Overview
A solo presentation of work by Mohammad Hossein Gholamzadeh.
Works
Installation Views
Press release
Dastan:Outside is proud to present "Conqueror", a one-day exhibition of one sculpture by Mohammad Hossein Gholamzadeh at the abandoned Foruzan Refrigerator Factory. Gholamzadeh's last solo exhibition with Dastan was "Hero" (2017, Dastan:Outside, Electricroom).
"Conqueror" puts on display the figure of a man with a muscular body, a bloated belly, a shriveled face, and akimbo arms balancing himself on a huge blimp. The contrast of color (aged gray vs. shiny orange) and form (mythic vs. fantastic) bifurcates the viewer's field of vision. The helmet, the body shield, and the man's pose indicate his status as a warrior (perhaps the blimp is his fighter jet) but the artist has placed him in an indeterminate position. Originally conceived in large dimensions (4.5 x 4.5 m), Gholamzadeh's "Conqueror" follows the tradition of commemorative monuments ("Bartolomeo Colleoni" by Andrea del Verrocchio in particular) not to mark the warrior's grandeur but to lampoon it. The abandoned Foruzn Refrigerator Factory near Tehran's Mehrabad Airport, site of a recent Israeli bombardment campaign, adds to the fabricated nature of the narrative surrounding Gholamzadeh's "Conqueror".
The realization of Fateh would not have been possible without the collective efforts and dedication of a remarkable team of collaborators and specialists. We extend our sincere thanks to Sam Taheri-Pour, Ne’mat Barahani, Abdollah Momenzadeh, Hassan Akbari, Samaneh Qashqaei, Hamid Mohammad Hossein, Nima Fasih, Hassan Ashkannejad, Hamoon Naziri, Meysam Ameli, and the team at Arman Vision Company for their essential contributions to the making and installation of this work.
Mohammad Hossein Gholamzadeh (b. 1986, Tehran) studied Sculpture. His work is characterized by precision in execution and technical skills in the service of a concept, especially in its relation to objects and their function in historical and contemporary settings. His figurative sculptures juxtapose the function of everyday objects, clothing, and familiar symbols to emphasize their coexistence and persistence beyond their temporal setting. He has held many solo exhibitions, including "Mirror"  (2011, Dastan's Basement); "Self-destruction" (2015, Dastan's Basement); and "Hero" (2017, Electricroom). His works have appeared in international art fairs, including Art Dubai 2023, 2018)، Sydney Contemporary (2017), and Asia Now (2021).