The Power of Touch and Gaze: Amoako Boafo

The Elixir of Immortality: From Mesopotamia to the Present

The Role of Balance in the Elements of Painting

Reza Hedayat’s series of paintings[1], titled The Garden of no fall, embodies a poetic space brimming with vibrant colors. Hedayat is an artist whose visual language is deeply influenced by Eastern art, yet his formal simplicity and richly personal chromatic innovations allow his work to transcend geographical boundaries. In his compositions, neither space dominates the figures nor do the figures overpower the space; color emerges from form, and form arises from color. His paintings achieve a state of equilibrium, where all elements merge into an idyllic, paradisiacal vision.

Hedayat’s works connect the viewer’s imagination to ancient murals in art history. Rituals for survival and the mystical significance of magic in the past have given way to an eternal garden overflowing with pleasure, beauty, and abundance. These frames have been extracted from the depths of history and brought into the contemporary era.

Kurdistan, Iran, Mesopotamia

In part of his interview, Reza Hedayat emphasized his Iranian identity and spoke about his works: "Naturally, what exists for me is the environment in which I was shaped. Sometimes, this canvas is Kurdistan for me, sometimes Iran, and at other times Mesopotamia—meaning I consider all these places my own canvas. All of these become my land, and everything within them is what exists in my homeland."[2]

In Mesopotamian art, we encounter a ritualistic and ceremonial essence. The worship of lords and priestly rulers has saturated the atmosphere of this art.[3] By borrowing historical and geographical elements from the past and the contemporary environment in which he lived, Hedayat chose a more delicate medium than stone engravings and carvings. His paintings pulsate with magic, fantasy, poetry, and literature—as if inviting the viewer to beauty and earthly life. He has intelligently constructed this space in two distinct sections, which flow alongside each other like a roaring river yet remain unmixed—a feature reminiscent of Mesopotamian (the land between two rivers) culture and art. (fig. 1)

Historical and Geographical Elements

His technique is such that forms emerge from uniform, luminous color fields. In effect, the artist overlays his monochromatic background onto a richly textured, labor-intensive surface, allowing elements meant to occupy the rear plane—such as a surging river—to flow dynamically across the composition. (fig. 2) This method evokes an emphasis on ancestral history and its significance from the artist’s perspective—a deliberate foregrounding of Eastern civilization in the present moment.

In this vein, Ahmad Reza Dalvand has written about Reza Hedayat’s pictorial style: "Reza Hedayat engages in a paradoxical interplay with his profusion of colors on the canvas. By layering darks over lights and vice versa, he channels luminosity through unpredictable apertures within darkness. Tirelessly, every painterly gesture he makes cultivates the surface, striving for harmony and rhythm in his works. This painter tames vast, controlled chromatic expanses with flat overlays, orchestrating a vision where beasts, birds, and humans coexist in paradisiacal peace."[4]

Spontaneous Discoveries in Form and Color

For him, painting is a form of exploration—akin to the natural forms and motifs that emerge and manifest within his canvases. It is as though the act of painting presents no particular difficulty for this artist, as if everything is already fully formed in his mind, waiting only to be effortlessly transferred onto the canvas. He state: “painting, for me, is like breathing. If I were to deliberate over it, it would be like the tale of a man who cannot decide whether to keep his beard under the blanket or over it while sleeping. But I know my reserves are not scarce, and unconsciously, I enter the storeroom and select my desire from the darkness. Thus, my reason and intuition are in perfect balance, intertwined like night and day, with neither holding dominance over the other."[5]

Wandering Through the Literature of Nizami

In his artistic statement, the artist acknowledges drawing inspiration from the poetry of Nizami Ganjavi, describing his paintings as the result of wandering through Nizami’s garden.[6] In "Haft Peykar" (The Seven Beauties), we encounter a garden embodying the quintessential characteristics of Persian gardens—a space strikingly comparable to Hedayat’s paintings. This garden, the "Bagh-e Khajeh" (Master’s Garden), consists of two distinct yet nested sections, enclosed on all sides. Similarly, Hedayat’s works feature two sharply divided planes of color and form that interlace without merging, confined within the canvas’s frame. These structural parallels between the rich literary heritage of the artist’s cultural geography and his paintings amplify the complexities of poetic imagination in his visual realm.

