Iran Inside Out exhibition in New York

Iran Inside Out exhibition in New York - Iran Inside Out exhibition in New York

Iran Inside Out is the title of an exhibition at the Chelsea Art Museum running through 5 September, which features 56 contemporary Iranian artists, the majority of whom live and work in Iran - some exhibiting their work abroad for the first time who have created works that challenge preconceived notions of Iran and Iranian art.

Curated by Bardaouil and Till Fellrath, the exhibition presents over 200 works comprising painting, sculpture, photography, video and installation, which explore the process of deconstruction and reinvention of both the self and art, resulting from the influences of Homeland and Diaspora.

The recurrent references to Iran the country or what it means to be Iranian, seems to be one element that stands out in the otherwise much varied and distinct works of each of these artists. Interestingly, as Till Fellrath observes in the catalogue, contrary to ones expectations, the artists living abroad often draw more on their cultural heritage, while those on the inside focus more on issues of everyday life without much regard to what the outside views as specifically Iranian references.

So, while the Iranian-American Ala Ebtekar, Shiva Ahmadi, Negar Ahkami incorporate overt references to Persian miniatures and coffeehouse painting, Vahid Sharifian, on the other hand, working in Iran, displays a set of wildlife self-portraits called Queen of the Jungle (If I Had a Gun), which could hardly be said to be carrying any particular message, or the paintings of sleepers by Ahmad Morshedloo and Reza Paydaris portrait of school friends.

Here is what Hanna Azemati, a tour guide for the Chelsea Art Museum, had to say about the aims of the exhibition.

The intentionwas to sort of question some of the stereotypes about Iranian art, show something more refreshing than what is usually seen as Eastern art, and Iranian art in particular with worn out calligraphy, and veiled women, and miniature. And to show ...

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