Under the banner of ‘Farhad Moshiri: Go West,’ the solo exhibit encompasses several works created over decades, exploring the artist’s various subjects, deft use of language, and wide range of materials and methods, the website of the venue, Warhol.org, wrote.
Born in Shiraz, capital of Fars Province, Moshiri, now living and working between Tehran and Paris, addresses contemporary Iranian norms and traditions and simultaneously reflects on recent cultural developments in his homeland.
The exhibition brings together paintings and sculptures that have never been displayed together, many of which are traveling to the US for the first time.
Highlighting Moshiri’s artistic techniques and the subtle transformations unfolding in his work, ‘Go West’ reveals his evolution as both painter and sculptor.
The exhibit is curated by influential American art specialist and project coordinator José Carlos Diaz, 39, the Warhol’s chief curator. “It is important that Warhol Museum continues cultural exchanges with artists from diverse backgrounds. This exhibition introduces Moshiri to new audiences and presents him as one of the most important contemporary artists based in Iran,” Diaz said.
Moshiri’s richly embellished paintings and sculptures explore the intersection of eastern and western popular culture, the tension between traditional craft and contemporary art practice, and the malleable nature of identity.
His interest in pop art and kitsch resonates throughout his work. Many of his visuals are pulled from cartoons, films, comic strips, children’s books and advertisements, while phrases appropriated from classical poetry, soap operas, and pop songs blur the lines between art and cliché.
By selecting ambiguous source images that reference both American and Iranian popular culture, Moshiri takes a complex look at how cultural identity is defined.
Go West is supported by The Fine Foundation, an American independent institute of art and culture; American luxury manufacturing group of Piaget; the contemporary art gallery of Perrotin in NY, Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac with halls in Paris, Salzburg and London; and The Third Line, a gallery in Dubai that represents contemporary Middle Eastern artists.
Other funders of the event are Soudavar Memorial Foundation, a London-based philanthropic establishment committed to art and cultural heritage of Iran; Farjam Foundation, a private, non-profit organization in Dubai tasked with fostering cross-cultural dialogue; and Maryam and Edward Eisler Foundation, an art patron institute based in London.
The show will run through January 14. Andy Warhol Museum is located at No. 117, Sandusky Street. It is closed on Mondays. Visiting hours are from 10 am to 5 pm, and on Fridays to 10 pm.
Source: Financial Tribune