Nizami’s garden is evoked through fragrant earth, celestial fruits, youthful cypresses, flowing streams, and melodious birds, while the presence of women is particularly emphasized in a dedicated section called "Bustan" (The Flower Garden). Upon closer inspection of Hedayat’s paintings, one encounters a woman playing the harp "Chang", whom Nizami once poetically termed "la’bat-e chang-navaz"(the enchantress of the harp).[7] (fig. 3) These vivid tableaux from Nizami’s verse find direct visual echoes in Reza Hedayat’s works. He achieves a potent artistic space, forged through a commitment to luminous, life-giving colors. Beauty in his compositions emerges from the artist’s imagination, settles upon the viewer’s senses, and immerses them within the frames.

1.Reza, hedayat. 2025, the garden of no fall, acrylic on canvas, 70×220cm, negar gallery, tehran, personal picture.

2. Reza, hedayat. 2025, the garden of no fall, acrylic on canvas, 40×55cm, negar gallery, tehran, personal picture.

3. Reza, hedayat. 2025, the garden of no fall, detail of lmage, acrylic on canvas, 70×220cm, negar gallery, tehran, personal picture.

Author: Firoozeh saboori

References:

1. Reza hedayat (1966 Iran).

Shifting the Boundaries of Reality:

The Artistic Journey of Davood Emdadian

Davood Emdadian (1944–2004) was one of Iran's most prominent contemporary painters. Born in Tabriz, he began his artistic education at the Mirak School of Fine Arts, where he mastered the foundational principles of art and held his first exhibitions. Emdadian later studied at the Faculty of Decorative Arts and pursued a Master’s degree in Visual Arts at the Sorbonne University in Paris, France. [1]

In the early stages of his career, Emdadian’s affinity for nature became evident. Initially influenced by the Barbizon School and Russian landscape painters, he later adopted the color techniques of the Impressionists. By the early 1970s, he introduced a quasi-Cubist geometric abstraction into his Impressionist landscapes, a method he also applied to figurative works. By the mid-1980s, Emdadian had developed a distinct personal style, characterized by a poetic and visual interpretation of nature. [2]

Redefining Logic and Scale: Emdadian’s Artistic Vision

Emdadian’s paintings challenge the boundaries of logic and disrupt conventional scales. Over time, his focus on trees as a central subject led to the creation of unique forms that defy categorization, placing his work at the intersection of various styles and genres.

The Interplay of Imagination and Reality

Light and shadow play pivotal roles in Emdadian’s works. Transparent and luminous colors, combined with bold and directional brushstrokes, showcase his unparalleled technical mastery. His paintings occupy a liminal space between reality and imagination, drawing inspiration from nature while reflecting his inner world. The trees in his works are often depicted on a monumental scale, disrupting the viewer’s visual expectations and suggesting something beyond the physical form of the tree itself. (Image 1) The diverse palette of colors, devoid of seasonal indicators, conveys sensations of warmth and cold, creating a dynamic visual experience. As one critic noted, “In Emdadian’s works, colors ignite and turn to ash. His reds are not of life but of wounds and blood. Through color, Emdadian cries out a burnt truth.” [3]

A 1985 Commentary on Emdadian’s Work

In a 1985 feature in the French newspaper 24 heures, Emdadian’s works were described as “relatively classical.” The artist explained, “I merge myself with everything I see. When a work delights and moves me, I incorporate its visual traditions into my own, provided it enriches my inspiration. I can be Eastern, Romantic, symbolic, or abstract, drawing from all sources.”

