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拍品專文
One of the most acclaimed international artists today, Farhad Moshiri is both a painter and a conceptual artist that has produced an eclectically rich visual vocabulary, where past and present meet. Reconciling the ancient with the modern is at the core of Farhad Moshiri’s oeuvre, yet his works are always imbued with his self-refection and his observation of present life in Iran. In the present lot, Moshiri creates an almost trompe-l’oeil effect with the glazed craquelure present throughout the surface of the work.
The present lot is a stunning example from his Numbers series as one observes the complexity of the layers, the use of different pigments. Abjad calligraphy is frequently used to ornate and adorn manuscripts and talismanic garments in Iran and in the Ottoman territories, conferring blessings and protection to the wearer. By spreading this Persian script over the canvas and having it bleed over the edges, Moshiri seems to have magnified a small fragment of these lavish objects and reproduced it onto his canvas. Although the subject and Moshiri’s faking technique contribute to the antique favour of this series, there is nonetheless a touch of Pop Art rendered by the almost graffiti-like appearance of the numbers and letters, reminiscent of Western Abstract Expressionism. The use of silver and also gold leaf is recurrent through Moshiri’s works, as it often represents not only today’s consumer’s society, but also subtly alludes to the fact that for many people, one needs to be wealthy in order to be happy.
Moshiri’s sarcastic eye is a witness to his country’s history and contemporary society. His works are never an obvious criticism, but are often faintly suggested through the kitsch sphere he creates. Moshiri’s Pop Art and fantasy world allow him to surpass the restraints on freedom of expression imposed by Iran’s censorship and invite his viewers to choose their own interpretation.
An acclaimed international artist, Farhad Moshiri returned to Tehran in 1991 after studying in the prestigious CalArts in California. He has become an iconic figure of the contemporary art scene who constantly creates innovative art techniques of his own, from mimicking aged Persian ceramics to interpreting the Abjad alphabet, from making installations with acrylic ‘pastries’ to others entirely embroidered with beads and pearls, from incorporating Swarovski crystals to his compositions to producing art pieces solely composed of knives.
The present lot is a stunning example from his Numbers series as one observes the complexity of the layers, the use of different pigments. Abjad calligraphy is frequently used to ornate and adorn manuscripts and talismanic garments in Iran and in the Ottoman territories, conferring blessings and protection to the wearer. By spreading this Persian script over the canvas and having it bleed over the edges, Moshiri seems to have magnified a small fragment of these lavish objects and reproduced it onto his canvas. Although the subject and Moshiri’s faking technique contribute to the antique favour of this series, there is nonetheless a touch of Pop Art rendered by the almost graffiti-like appearance of the numbers and letters, reminiscent of Western Abstract Expressionism. The use of silver and also gold leaf is recurrent through Moshiri’s works, as it often represents not only today’s consumer’s society, but also subtly alludes to the fact that for many people, one needs to be wealthy in order to be happy.
Moshiri’s sarcastic eye is a witness to his country’s history and contemporary society. His works are never an obvious criticism, but are often faintly suggested through the kitsch sphere he creates. Moshiri’s Pop Art and fantasy world allow him to surpass the restraints on freedom of expression imposed by Iran’s censorship and invite his viewers to choose their own interpretation.
An acclaimed international artist, Farhad Moshiri returned to Tehran in 1991 after studying in the prestigious CalArts in California. He has become an iconic figure of the contemporary art scene who constantly creates innovative art techniques of his own, from mimicking aged Persian ceramics to interpreting the Abjad alphabet, from making installations with acrylic ‘pastries’ to others entirely embroidered with beads and pearls, from incorporating Swarovski crystals to his compositions to producing art pieces solely composed of knives.