New Visual Culture of Modern Iran

Reza Abedini, a graphic designer and professor at Tehran University, has collected an impressive number of works of contemporary photography, graphic design, and illustration to share in this very well designed book. Large in scale and size, this book contains over 150 pages of the finest in the illustrative arts, examples of which may be new to most readers.

Though all of us know and respect ancient Persian art and decor, surely some of the most complexly beautiful art ever created, the current trends absorbing the minds and talents of Iranian artists is a fascinating mixture of poetry, humanistic statements and reactions to the nearly constant states of upheaval in this seminal land. In a tightly written but informative introduction Abedini shares a succinct history of the movements in art in Iran as the country passed through three generations of artists influenced by the 1979 revolution: those artists at the peak of their creative powers at the time of the revolution; those involved in the revolution and developing strong ideological responses to that experience; and the generation of now, involving artists who respond in retrospect.

What follows are full color pages of photography (brilliantly composed portraits of individuals and groups), illustrations for newspapers incorporating photography, drawing, calligraphy and collage, posters for exhibitions (including examples created by the gifted Reza Abedini herself!), book covers, CD covers, and experimental posters. The design elements are strong, fluid with the elegance of the Iranian language, rich in color and spirit.

At this particular time in our history, with our somewhat distorted reportage of Iran as depicted on television and the news media clouding our appreciation of an extant yet ancient culture fully transported into the present, this fine book provides an important bridge toward understanding a fascinating country. As is so often the case the artists are our shaman and offer us a more humanistic view of differences and similarities among our global neighborhood. This book is a must for all students and practitioners of art in this country: it is also highly recommended as an introduction to the creativity of a nation seeking understanding! Grady Harp, April 06 From Amazon.com