Morteza Darehbaghi2007 - 2016

Iranshahr Gallery

When Morteza Darehbaghi asked me write about his work for his ten year retrospective at X Gallery,

I immediately started to think about how one can define an artist’s practice through such an artificially

constructed temporal window. Where to start and where to end? As one of Iran’s most established

mid-career visual artists, Darehbaghi has been consistently making and exhibiting his paintings and conceptual

installations both inside and outside Iran since studying for his diploma in art at the Plastic Art School, Tehran in 1991.

This interpretation of his oeuvre therefore, comes very much as a ‘work in progress’ not a definitive articulation of a

completed practice.

Consisting of 28 pieces, the retrospective covers one element of the last ten years of the artist’s life, namely that of

painting (he is also a successful installation and video artist). Grounded in boldly executed form, Darehbaghi uses his

paintings to explore the connection of man to the natural world and his own deeply rooted sense of, and bond with,

Iranian traditional culture and heritage. Conscious of the fact that no-one can objectively interpret the past however,

he modulates this impossibility through a contemporary personal prism of elegiac creativity.

Since his formative years, this duality has often manifested itself in the breaking up of the picture plane into two

distinct contrasted sections. One part committed to a strictly defined composition, often using a single block of

luxuriant colour with heritage specific linear motifs and geometric configurations, and the other playfully completed

with loosely executed, energetic abstracted gestures. In his earlier series, emblematic birds or animals and vestiges

of historic human figures featured prominently, symbolising his affinity to nature and tradition. In time, however,

these distinct forms became subsumed in more ephemeral representations. So in the paintings produced in the late

2000s, muted, grey scale colours replace the former warm hues and the decorative culturally redolent references and

patterns became mere hints, not unlike those found in the carpet works of the great Italian artist, Rudolf Stingel.

As Darehbaghi continues to work however, his style changes again, perhaps one can say, matures. A certainty

develops and a return to the former duality of the contrasting diptych re-enters his cannon. Drawing once more

on the exacting vocabulary of traditional Iranian decorative art, we see monochrome colour blocks with Qajar

cartouches, trifoliate flower patterns, Safavid metalwork arabesques and ‘gol o bolbol’ designs sympathetically

married with opposing loosely executed abstract forms. Yet no longer are they fighting with each other but have

come to an understanding in which each part respects its counterpart, thereby taming the chaos. Darehbaghi

comments about the two distinct forms thus ‘Abstract (the freedom to work with paint and my free being) and

tradition, ie not necessarily old tradition but my daily life which has touches of tradition old and not too old. It is both

a contrast that I see within me, and also that I find a harmony between the two that I live daily too’.

And so continues this binary of past and present, natural and constructed, free and constrained.

Janet Rady | July 2016

OSBORNE SAMUEL GALLERY were privileged to receive Morteza Darehbaghi at the gallery in 2009,

when his installation ‘Dakhil’ was installed alongside other works.

Darehbaghi’s search for man and nature leads his abstract work to explore the image of a light luxuriant

atmosphere of the ancient eras. There is a yearning for the past traditions and ancient civilization,

manifesting itself in his use of colours and motifs which permeates his conceptual work. He is part of the

young generation of artists who, following social upheavals, war and crises, are trying to materialize their

ideas. This generation expresses itself in a unique personal fashion using signs and symbols, seen through a

contemporary eye. His childhood memories infuse his present creativity, which seeks a way to link the past

to the future.

My first contact with the Contemporary Iranian Art Movement was through Parvaneh Etemadi in the

early 90’s, meeting her and discovering her work brought an awareness of the extremely sensuous

nature of Iranian Art. I was glad of this small insight when I subsequently met Morteza, here was

a young painter whose work was readily recognisably as being in the Iranian Tradition but was taking

the movement to new heights visually and intellectually. His visits across the small expanse of water that

separates Iran from the Southern Gulf served as a stimulus to explore the ties between the two countries,

the shared architecture, traditions, cultures and the very waters that not only separates but also joins

them. The paintings from this period in the very early 2000’s were semi abstract, full of silvery light

and shared optimism.