The article further elaborates: “These colossal trees, standing like sculptures among uneven blocks and pruned gardens, symbolize life, growth, resilience, and triumphant nature for Emdadian. Light bathes these giant groves, which sometimes shelter small, joyful humans, reminiscent of the protected gardens of Eden under intimate guardianship. From this luminous delicacy, borrowed from the Impressionists, a kind of magic emerges a timeless secret of all distinguished forests, where divine whispers reside among mesmerizing leaves.” [4]

The Sublime in the Enchanting Forms of Trees

The forms of trees in Emdadian’s paintings have evolved over time. At times resembling uniform, monochromatic clouds with broad surfaces, at others like massive rocks emerging from the earth, or even modernist abstractions, Emdadian skillfully navigates these definitions without settling into any single one. The juxtaposition of tiny human and animal figures against the vastness of the trees heightens the contrast, emphasizing the grandeur of the arboreal forms. (Image 2) These monumental masses evoke a sense of the sacred, transcending nature and reality to become something sublime. The viewer is confronted with a reality beyond nature, as if the trees have journeyed through the artist’s soul before manifesting on the canvas. In many works, the tree trunks are absent, and the forms maintain their integrity from top to bottom, unaltered and unified.

The Heroic Presence of Trees

When immersed in Emdadian’s paintings, the trees immediately captivate the viewer. “Through their grandeur, beauty, and presence, they forge a powerful connection between sky and earth. Their dazzling foliage, radiating light, draws the viewer’s gaze at first glance. In his works, the tree becomes a character, akin to the hero of an endless story.” [5]

Recognition and Legacy

Throughout his career, Emdadian exhibited his works extensively both in Iran and abroad, earning numerous accolades, including the 4th Prize at the *International Exhibition of European Art in Karlsruhe, Germany [6], the Taylor Foundation Award [7], and the Charles Ollmon Foundation Award. [8][9]

The Twentieth Anniversary of the Artist’s Passing

In 2025, 0098 Gallery dedicated one of its projects to Emdadian, marking the twentieth anniversary of his passing. The exhibition featured his drawings and select paintings, organized in collaboration with the Emdadian Foundation. Titled Drawings, the exhibition highlighted the artist’s dynamic and bold lines, meticulously capturing trees in diverse forms. (Image 3) The variety and technique of the drawings reveal Emdadian’s 25-year dedication to creating these extraordinary arboreal forms, showcasing the culmination of his artistic journey.

1. Davood, mdadian (2003). Untitled. 0098 Gallery, Tehran, Firoozeh Saboori picture.

2. Davood, mdadian (2003). Untitled. 0098 Gallery, Tehran, Firoozeh Saboori picture.

3. Davood, mdadian (2003). Untitled. 0098 Gallery, Tehran, Firoozeh Saboori picture.

References:

Kusama's Provocative Vision

Yayoi Kusama (1929), the Japanese avant-garde artist, has captivated the art world for decades with her bold, immersive, and often provocative creations. Known for her iconic polka dots and infinity rooms, Kusama’s work transcends traditional boundaries, blending art, performance, and psychology into a singular vision.[1] While her installations and paintings have garnered widespread acclaim, her sculptures particularly those exploring controversial themes remain a lesser-discussed yet vital aspect of her oeuvre.[2] These works, often characterized by their phallic forms and visceral textures, challenge societal taboos and invite viewers to confront their own perceptions of sexuality, obsession, and the human body.[3]

1. Yayoi Kusama, The Armchair from Accumulation No.1, 1962

Sex, Obsession, and Phallic Forms

Emerging in the 1960s during a time of cultural upheaval and sexual liberation, Kusama’s sculptures reflect her personal struggles with mental health, particularly her obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and her defiance of patriarchal norms. Through her art, she transforms vulnerability into power, using the body as a site of both rebellion and healing. This article delves into Kusama’s most erotic sculpture project, “The Armchair” piece, examining how it redefines the boundaries of art, challenges societal expectations, and continues to resonate in contemporary discourse.[4]

The Armchair: Domestic Object Transformed

The Armchair piece, part of Kusama’s Accumulation series, is one of her most provocative and iconic bodies of work. Created in the 1960s, this series prominently features phallic imagery, a recurring motif in Kusama’s art. The Armchair transforms a mundane household object into a surreal, almost grotesque sculpture by covering it with countless soft, fabric protrusions resembling phallic forms. This juxtaposition of the familiar and the unsettling forces viewers to grapple with their own discomfort and curiosity. [5]

