Amir Soghrati | "Frequency of Silence": Dastan's Basement

26 May - 2 June 2017 The Basement
Overview

A solo drawing exhibition of works by Amir Soghrati

Works
Installation Views
Press release

Dastan is pleased to announce the opening of Amir Soghrati's solo exhibition titled "Frequency of Silence" at Dastan's Basement. The exhibition will be open for public viewing from May 26 through June 2, 2017. This is Ali Beheshti's first solo exhibition at Dastan. His work has been previously featured in 20 solo exhibitions, as well as numerous group shows.

Amir Soghrati (b. 1979, Rasht, Iran) is one of the prolific Iranian artists of his generation. In addition to his artistic career, he has been an active researcher in drawing, painting and cartoon, authoring several books.

"Frequency of Silence" is a series of works from 2016 to mid-2017, all created with acrylic paint on thick paper. On his use of this material, Soghrati says: "In 'Ambush of Pain' (2013), I used light brushes and ink to make drawings, but in the current series, I have used flat paint-brushes and black acrylic paint. This is because I wanted to express my painterly feelings. These works are an extension of my paintings. The use of a single color refers to improvisation, expression and fluidity."

On the themes and approaches in "Frequency of Silence", Soghrati says: "I currently define myself in non-abstract themes. I have been heavily influenced by cartoon drawing, where the subject is usually put in suspense and away from outside factors. My characters are seen in solitude and their presence is the result of an improvisation and visual playfulness. Man's suffering has always been a major theme of my work. "Ambush of Pain" (2013) focused on human suffering, while in "Line of Pain" (2015), I realized that it is not the world that inflicts man with suffering, but that human suffering is a result of human beings' inner dialog with themselves."

On this series, Iranian painter Nosrat-Allah Moslemian writes: "Soghrati understands the potentials of drawing. These works specifically show Soghrati's capacity and knowledge of drawing -something that was quite interesting for me. In his works, symbols -besides expressing themselves- become more than just symbols. Amir Soghrati is an artist with a consistent mind. He has moved from his career in cartoon drawing to painting and thus his new works have more grotesque elements than cartoon. Eventually, one has to say that the mind of this artist is very fluid and…"

Berlin-based Iranian artist Ali Nassir writes: "Amir Soghrati's drawings show us a mix of a satirical world with anonymous and long-lasting concerns, flowing in fluid lines, sometimes not very smoothly but always energetic and on the thin line between the echo of personal feelings and the reflection of social issues. Between my world and the outside world…"