Art

Shirin Neshat on telling complex stories through art – CNN

Published

4 years ago

February 15, 2021

Written by Shirin Neshat

Shirin Neshat is an internationally acclaimed visual artist working primarily in photography, film and video. All opinions expressed in this article belong to the author. Her newest show, “Land of Dreams,” is exhibiting at the Gladstone Gallery in New York through February 27, 2021. An accompanying online show can be seen here.

In my artworks I approach beauty as a way to escape the mundane. Beauty isn’t just the physicality of my characters, but their raw emotions, dignity and humanity.

As an Iranian, I was born into a culture that is deeply rooted in poetry and mysticism, where beauty means a heightened sense of emotions and spirituality — it’s a way to cope with the hardship and ugliness of tyranny and everyday life. From childhood, I have been surrounded by Persian and Islamic art, architecture, poetry and music where my eyes and ears were trained to see everything in the form of a duality: hope in despair, joy in melancholy, order in chaos, perfection in imperfection, mortality in immortality.

“Rebellious Silence” (1994) from the series “Women of Allah” showed the duality of poetry and sensuality with violence and repression. Credit: Shirin Neshat/Courtesy Gladstone Gallery, New York and Brussels

As for myself, I have lived a rather challenging life in self-imposed exile since I was a young adult, leaving my native country just before the upheaval of the Iranian Revolution. But despite my sorrows I’ve been a survivor, and feel blessed by many unexpected gifts in my life. I feel as if my art has also taken my nomadic and dualistic nature where everything seems to be conceived around the idea of opposites.

In my earliest body of work, a photographic series made in the 1990s titled “Women of Allah,” I made some provocative and rather controversial self-portraits embodying the role of a martyr. I wore the hijab, armed myself with weapons and had my body inscribed with poetry. At the time, I was interested in understanding the concept of martyrdom, which had become popular and even institutionalized by the Iranian government during the Islamic revolution. I was fascinated by that peculiar intersection of love, faith and devotion along with an obsession with violence, cruelty and ultimately death. What was even more perplexing for me was how many Iranian women voluntarily became militant at the time.

In “Women of Allah,” Neshat included poems by Iranian poets Tahereh Saffarzadeh and Forough Farokhzad. Credit: Shirin Neshat/Courtesy Gladstone Gallery, New York and Brussels

The images from “Women of Allah” carried many paradoxical symbols: the female body as the sensual, even erotic element; the weapon an obvious representation of violence; the veil as a form of repression yet to many an expression of conviction to one’s faith; and finally the text, which was poetry written by women, and suggested the notion of a voice. At the end “Women of Allah” became a highly aesthetized, beautiful yet disturbing group of images.

Last year, The Broad in Los Angeles held a major retrospective of my photographic and film work created over the past three decades. It was interesting for me to detect various parallels between my earliest and latest body of work, and how they shared similar visual and symbolic values. If the “Women of Allah” series became a fictionalized narrative about the Iranian revolution from a self-exiled artist, the later work, “Land of Dreams,” offered my perspective as Iranian immigrant about the changing American society in the Trump era.

“Alfonso Garundo” from “Land of Dreams” (2019). Neshat traveled around New Mexico collecting the dreams and nightmares of different residents.
Credit: Shirin Neshat/Courtesy Gladstone Gallery, New York and Brussels

“Land of Dreams,” which opened at the Gladstone Gallery in New York earlier this year includes videos and over 100 photographs capturing portraits of Americans living in the country’s Southwest, from different ethnic and economic backgrounds.

In one of the videos, a young, exiled Iranian woman disguised as an art student goes door to door asking to take local residents’ portraits as well as collect their dreams. She then returns to a mysterious Iranian colony, tucked away inside a mountain, where many Iranian men and women analyze the dreams she has received.

“Raven Brewer-Beltz” from “Land of Dreams” (2019). In the video portion of the project, which examines the conflict between Iran and US in an absurdist light, Iranian officials try to decode the dreams of Americans.
Credit: Shirin Neshat/Courtesy Gladstone Gallery, New York and Brussels

Through this surrealistic and satirical narrative, we not only delve into the absurd, long-standing conflict between Iran and the US, but the fine boundary between the realms of dream and reality, and the shared human experiences that defy cultural boundaries.

