london- mahmoud bakhshi

8/3/2019 London- Mahmoud Bakhshi

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THE ENGAGED ARTIST;

INFLUENCES OF GRAPHICS ON SCULPTURE IN MIDDLE AGES2010

ENGAGED ARTIST is a clich term, which became a

common phrase after Revolution in Iran (1979), andvarious art scenes in different places such as Russian

Soviet Union Art inspired it. In one hand the engaged

artist act as an official artist following the policiesthat he has been told to satisfy the governors, same

as artists after October Revolution in Russia. In the

other hand, artists who took an opposite position byproducing social-political pieces are still employing

the same term Engaged Artist. What is more to say,

in an art scene like Iran increased pressure fromgovernment towards public especially after the recent

election made lots of artist found themselves more

engaged in politic art. Consequently, more amounts

of produced art pieces found their fortune in MiddleEastern art markets.Being an Engaged or Responsible artist in such an

arena, where different collectors and buyer surround

artist, seems a funny issue. One would compare thissituation to a circus that any performer is trying to

do his best to get the visitor (buyer) more interested.

Moreover, one of the main aspects of this project is to

look at aesthetical view of Tehran in a way that iconic

objects such as Leaders portraits, ceremonial banners,and veils can be seen every where in the city.

This project includes three different elements; a

gate of two monumental sculptures of Iranian leadersportraits, 120 pieces of panels composed of banners

being used in religious ceremonies, and veils whichhave been hanged from the ceiling with a mechanism

leading them up and down in a particular speed.

Preparation for the Celebrations of the Victory of Revolution,

Cross-Section, is formed by two monumental portraits of the ex andcurrent leaders of Islamic Republic of Iran after the Revolution.Both portraits are ready-made printed images on fabric, which

are being mostly represented on religious ceremonies, or publiccelebrations and processions as the title indicates. Each portrait

has been sewed up on foam in shape of a relief, and assembled on a

woody base with a technique similar to quilting. The two sculpturalpieces are installed on scaffold bars stand in the entrance.

In addition, there are 120 panels of religious banners, gunny

with printed calligraphy on, and rice gunnysacks, which have beenrearranged in a rhythmic composition covering long side of a wall

lead throughout the other edge of the space that the installation

has been settled in. These ceremonial banners not only restating

their iconic roles far out of their religious context, but alsodeclaring the aesthetical role in relation to a visual culture

within an arena. Moreover, KHATE POOLSAZE PARSI (The moneymakingPersian calligraphy), which is the title of the piece, has

been split up to numerous pieces in different parts of the workconfronting the commercially profitable status of calligraphy in the

recent flow in the market particularly for Middle Eastern art.

The other part is five uplifted veils moving up and down in

a specific speed, which invite visitors to get a chance of

experiencing this Chador upon them. These levitated black veilswith different pattern still keep the iconic position of contextual

object as well as their aesthetical vision as a sculptural piecesharing an experience with the viewer. This experiment as well asits metaphoric religious side gives a different visual aspect to

the visitors by tempting them in an unusual position to watch otherinstalled pieces in the show.


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london- mahmoud bakhshi

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