[no title] by  Shirazeh Houshiary

[no title] 1992

0:00
0:00

Dimensions: image: 605 x 605 mm

Copyright: © Shirazeh Houshiary | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate

Editor: This untitled work by Shirazeh Houshiary is captivating with its subtle, dark hues. It has a very meditative feel. What connections do you see between Houshiary's background and this piece? Curator: Houshiary’s Iranian heritage, her experience as an immigrant, undoubtedly informs her art. This piece evokes a sense of the infinite, perhaps echoing Sufi mysticism. How might this relate to contemporary experiences of displacement and identity? Editor: It seems like she's using abstract forms to explore broader themes of belonging. Curator: Exactly. It's crucial to consider the art world's historical exclusion of non-Western perspectives. Houshiary’s work challenges this by inviting viewers to contemplate the universal within the specific. This tension is a political act. Editor: I hadn't considered the political implications so explicitly. It’s fascinating how such a minimalist piece can hold so much depth. Curator: These artists often create a visual vocabulary reflecting on our complex identities and position within the world.

Show more

Comments

tate's Profile Picture
tate 2 days ago

http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/houshiary-no-title-p77597

Join the conversation

Join millions of artists and users on Artera today and experience the ultimate creative platform.

tate's Profile Picture
tate 2 days ago

These images are made from the layering of words inspired by texts by 13th century Sufi poet Jalal al-Din Rumi. Houshiary has said that the repeated words represent the act of breathing. For her, inhalation and exhalation through the lungs gives a feeling of absence and presence. The prints reveal language as a living organism. The repeated round forms convey a spinning movement, reinforced by the title ‘Round Dance’. For Houshiary, these centrifugal, whirling forces are present in all nature. Round Dance connects culture to nature, and words to biology. Gallery label, June 2021