORKS: MIXED MEDIA ON FELT, 102 X 116 CM, 2008

BITA GHEZELAYAGH FELT MEMORIES THURSDAY 21 MAY, 6-8 PM ROSE ISSA PROJECTS 269 KENSINGTON HIGH STREET, LONDON W8 6NA, TEL + 44 (0) 20 7602 770

EXHIBITION: 21 MAY – 20 JUNE, TUESDAY-SATURDAY, 12PM – 6PM