Psychological Roots: Art as Therapy

Kusama’s use of phallic forms in The Armchair was deeply influenced by her childhood experiences with sexuality and her struggles with mental health. As she explains in her autobiography, Infinity Net, “I was fighting pain, anxiety, and fear every day, and the only method I had to cure my illness was to keep creating art” (Kusama, cited in Improvised Life, 2013).[6] Through the repetitive use of phallic motifs, Kusama blurs the boundaries between obsession and compulsion, as well as attraction and repulsion. This tension mirrors her personal experiences with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and her ongoing effort to confront and reclaim control over her fears. As Kusama herself explained, she “began making penises in order to heal her feelings of disgust towards sex. Reproducing the objects…was her way of conquering the fear” (Kusama, cited in Museum of Modern Art, n.d.). By transforming a mundane domestic object into something simultaneously erotic and unsettling, Kusama compels viewers to engage with their own discomfort regarding themes of sexuality and the human body. This interplay between the personal and the universal underscores the psychological and emotional depth of her work.[7]

Tactile Duality: The Abject and Alluring

Kusama’s use of soft, domestic materials creates a tactile, body-like quality that invites touch while simultaneously provoking unease.[8] This duality aligns with Julia Kristeva’s theory of abjection, as outlined in her 1980 book Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection. Kristeva describes abjection as the psychological state of being simultaneously repelled and fascinated by something that disturbs the boundaries between the self and the other, often involving themes of the body, decay, and taboo.[9] In Kusama’s work, the phallic forms both familiar and grotesque embody this tension, challenging viewers to confront their own discomfort with the boundaries of the human body and societal norms.[10]

Between Minimalism and Post-Minimalism

Kusama’s Accumulation series occupies a fascinating intersection between her practice and the emerging Minimalist movement. These works, composed of ready-made furniture covered in small, sewn protuberances. The repetitive patterns, previously confined to the canvas, now extend into three-dimensional space, enveloping everyday objects. Metaphorically, the protrusions are often interpreted as phallic forms, reflecting Kusama’s confrontation with her own sexual anxieties. Yet, beyond their psychological resonance, the series also challenges viewers through its sheer physical presence. Kusama’s relationship with Minimalism is complex and often contradictory. While her Accumulation series shares Minimalism’s emphasis on repetition and seriality, her approach diverges significantly in tone and intent. Donald Judd’s seminal essay Specific Objects (1965) notably overlooks the psychoanalytic dimensions of Kusama’s work, describing her sculptures merely as “strange objects.” [11]

Beyond Minimalism: The Personal in Repetition

Robert Morris’s Notes on Sculpture (1966), a key theoretical contribution to Minimalism, further develops Judd’s ideas through a phenomenological lens, emphasizing the viewer’s bodily engagement with art. Yet, Kusama’s work resists such detached analysis; her accumulations are intensely personal, imbued with sensuality and humor qualities largely absent from the austere geometries of Minimalist contemporaries like Frank Stella or Ad Reinhardt. [12]

Legacy and Influence: Post-Minimalist Connections

Kusama’s practice also aligns with, and diverges from, the concerns of Post-Minimalism. While Minimalism often evokes industrial production and impersonal systems, Kusama’s repetition serves a more intimate, therapeutic function. Her obsessive, labor-intensive process destabilizes the modernist obsession with novelty, even as she pushes the boundaries of aesthetic innovation. This tension complicates linear narratives of art history, situating her work in dialogue with both Minimalism and its aftermath. Her connections to Post-Minimalist artists like Eva Hesse and Carolee Schneemann further underscore her influence. Like Hesse, Kusama explores the organic and the absurd, while her participatory performances echo Schneemann’s confrontational approach to the body and gender.

At the same time, her contributions to American Pop art and European concrete art have cemented her legacy as a pivotal figure in 20th-century art. While her Accumulation series offers a compelling lens through which to examine her relationship with Minimalism and Post-Minimalism, Kusama’s enduring relevance lies in her ability to continually produce work that challenges, captivates, and transcends artistic boundaries. [13]

Essay by malihe Norouzi / Independent Art Scholar

References: