Iran: surrendering to Esmaeil Rashvand

Artists may or may not have intentions with their work.

But regardless, is it not the task of art to request our attention, at minimum? Or perhaps our interest. Slight or great - just some is enough.

When we come across work like Iran-based calligraphy artist Esmaeil Rashvand's, the word that comes to mind is "surrender."

Names of God

His work does not ask or demand; it invokes.

The First Day of Creation

It may have something to do with his tendency towards sensations, as he puts it...

Shiraz

I think by using calligraphy formations I can better express my sensations in paintings...when I painting I do not know what really happens to work... my sensations which form my painting works. While painting I surrender by thought and senses.

Dreams

Do we understand his sensations to be his feelings? emotions? intuitions? Whatever the semantics, we know this to be true: those sensations by which he surrenders, help us surrender.

And it's mighty powerful.


STATEMENTS:

Names of God
This painting consists of 99 imperium names for God in Quran. Green color that is religious color of Islam world expresses the Islamic essence in painting. God names are calligraphed in Nastaliqh and show the Persian nature in painting. Gold colors also induct viewers to glory and magnificence of God names. Calligraphed words and ground is worked in green and only shades separate words and ground. The mono green tones of color in this work also perform the unity and oneness that reveal the unification in creation. Names are calligraphed by small and big font, in order to perspective the work.


The First Day of Creation
This works created immediate and sensually. Dark space and azure ground induct viewer to vacuum of space, the space which is so far from history and earth then calligraphy formations come fast and warp as if it perform the first day of creation. God is alone in this work and there is no man while the existence is created.