German-based Iranian contemporary painter, sculptor, textile designer and installation artist Mansour Nosrat-Nezami, 64, is holding a solo exhibition at Seyhoun Art Gallery in Tehran, titled “Cocoon: Art of Metamorphosis”.
The June 22-July 4 exhibit includes selected works from the artist’s new creations, Honaronline reported on its Persian website.
In the featured works, he has used acrylic paint and various materials including bamboo, coal, rope, cloth, metal wire and corrugated cardboard. Employing mixed media, Nosrat-Nezami has created a total of 12 sculptural paintings.
“The works are considered conceptual art. The style, seen in the current works, is something I gradually learnt after years of work. I cannot put a name on the style. Generally speaking, it’s an abstract visual art,” he said.
His material of choice is usually organic and natural. “But there are times when I use synthetic materials; and that’s when I want to show their contrast to nature. Of course I’m on nature’s side.”
Regarding cocoon (peeleh in Persian), the title of the exhibit, the artist says, “At first glance, cocoon may seem nothing more than a spindle-shaped object. But for me, it has an interesting character representing metamorphosis.”
“Iranian audiences are of special importance for me. They visit art galleries more often than other peoples. For instance, in Europe only retirees may come to galleries on weekdays. In Iran, however, it is the young generation that follows visual art developments. This is indeed heartwarming,” Nosrat-Nezami said.
He referred to the recent developments in gallery business in Iran, regarding both the rise in the number of the galleries and their quality services. “I’m impressed by the significant progress over just a few years.” Only in Tehran, there are some 300 art galleries, 100 of which opened in the past two years.
Founded in 1966, Seyhoun, the venue of the exhibit, happens to be the oldest art gallery in Tehran. Closed on Mondays, the gallery is located at No. 11, Alley 4, Vozara Street, north of Beheshti Avenue.
Nosrat-Nezami was born in Tehran and studied art at the Nuremberg Academy of Fine Arts, Germany, partly under the tutelage of German painter, printmaker and sculptor Georg Karl Pfahler (1926-2002). The highlight of his works is the innovative usage of texture, created specially with paper, bamboo and textile.
