Skateboarding isn’t a medium that’s instantly related to Persian craftsmanship. But the 2 overlap superbly within the work of Iranian-American artist Leila Nazarian, whose work is on show on the Nicolas Flamel Gallery in Paris beginning this week.
“Eclectic Decks” explores the theme of cross-cultural trade by juxtaposing skateboarding with conventional Iranian craftsmanship.
“The collaboration with Leila Nazarian started a number of years in the past, after we met in Tehran in January 2022,” defined Hessam Haratvari, co-director of Galerie Nicolas Flamel. “Her artwork actually represented what the gallery wished to indicate from the start: a deeper understanding of Iran, its tradition and historical past. A unique Iran than the one we see within the information.”
Karatobari defined that the gallery wished to mix Persian traditions with up to date mediums like skateboards and surfboards. He added that every of Nazarian’s works is a singular version, and each bit took months to finish and the artist was glad with the ultimate end result.
Nazarian was born in Santa Monica and spent most of his childhood in Palm Beach, Florida, returning to Iran along with his household on the age of 11. After incomes a bachelor’s diploma in worldwide and comparative politics with a minor in superb arts, he earned a grasp’s diploma in Middle Eastern research on the American University of Paris, earlier than returning to California to pursue a second diploma in public diplomacy on the University of Southern California. I earned a grasp’s diploma.
While in graduate college, she took a course in “cultural diplomacy” and realized that artwork and tradition may function a framework for diplomacy.
With a private curiosity in bettering cultural understanding between her native United States and her dad and mom’ homeland of Iran, and having lived within the birthplace of skate tradition, she created a brand new challenge to juxtapose this iconic object of her homeland. I began engaged on the idea. California is dwelling to conventional Iranian craftsmanship.
After receiving constructive suggestions on a number of custom-made skateboards she designed that had been totally different from these in the marketplace (a Persian-inspired design was screened right into a skateboard deck that might be used as an precise skateboard) ), she turned this idea right into a enterprise. In 2015, she based Eclectic Decks, a recent artwork and life-style model that showcases conventional artwork kinds in trendy mediums, in addition to skateboards and surfboards that fuse conventional artwork kinds with trendy platforms. has been created.
Nazarian’s first assortment was impressed by conventional Persian tilework, together with designs from the Qajar interval. For subsequent collections, we commissioned Iranian artisans to brighten Southern California-made skateboard and surfboard decks with intricate, conventional handcrafted designs equivalent to Persian marquetry. [Khatamkari]Persian mirror work [Ayne Kari] persian metallic embossing [Ghalamzani]. Her assortment additionally contains the favored motif ‘Flowers and Nightingales’. [Gol o Bolbol].
Nazarian make clear her work in a latest interview with Kayhan Life.
Where did you get the thought to mix the 2 cultures you grew up with, the Persian tradition and the Californian tradition, within the type of artwork on a skateboard?
I actually got here up with this concept throughout a category on the University of California titled “Cultural Diplomacy.” The idea of utilizing tradition as a robust instrument to construct bridges between folks and strengthen mutual understanding stood out as a compelling strategy. As an Iranian-American born in California, I’ve all the time been within the cross-cultural juxtaposition that fuses the 2 cultures I grew up with, and skateboarding turned the proper medium to discover this fusion.
Your work incorporates historic Persian crafts and traditions equivalent to mirror work, Khatamkari, and Galamzani, in addition to motifs equivalent to ‘gol-o-bor-bol’ in fully sudden mediums. Masu. It one way or the other makes the skateboard appear to be a chunk of unique Persian work. How did you develop this idea? Was it troublesome at first?
Initially, I used to be confronted with the problem of making a chunk that appeared and felt harmonious with out forcing it. I need to respect the best way these crafts had been initially made, whereas additionally incorporating trendy touches equivalent to these seen in a few of my newest works, such because the surfboards I made for my solo exhibition at Galerie Nicolas Flamel. I’m additionally attempting so as to add a twist. Inspired by conventional mirrorwork compositions and retro Nineteen Eighties California surfboard patterns.
How have collectors, galleries and the Iranian group around the globe responded to this work?
So far, I’ve acquired overwhelmingly constructive suggestions from the Iranian group, particularly these within the diaspora. Through my conceptual strategy, I hope to increase the viewer’s notion of what craft and artwork might be.
Galerie Nicolas Flamel was based in 2009 by Fathali Metghalchi and Kimya Derambakhsh. Since 2013, it has been co-directed by Hessam Karatbari and Yassi Metgarchi and is totally devoted to Iranian trendy and up to date artwork, presenting works by rising and established Iranian artists. The gallery is positioned within the Marais district of Paris, inside strolling distance of the Center Pompidou.