Acquisition of Fereydoun Ave’s “Postcards from Iranestan, Damavand” (2013) by the Carnegie Museum of Art

We are proud to announce the recent acquisition of Fereydoun Ave’s “Postcards from Iranestan, Damavand” (2013) by the Carnegie Museum of Art. 

Postcards are part of Ave’s artistic practice, and the reference widely appears in his work, from collages to mixed media to this specific series. “Postcards, too, are vehicles that span places and times; in that way, they are inherently collagist.”*

The acquired work follows Ave’s practice of reimagining the mythological hero Rostam (from the 10th-century epic Shahnama) in a contemporary setting, like a cinematic frame of a superhero walking away from a backdrop of explosion. 

In the series (Postcards from Iranestan), despite the muscular figure repeating in the center of each piece, the explosion in the background of the composition and the ornamentations change, with the latter featuring the name of a city with a landmark patterned all around. In this work referencing Damavand, the tallest mountain in Iran and an inactive volcano, Ave makes additional allusions to the stories in the Shahnama, also commonly referred to as ‘The Book of Kings’.

Ave’s work and extensive Laal Collection were part of the 58th Carnegie International, hosted at the Carnegie Museum of Art and curated by Negar Azimi and Sohrab Mohebbi from September 2022 to April 2023. The traveling exhibition is now on view at Jameel Art Center (27 September 2023 - 23 March 2024). As one of the most influential figures in contemporary Iranian art, Fereydoun Ave’s role extends the traditional boundaries of an artist. In addition to his over five decades of artistic creativity, his work as a designer, gallerist, art patron, collector, and advisor remains of prominent value. 

The Carnegie Museum of Art has showcased prominent exhibitions since its founding in 1895. The museum has been hosting Carnegie International, one of the most extensive surveys of contemporary art from around the globe, since 1896.

* Azimi. N, (2016). “The Collage Artist”, Contemporary Practices (XVII), p. 121