Qualities that still abound in more recent works where Morteza explores the juxtaposition of tradition with

modernity with the confidence of a mature painter but with the humility of one who is still expanding his

visual cognisance.

The Majlis Gallery

TRILOGY

Mixed media on canvasTriptych 100 x 300 cm2016

UNTITLED

Mixed media & gold paper on canvas250 x 170 cm2016

DANCE OF LIFE

Mixed media & gold paper on canvasDiptych 100 x 260 cm2015

UNTITLED

Mixed media on canvas120 x 120 cm2015

UNTITLED

Mixed media & gold paper on canvas150 x 200 cm2014

UNTITLED

Mixed media on canvas140 x 140 cm2015

UNTITLED

Acrylic on canvas150 x 150 cm2013

FROM THE BIRTH SERIES

Acrylic on canvas200 x 200 cm2009

FROM THE BIRTH SERIES

Mixed media on canvas220 x 160 cm2009

FROM THE BIRTH SERIES

Mixed media on canvas120 x 120 cm2009

THE DUSK

Mixed media on canvas220 x 160 cm2009

AURORA

Mixed media on canvas220 x 160 cm2009

FLOATING CLOUD

Mixed media on canvas150 x 200 cm2009

FRESHNESS SOIL

Mixed media on canvasTriptych 150 x 450 cm2008

GROW

Mixed media on canvas185 x 185 cm2008

UNTITLED

Mixed media on canvas185 x 185 cm2008

A VIEW TO THE OTHER WORLD

Mixed media on canvas140 x 140 cm2008

WINTER MIST

Mixed media on canvas100 x 80 cm2007

UNTITLED

Mixed media on canvas100 x 80 cm2007

NIGHT SHADOW

Mixed media on canvas150 x 200 cm2007

SPRING BEAUTY

Mixed media on canvas150 x 200 cm2007

UNTITLED

Mixed media on canvas150 x 120 cm2007

UNTITLED

Mixed media on canvas70 x 70 cm2007

RAINBOW

Mixed media on canvas120 x 150 cm2007

UNTITLED

Mixed media on canvas120 x 77 cm2007

IN THE SUMMER TIME

Mixed media on canvas80 x 80 cm2007

UNTITLED

Mixed media on canvas80 x 80 cm2007

UNTITLED

Mixed media on canvas100 x 80 cm2007

Education Background 1991-1995 Azad University, Tehran / BA (Hons) Art 1987-1991 Plastic Art School, Tehran / Diploma in Art

Exclusive Exhibition 2016 Iranshahar Art Gallery, Tehran 2010 Meem Gallery, Dubai 2009 Etemad Gallery, Tehran 2007 Majlis Gallery, Dubai 2007 Niavaran Cultural center, Tehran 2005 Majlis Gallery, Dubai 2005 Hermitage Gallery, Washington DC 2004 Rica Gallery, Stockholm 2004 Golestan Gallery, Tehran 2004 Cite International the Art, Paris 2002 Golestan Gallery, Tehran 2001 Majlis Gallery, Dubai 2000 Kavir Gallery, Rafsanjan 2000 Assar Gallery, Tehran 1999 Golestan Gallery, Tehran 1997 Classic Gallery, Isfahan 1997 Khorshid Gallery, Tehran 1996 Golestan Gallery, Tehran 1995 Classic Gallery, Isfahan 1995 Naghshe-Jahan Gallery, Tehran 1994 Classic Gallery, Isfahan 1994 Seihoon Gallery, Tehran 1993 Classic Gallery, Isfahan 1993 Keyhan Gallery, Tehran

