Visual Dialogues | The Book of Kings | Shirin Neshat & Fereydoun Ave | March 2019
Secret of Words
Mehran Mohajer & Sadegh Tirafkan
November 2006
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Total Arts Gallery at the Courtyard and Massoud Nader Present exhibition of Photography by Sadegh Tirafkan with support of Silk Road Gallery this exhibition is accompanied by photographs of Mehran Mohajer Sadegh Tirafkan is a persevering artist who navigates through time and culture in search of his place and identity as an Iranian man in the contemporary world. The medium of photography has become his main platform to construct powerful visual plays, using a combination of elements that he seasons sufficiently with symbolism.
The significance of symbolism throughout Tirafkan’s body of work comes from his Persian root in which direct dialogue is rarely used, but frequently replaced by symbolic languages. How do you inform a culture that has three thousand years of history, rich in tradition and essentially a homogenous and male dominated society? Tirafkan expresses his concerns through images of numerous self-portraits and portraits of friends. He once said, "I began photography by recording what surrounded me. Now I take what is around me in the studio and make it into what I see through the prism of my life and culture." Tirafkan poses himself and others in the studio time after time to explore the meaning of being a contemporary Iranian. Blending tradition, history and memory, he recreates visually compelling scenes that build visceral connection to his ancient country. And this is where the strength and beauty of Tirafkan's work lie.
In reinventing and revisiting Iranian tradition he is also criticizing and challenging his ancestors' long-standing authority. In spite the highly eloquent appearances; I see two hidden trends in his work, which the artist has perhaps introduced even without realizing it: a theatrical staging of all the historic drama of his country, all the painful events of which he experienced intensely, and a discreet journey towards a spirituality which emanates from his whole vision. Here, Tirafkan surreptitiously rejoins the mystical quest which remains, whether we like it or not, the key-stone of any metaphysical edifice of the Iranian world. Born in Iran in 1965, Tirafkan trained as a photographer at the University of Fine Arts in Tehran. Since the late 1990’s he has participated in numerous solo exhibitions and group shows, in Tehran, Paris and New York.
Tirafkan’s work offers an eloquent meditation on modern Iranian man’s relationship to his past and on his search for a meaningful identity in the present. Identity, history and memory have been central concerns in the work of non-western artists since the era of colonialism. Tirafkan, frequently using himself as a model, revisits and reinvents these themes in his series of enigmatic yet visually compelling photographs. He uses words and symbols to communicate with the audience and
Abstract & Lanscape
Mohseni Kermanshahi
February 2005
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A. Mohseni was born in 1960, in Kermanshah west of Iran. He started painting with Master Rahim Navesi before moving to Tehran. He held his first one-man show in 1994 and has come a long way from his humble beginnings. Landscape, traditional life and nature were always his main subjects to paint and after moving to UAE he found this passion in the local scenery. T
his exhibition would be an exceptional one in Mohseni’s career since he is entering a new period after 10 years of professionally painting landscapes and still life witch is still the close to Mohseni’s heart in a different way. Mohseni has participated in more than 40 solo and group exhibitions in Iran including Tehran Contemporary Art Museum, Australia, Kuwait and the UAE. Mohseni has won a special award from Tehran Contemporary Art Museum as the best Artist of the year in 1996. Mohseni has published 2 books, which are: 1. Nature in the painting of Abdol Hossein Mohseni 2. Painting of Abdol Hossein Mohsenis He is working on two new books at present.
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Contemporary Irish Artists
Francis Tansey, Andrew Manson, Attracta Ryan
May 2001
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Paintings and limited edition prints by Francis Tansey, Andrew Manson and Attracta Ryan.
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Francis Tansey is the most acclaimed artist of the three with twenty years experience as a professional artist. His work can been seen in its full power, complementing the cutting edge architecture with its stark, clean lines, bold splashes of color and geometric forms.
Andrew Manson’s body of work primarily marks the tenth anniversary of the Gulf War, depicting troop movements that evoke the perennial childhood game of Battleships. The images of war are echoed in his accompanying Pollack-like series of work, where the splashes resemble the flak of tracer fire as it rises from the battlefield.
Andrew's calligraphic skills are seen in his large-scale diary pieces, which document his life experiences and make for interesting reading.
Attracta Ryan’s work celebrates ancient Celtic design with her modern interpretation of Ogham stones, the origins of Celtic writing, warming the stark images with vivid color. As a bridge between Francis and Andrew's work, Attracta's Celtic knot series combines calligraphy with luminous color and intricate line design.
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Francis Tansey
Born in Dublin in 1959.
"My paintings are primarily concerned with Color and Geometry. I have studied the Color Theories of Johannes Itten, the Bauhaus movement and other Artists such as Rothkco, Vasarely and Mondrian, and have incorporated their influences into my work in a contemporary vein.
The technique I use is to first apply the Acrylic paint by brush and then to roll over it until the hues blend. This process is repeated several times until the desired density of color is achieved. The result is a uniform flat and vibrant surface that seems to pulsate in the viewer's eye; producing a holographic like, three-dimensional illusion of space. Color and geometry are to me the most international of languages. I believe that my work does relate to everyone, as color is such a universal phenomenon enjoyed by all.
Over the last twenty years my work has developed substantially from basic flat color areas, to very complicated intricate realizations of form and space, often referred to as Abstract Realism."
Andrew Manson
Born in Hove England in 1955.
Lived at Ballyrogan House since 1980.
"Having come from a background in Merchant banking at the age of 17,I set out to discover my creative skills. Firstly working in a factory, until I could attend art school. I work in three formats, film, narrative & constructionist works, always containing letters and forms (which seem to conspire to limit the human existence). I trust that the finished paintings are more a statement of form, in which all people can create at their own level. "Pure bright color-field works in which simple shapes hang in space, therein, landscapes and realistic snatches intrude. They are on the way to being abstracted or included in a larger piece". Culture has always transcended time and boundaries and Abstract Painting can open a window to the inner being without words or explanations. I have long been fascinated and interested in Middle Eastern culture as was my uncle Cecil, who helped set up the first workshops for Arab culture in the early 1900's."
Attracta Ryan
Born in Sligo in 1956
"Having spent most of my youth on the West Coast of Ireland, I grew up with a very strong scene of tradition and realized the importance of culture as the means of bridging the gaps between generations. This tradition has inspired me to produce this collection of work. The Celtic Knot and Ogham writing are dominant features in many of these works. Once a central theme is established other options and variations on the same theme are created as with the "Celtic Knot" series. The associated use of bold contrasting color, give my work a powerful impact and strength. I feel my collection of paintings, are a means of creating a cultural link, between, past and present, old and new.. "
"One World without Boundaries”
