Sep. 7, 2013 - Dec. 14, 2013
Born in Iran in 1962, lives and works in Frankfurt
Thousandandone Day, 2003, digital print, balloons
The Iranian artist Parastou Forouhar reenacts a personal trauma as an ongoing motif in her work. In 1998, both of the artist’s parents, who were prominent intellectuals and political activists in Iran, were assassinated by the ruling regime. Her work has since revolved around this trauma, while addressing larger issues that touch upon the commitment of atrocities in any political system that abuses basic human rights.
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Forouhar uses balloons and wallpaper as a neutral background, which she covers with seemingly decorative patterns. Upon close inspection, however, one discovers that the depicted vignettes capture instances of torture and injustice. The decorative effect of Forouhar’s work is thus quickly transformed into a brutal, nightmarish experience. Based on the artist’s imagination and research and on the accounts of real victims, this site-specific work features a wide range of torture scenes played out by tiny, faceless individuals. Many details have been left out, with the exception of the perpetrator’s weapons and method of killing. This work was designed by the artist using digital pictograms in the style of traditional Persian miniatures, so that ornament and terror are closely linked. The intentional disparity between the printed support and the horrors depicted on its surface is echoed by the balloons, which float playfully in space as if negating the message they carry. The deceptive surface appearance of ornament, which seemingly creates a harmonious whole out of distinct details, is a central theme in Forouhar’s art.
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