Waiting Without Hope! 2000

Morteza Katouzian painted "Waiting Without Hope!" using oil on canvas, although the date is currently unknown. Here, the artist depicts two young boys in what seems to be a barren landscape under an ominous sky, a composition pregnant with melancholic social commentary. In order to understand its meaning, a good place to start would be the historical context of Iran, where Katouzian lives and works. The children's downcast eyes and postures are visual cues, inviting a reading connected to socio-economic challenges. The leafless tree evokes ideas of stagnation. By studying the socio-political conditions of Iran and its institutions, we can start to understand the social conditions that shape artistic production. We can also see how an artist's cultural heritage can inform their art. In this case, by looking at the history of childhood in Iran, it may be possible to draw conclusions about the role that social class plays in the experience of youth.