Saturday, July 28, 2007

The Art of Stone and Water


Meet Ahmad NadAlian!

Born in 1936, in a small town, Sangsar in Iran, Nadalian has become an artist of the world. Nadalian has majored in painting in Tehran University's prestigious faculty of Arts (1988) and has a PhD in philosophy from University of Central England.

His Web site introduces him as: "A human who loves stones and water, Ahmad Nadalian moves like a fish transgressing international borders. Nadalian has traveled widely, leaving graphic messages on all continents bAntarctica in the form of etched stones, thousands of them, large and small, on which he has inscribed or painted fish, crabs, nautilus spirals, and human hands, feet, and faces."

His fame became global when he presented his River Art Project in the 50th Biennale of Venice. Since then, he is invited to many countries by different art centers and his work is scattered in Italy, Germany, USA, Spain, France, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Lebanon, Australia, Burkina Faso, Chad, Egypt, Netherlands, Switzerland, Russia, Japan, India, Brazil, China, Greece, UK, Finland, Morocco, South Korea, Ireland, Brazil, ... where many of his work remains hidden in nature, archaeological treasures to be discover

In review of his work, writer and art critic John Grande writes:
"Nadalian is an Iranian sculptor whose life's work involves engendering respect for living creatures and the natural environment. To achieve this, besides living with nature himself, he established sculpture grounds in a peaceful environment in natural surroundings. Water is a living element that contributes to his sculptures, and many of the symbols he engraves and sculpts are derived from ancient mythology and the rituals of pre-Islamic civilizations(--Life-affirming rituals that are part of the philosophy of ancient Iranian mysticism, according to NadAlian himself.)

Nadalian's art is expressed through a variety of media, including rock carving, environmental art installations, ritual art performances, figurative paintings reminiscent of ancient drawings, video art installations, web art works, and interactive pieces requiring public participation. Nadalian spends most of his time in the mountain region of Damavand in Iran, and his River Art is Nadalian's Haraz River project, near Mount Damavand.

Located near the village of Ploor, 65 kilometers from the Teheran- Amol road, Nadalian designs sculptural form direct in nature; on the riverbanks are human figures, hands, feet, birds, goats, crabs, snakes and fish. Symbols of the Zodiac, the sun and the moon surround these designs, reminding the viewer that the images are not merely representations of nature, but symbolic concepts. What Nadalian intends is for the spectator searching for the artwork to perhaps discover something more valuable than his stones in nature. (Read Grande's interview with NadAlian.)

15 comments:

Daniel said...

Seems a strange quest but then all humans are a bit strange. Hope that your quest goes well Naj and that you are managing to outrun fate!

Cheers.

Coffee Messiah said...

Thanks so much for the introduction. It's people like this that in their own way, spread a peace about the world, that we are too busy sometimes to see and understand.

Not to mention bombarded everyday by the stupidity and lack of common sense by those in power......

Naj said...

Daniel
===============================
[hope]"that you are managing to outrun fate!"

Why would anyone outrun fate?
Remember? I am oriental! We don't fear fate like our occidental brothers and sisters do ;)

Messiah
===============================
I agree on the first point.

I think the ones in power are not stupid, they are just arrogant and too confident that they are shaping fate, or outrunning it.

I believe, at the end, the quest of the artist is all that will remain. Dynasties have come and gone, the temples stand; so will the stone and the water.

QUASAR9 said...

Hi Naj, 'magical' to see you
Lost your link in a reshuffle, but just adding you to sidebar again

Shrink Wrapped Scream said...

What a precious spirit we have here, such a gift to the world. It makes your heart lift to know there are still such gentle souls around, doesn't it? I am so glad to have been drawn here - thank you, my friend. (Smile.)

David said...

I have never heard of an artist who hides pieces of art in nature as little treasures to be discovered. Nadalian has a very generous spirit! :) His pictured works are simple, as if created by a child. I wonder does he give classes to school children? He could lead them to make little treasures of their own to hide in secret places. :)

Anonymous said...

Nadalian has a wonderful concept and exhibition technique to find his art amongst nature. Thank you for introducing him.

Servant said...

Fish as symbol-brand has been owned by the church since Peter's role changed from fisherman to fisher of men. Old puns never die, they just show up on new bumper stickers.

It's a bit strange to find an artist trying to predate that Occidental referent.

I expect one of our large sea food restaurant chains to give him a contract of ludicrous size and turn the would be starving artist into cultural superhero overnight like Homer Simpson.

The clash of civilizations going just like marketing planned. Preparation is irrelevant. You will be assimilated.

Bwwwwwwwwhahahahahaha

Just kidding, of course.

Tag for Homeyra: Humor.

Anonymous said...

Great news Naj, A new American arms deal with Arabs. It sems that the beautiful day of crushing Iran is coming very soon

Anonymous said...

Great news Naj, a new American deal to Arabs. It seems that the beautiful, long waited for day of crushing Iran is coming very soon

nunya said...

Love it. Anna loves it too!

Naj said...

Anonymous:

Great to know your little pettiness is at play! You forgot to mention you are kissing Israel's ass too! Enjoy!

Anonymous said...

No, we just want to secure our back when we go to war against Iran, in order to save Iraq from it

Naj said...

Oh .. Arabic cowardice ... I guessed right! Well honey, do secure you back and your front; it's not a nice sight!

Anonymous said...

crushing Iran is our number 1 prirty at the peent, the we will turn to Israel