Cover Design, Portrait of Kamal-Al-Molk 1987

Editor: Here we have Aydin Aghdashloo’s "Cover Design, Portrait of Kamal-Al-Molk" from 1987, rendered in watercolor. The portrait’s delicate quality and how it interacts with the flat black background are what strike me first. How should we approach this piece? Curator: I’m immediately drawn to the tension between the refined portraiture tradition and the stark modernist aesthetic. Consider the means of its production: watercolor, often associated with preliminary sketches or illustrations, elevated here as a cover design. This forces us to question the very hierarchy between "high art" and commercial art. What implications arise when a medium typically associated with craft is used to depict a celebrated artist, Kamal-Al-Molk? Editor: So, you're suggesting the material itself challenges traditional artistic boundaries. I hadn't considered watercolor's potential in that way. It also makes me think about accessibility; was watercolor chosen perhaps to reach a wider audience through more affordable production methods for book covers? Curator: Precisely! And think about the social context of Aghdashloo's work. Post-revolutionary Iran saw a shift in artistic expression. Analyzing his choice of materials allows us to examine how artists negotiated censorship and economic constraints while engaging with their artistic heritage. How does the act of reproducing Kamal-Al-Molk’s image using accessible materials impact our understanding of his legacy and Aghdashloo's commentary on Iranian art history? Editor: That’s really insightful. Thinking about the materials in relation to social context adds another layer of meaning. I guess I was focused too much on the face of the portrait rather than the process involved. Curator: Exactly. And in doing so we appreciate the layers within the painting itself, which go beyond a first glance. This makes for richer and more poignant observations. Editor: I’ve learned to consider beyond aesthetics alone by focusing on labor and accessible materials in creating this portrait. Thanks!