MEMORIES OF DESTRUCTION Painting

As a world-renowned painter, critic and theorist, Aydin Aghdashloo has been at the forefront of Iranian Contemporary Art for over half a decade. While predominantly self-taught, he considers himself indebted to the traditions of the European Renaissance as well as Islamic Art. Though history has plagued both cultures with religious and imperial conflicts, the desire to understand, critique and highlight the commonalities that they share, lies at the heart of Aghadashloo’s inspiration. The compositions and signature style of Sandro Botticelli provided an invaluable foundation for his most notable series, entitled Memories of Destruction. In its early stages, this particular collection of work forced Aghdashloo to create and ultimately destroy a European masterpiece. In a technical sense, this can be seen as an homage to his passion for illumination, calligraphy, miniature painting, and the reconstruction and/or restoration of masterworks. It is also an analysis of the displacement of cultural values and the annihilation of beauty and identity in the face of conflict. As the series progressed into the late 1970s, Persian miniatures as well as images referencing various Islamic dignitaries began to outweigh Botticelli’s figures, but were nevertheless painted to the same caliber of Aghadashloo’s earlier work. It is within this context that he was able to unite his Iranian roots with his appreciation for European traditions.

Painting:Acrylic on Other

Original:One-of-a-kind Artwork

Size:16 W x 22 H x 1.5 D in

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