Group Exhibition

2012 Art Fair Abu dhabi 2011 Christies Actions,Dubai 2011 54th Biennal Venice 2011 Art Fair Dubai 2011 Bait Muzna Gallery ,Muscat 2009 Bonhams Actions,Dubai 2009 Cornette de Saint CYR Actions,Paris 2009 Contemporary Iranian Artists ,New York 2009 Osborne Samuel Gallery ,London 2008 Bonhams Actions ,Dubai 2008 Mall Gallery ,London 2008 Grand Hyatt ,Dubai 2006 4th Islam World Biennial, Tehran

Morteza Darehbaghi | 1969 | Iran

2006 Exhibition of Video Art, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art 2005 Exhibition of Video Art, Italy. Rome 2004 Exhibition of Iranian Garden, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art 2004 3rd Islam World Biennial, Tehran 2003 The 6th biennial Painting Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art 2003 A Spiritual Vision, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art 2003 Abim Group Exhibition, Tehran, Nivaran Cultural Center 2003 Abim Group Exhibition, Mimara Museum, Zagreb 2002 2nd Islam World Biennial, Tehran 2002 2nd Conceptual Art, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art 2002 Majlis Gallery, Dubai 2002 Exhibition in aid of earthquake survivors, Tehran 2001 Meridian International Center, Washington, D.C. 2001 The 1st Conceptual Art, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art 2000 The 5th biennial Painting Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art 2000 Contemporary Iranian Artists, Riaz 2000 Contemporary Iranian Artists, Yerevan 1999 Contemporary Iranian Artists, Kiyev 1999 Green Art Gallery, Dubai 1998 Golestan Gallery, Tehran 1998 Exhibition in support of Hemophilic Patients, Tehran 1998 Majlis Gallery, Dubai 1997 Exhibition in support of Children suffering from Cancer, Tehran 1997 The 4th biennial Painting Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art 1996 Charity Exhibition of Hemophilic Patients, Tehran 1996 Art at Your Door Gallery, Las Vegas 1996 Golestan Gallery, Tehran 1995 Seihoon Gallery, Tehran 1995 3rd Biennial Iranian Paintings Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art 1995 Golestan Gallery, Tehran 1994 2nd National Student Exhibition Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art 1994 Keyhan Gallery, Tehran 1993 1st National Student Exhibition Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art 1993 2nd biennial Painting Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art 1993 Seihoon Gallery, Tehran 1993 2nd International Flower and Plant Exhibition, Tehran 1990 Persian Painting Exhibition Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art 1988 Aftab Gallery, Tehran

Awards

2004 First Place, 3rd Islam World Biennial, Tehran 1997 First Place, The 4th biennial Painting Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art 1993 First Place, 1stNational Student Exhibition Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art 1993 First Place, 2nd International Flower and Plant Exhibition, Tehran

ــاد شمســی رخ داد. ــل دهــه هفت ــه اعتــادی در اوای ــا کار پروان ــران از طریــق آشــنایی ام ب ــا هــر معــاصر ای نخســتین برخــورد مــن ب

ــا مرتضــی دره باغــی آشــنا ــه ب ــر ک ــرد. بعدت ــی ک ــرا متوجــه طبیعــت بســیار حســی هــر ایران ــارش م ــه و کشــف آث ــا پروان ــم ب ملاقات

شــدم، درک محــدودم از ایــن طبیعــت حســی مایــه خشــنودی بــود. مرتضــی هرمنــد جوانــی بــود کــه کارش بــه وضــوح در ســنت هــر

ایرانــی می گنجیــد، ولــی در عیــن حــال ایــن ســنت را بــه جایــگاه تصویــری و ذهنــی رفیع تــری ارتقــاء مــی داد. ســفرهای مرتضــی بــه

کرانه هــای جنوبــی خلیــج فــارس بهانــه ای بــود بــرای کنــکاش در مناســبات دو کشــور، وجــوه اشتراک شــان در معــاری، ســنت، فرهنــگ

و بحــری کــه میــان دو کشــور قــرار می گیــرد و در عیــن حــال متصل شــان می کنــد. نقاشــی های ایــن دوره، در ســال های نخســت دهــه

هشــتاد شمســی، نیمه انتزاعــی بودنــد، سرشــار از نــور نقره فــام و خوشــبینی مشــترک. ایــن ویژگی هــا آثــار اخیــر مرتضــی را نیــز اشــباع

می کننــد: اینجــا ســنت و مدرنیتــه در کنــار یکدیگــر قــرار می گیرنــد، بــا اعتــاد بــه نفــس نقاشــی پختــه، و بــا فروتنــی هرمنــدی کــه

همچنــان در حــال گســترش ادراک بــری اش اســت.

مجلس گالری

در ســال ۲۰۰۹، گالــری آزبــورن ســاموئل بــا ارائــه اینستالیشــن »دخیــل« در کنــار کار هرمنــدان دیگــر، افتخــار همــکاری بــا مرتضــی

دره باغــی را داشــت.

ــکاود. ــی اعصــار کهــن را ب ــا فضــای پرشــوکت و نوران ــر انتزاعــی او را وامــی دارد ت ــی انســان و طبیعــت، اث جســتجوی دره باغــی در پ

ــی اش را ــار مفهوم ــه آث ــرد ک ــکل می گی ــی ش ــا و موتیف های ــتفاده اش از رنگ ه ــتان در اس ــدن باس ــم و تم ــنن قدی ــرای س ــرت او ب ح

اشــباع می کننــد. او متعلــق بــه نســلی از هرمنــدان جــوان اســت کــه پــس از آشــوب های اجتاعــی و جنــگ و بحــران، درصــدد تجســم

ــه ــا توســل ب ــد، ب ــان می کن ــه فــرد بی ــه شــکلی بســیار شــخصی و منحــر ب ــه ایده هایــش اســت. ایــن نســل حرفــش را ب بخشــیدن ب

نشــانه ها و نمادهایــی کــه از ورای منشــوری معــاصر بــه چشــم می آینــد. خاطــرات کودکــی او خلاقیــت امــروزش را ســیراب می کنــد،

خلاقیتــی کــه در جســتجوی راهــی اســت بــرای پیونــد گذشــته بــه آینــده.

وقتــی مرتضــی دره باغــی از مــن خواســت تــا بــه مناســبت مــرور بــر آثــار ده ســال اخیــرش در »گالــری ایرانشــهر« مطلبــی بنویســم،

بلافاصلــه بــا خــودم فکــر کــردم چگونــه می تــوان کار یــک هرمنــد را بــا اســتناد بــه چنیــن محدودیــت زمانــی مصنوعــی تبییــن کــرد؟

از کجــا بایــد آغــاز کــرد و بــه کجــا بایــد رســید؟ دره باغــی، بــه عنــوان یکــی از تثبیت شــده ترین هرمنــدان تصویــری ایــران کــه دوران

ــه شــکل مســتمر در داخــل ــا در ســال ۱۳۷۰، ب ــی از هرســتان هرهــای زیب ــد، پــس از فارغ التحصیل ــی کار خــود را ســپری می کن میان

و خــارج از ایــران مشــغول خلــق و نمایــش نقاشــی ها و اینستالیشــن های مفهومــی اش بــوده. بنابرایــن، تفســیری کــه در پــی می آیــد

بی شــک بــه مثابــه »کاری در دســت اجــرا« اســت و نــه گزارشــی از اثــری کامــل.

ایــن نمایشــگاه کــه متشــکل از ۲۸ اثــر اســت، تنهــا یکــی از عنــاصر زندگــی هرمنــد در ده ســال گذشــته را در بــر می گیرد: عنــر نقاشــی

را. )دره باغــی در حیطــه اینستالیشــن و ویدئــو آرت هــم صاحــب توفیــق بــوده.( دره باغــی نقاشــی هایش را، کــه ریشــه در فرم هایــی

ــا دســتاوردها ــان انســان و جهــان طبیعــی، و در درک عمیــق شــخصی و پیونــدش ب ــاط می ــد و کاو در ارتب ــرای کن ــد، ب جســورانه دارن

