REVIEWED BY RHYS FULLERTON
The Art of Hassan Meshkinfam is an exhibition co-produced by The Edinburgh Iranian Festival and The Sutton Gallery on Dundas Street.
Meshkinfam, an established Iranian artist, was born in Shiraz and educated both in Iran and Paris. His work is held in public and private collections all over the world.
Meshkinfam’s work is diverse, intricate and often hypnotic. It can be divided into two periods; first, the early watercolours of his native Shiraz; second, his screenprints and collages inspired by the writings of internationally acclaimed Iranian poet Nima Yushij.
It’s this second period on which the exhibition at The Sutton Gallery concentrates this month. To describe these works in too much detail would not do them justice; they really have to be seen in order to admire the intricate detail and dreamlike quality.
Each collage has been delicately constructed in response to Yushij’s poems, but they are stand-alone pieces and you don’t need the poetry to admire them. The images vary from arresting and powerful depictions of bodies layered on top of each other ('Rooster Crows', 'Moonlight 1', both foot of page) to phoenixes and surreal heads looking down from above ('Afsaneh', below).
My favourite from this series is 'Aga Tooka' (top-right), which delicately and seamlessly moves through various techniques to create a stunning whole. The small landscape depicted at the bottom of this collage combines a simple technique with such beautiful colours.
These collages are not meaningless and they are not chaotic. Each layer has been planned and thought through, and the contrasting styles are brought together to create powerful works of art.
Meshkinfam’s watercolours pre-date the collages and show a more simplistic approach, although they’re still technically stunning. He allows the viewer to bask in these stunning and tranquil landscapes (see 'Landscape of Shiraz 4' below), and his fondness for the locations is very apparent.
'My Studio' (triptych), below, where each panel could be seen as depicting an aspect of the artist’s life, really dominates the space. Is it showing the artist torn between his studio, a gallery viewing (where the viewers huddle together to admire his work) and the stunning and serene landscapes of Shiraz? Or, quite simply, could he be showing his progression as an artist from early beginnings in Shiraz to his current level of success?
Hassan Meshkinfam has clearly developed an interesting and varied body of work. This first show in Scotland is well worth seeing.
The Art of Hassan Meshkinfam continues until 28 February at The Sutton Gallery (18a Dundas Street). Admission free.