As for the portraits, I personally traveled through the state of New Mexico photographing and collecting accounts of dreams from diverse communities of Native Americans, African Americans, Latino Americans and Anglo Americans. Later the translations and interpretations of these characters’ dreams were inscribed on their images in Farsi calligraphy. I’ve always returned to calligraphy because its visual impact transcends translation. Each mark represents an idea of beauty and spirituality which contradicts political inflammation.

“Marie Overstreet” from “Land of Dreams” (2019). “I believe the work is unique in the way that it shows a nomadic person whose gaze is always navigating between cultures that she doesn’t completely belong to anymore,” Neshat writes. Credit: Shirin Neshat/Courtesy Gladstone Gallery, New York and Brussels

Though Western audiences may not be able to read the calligraphy inscribed in these images, nor recognize the music in my films, the beauty of human dignity is universal. In the portraits, I wanted to show the power of the individual. Every single person looks monumental. Confronted with these works, I hope viewers are reminded, as is the Iranian protagonist of my video, that we each contain dualities, and we all have the same desires and anxieties. We all deal with the same existential fears.

I believe the work is unique in the way that it shows a nomadic perspective, the gaze of an artist who is always navigating between cultures that she doesn’t completely belong to anymore. But in doing so, she finds that she’s not alone. “Land of Dreams” isn’t meant to be a critique of power or any particular administration, but a hand extended to see how others dream.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

Source link

Art

Calvin Lucyshyn: Vancouver Island Art Dealer Faces Fraud Charges After Police Seize Millions in Artwork

Published

7 days ago

September 13, 2024

Harry Miller

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.

Alleged Fraud Scheme

Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.

Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.

Massive Seizure of Artworks

In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.

Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.

Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed

In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.

Court Proceedings Ongoing

The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.

Impact on the Local Art Community

The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.

For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.

As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.

While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.

Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.

As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.

Art

Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone – BBC.com

Published

2 weeks ago

September 2, 2024

Harry Miller

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone BBC.com

Source link

Art

Somerset House Fire: Courtauld Gallery Reopens, Rest of Landmark Closed

Published

1 month ago

August 18, 2024

Harry Miller

The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House has reopened its doors to the public after a fire swept through the historic building in central London. While the gallery has resumed operations, the rest of the iconic site remains closed “until further notice.”

On Saturday, approximately 125 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which sent smoke billowing across the city. Fortunately, the fire occurred in a part of the building not housing valuable artworks, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.

Despite the disruption, art lovers queued outside the gallery before it reopened at 10:00 BST on Sunday. One visitor expressed his relief, saying, “I was sad to see the fire, but I’m relieved the art is safe.”

The Clark family, visiting London from Washington state, USA, had a unique perspective on the incident. While sightseeing on the London Eye, they watched as firefighters tackled the flames. Paul Clark, accompanied by his wife Jiorgia and their four children, shared their concern for the safety of the artwork inside Somerset House. “It was sad to see,” Mr. Clark told the BBC. As a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, he was particularly relieved to learn that the painter’s famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had not been affected by the fire.

Blaze in the West Wing

The fire broke out around midday on Saturday in the west wing of Somerset House, a section of the building primarily used for offices and storage. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured the public that “no valuable artefacts or artworks” were located in that part of the building. By Sunday, fire engines were still stationed outside as investigations into the fire’s origin continued.

About Somerset House

Located on the Strand in central London, Somerset House is a prominent arts venue with a rich history dating back to the Georgian era. Built on the site of a former Tudor palace, the complex is known for its iconic courtyard and is home to the Courtauld Gallery. The gallery houses a prestigious collection from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, showcasing masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Among the notable works are pieces by impressionist legends such as Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh.

Somerset House regularly hosts cultural exhibitions and public events, including its popular winter ice skating sessions in the courtyard. However, for now, the venue remains partially closed as authorities ensure the safety of the site following the fire.

Art lovers and the Somerset House community can take solace in knowing that the invaluable collection remains unharmed, and the Courtauld Gallery continues to welcome visitors, offering a reprieve amid the disruption.

Source link