ــر ــن ام ــل ای ــن دلی ــه همی ــت، و ب ــن اس ــته ناممک ــی گذش ــیر عین ــه تفس ــد ک ــرد. او می دان ــه کار می گی ــی ب ــنتی ایران ــگ س و فرهن

غیرممکــن را از خــلال منشــور خلاقیتــی مرثیه گــون و شــخصی عبــور می دهــد و تنظیــم می کنــد. از هــان آغــاز کار، ایــن دوگانگــی

در غالــب شکســته شــدن ســطح تصویــر بــه دو قســمت متضــاد ارائــه شــده اســت. یــک قســمت شــامل ســاختی دقیــق اســت، اغلــب

همــراه بــا ســطحی از رنــگ غنــی بــا خطــوط مشــخص و پیکربنــدی هندســی. قســمت دیگــر حالتــی بازیگــوش دارد بــا حرکاتــی رهــا

و اشــاراتی انتزاعــی و پرشــور. در کارهــای دوران قبــل، نمادهایــی از پرنده هــا و حیوانــات و آثــاری از فیگورهــای انســانی تاریخــی نیــز

بــه چشــم می آمدنــد، حاکــی از تعلــق خاطــر هرمنــد بــه ســنت و طبیعــت. امــا بــه مــرور ایــن فرم هــای واضــح و دقیــق جــای خــود

ــاد شمســی کــه می رســیم، طیف های کــم فــروغ خاکســتری ــان دهــه هفت ــه نقاشــی های پای ــد. ب ــری دادن ــه بازنمایی هــای ناپایدارت را ب

جایگزیــن رنگ هــای گــرم قبــل می شــوند و نقــش و نگارهــای تزیینــی و پرطــراوت ســنتی بــه اشــاراتی خامــوش بــدل می شــوند، یــادآور

بافته هــای هرمنــد بــزرگ ایتالیایــی، رودولــف اســتینگر.

امــا در ادامــه کار، شــکل آثــار دره باغــی بــاز تغییــر می کنــد و شــاید بتــوان گفــت پخته تــر می گــردد. یقیــن شــکل می گیــرد و دوپارگــی

ــا ــرد و م ــام می گی ــی اله ــی ســنتی ایران ــق هــر تزیین ــای دقی ــار دیگــر از الفب ــارش بازمی گــردد. او ب ــه مجموعــه آث لته هــای متضــاد ب

ــا طرح هــای قاجــار، گل هــای ســه برگ، نقــوش هندســی عــر صفــوی، و طرح هــای گل و شــاهد ســطوح رنگــی یکدســتی هســتیم ب

ــا یکدیگــر نیســتند، ــن دو بخــش دیگــر در جــدال ب ــوای فرم هــای انتزاعــی و رهــا شــده اند. ای ــه شــکلی خوشــایند هم ن ــی کــه ب بلبل

بلکــه بــه تفاهمــی رســیده اند کــه از خــلال آن هــر بخــش بــه دیگــری احــترام می گــذارد و اغتشــاش را مهــار می کنــد. دره باغــی دربــاره

ایــن دو فــرم متضــاد می گویــد: »انتــزاع )بــه معنــای آزادی کار بــا رنــگ و آزادی خــود مــن(، و ســنت )نــه بــه معنــای ســنت قدیــم،

بلکــه بــه معنــای زندگــی روزمــره کــه حــاوی ســنت های قدیــم و نــه چنــدان قدیــم اســت( ایــن نــه تنهــا تضــادی اســت کــه در خــودم

می بینــم، بلکــه شــکلی از هم نوایــی نیــز هســت کــه در زندگــی یومیــه جــاری اســت.« و بدیــن شــکل اســت کــه دوگانــه ی گذشــته و

زمــان حــال، طبیعــت و صناعــت، و آزادی و الــزام، ادامــه می یابــد.

جانت ردی | جولای ۲۰۱۶

Photo by Ali Daghigh

مرتضی‌دره‌باغی۱۳۸۵ - ۱۳۹۵