Morteza, for Cambridge

The endlessly inventive graphic work of Morteza Zahedi has, through the sheer force of its energy, reached an increasingly wide audience in recent years.
Whether in the context of the illustrated book, the gallery wall, or the personal sketchbook, this work has found its way into the consciousness of many of us here in the West, who share an interest in the graphic arts.

Zahedi’s work can be seen to build on, and at the same time subvert, the rich tradition of decorative art in Iran. Playful yet at the same time serious, these works explore the surface of the paper with sensuality and curiosity. The question ‘what if…?’ seems to pervade every mark as it caresses each carefully chosen surface, whether in the context of a narrative structure or that of the pure formal dynamics of image making. The English artist, John Minton, once described his working process as ‘the successful steering of accident’. Zahedi brings a similarly fearless approach to image making as each new piece or each new phase in his work is characterised by an exploration of new media and new methods- monoprint, pencil, paint, inks, collage, embroidery… At times, a delicate balancing act seems to be performed between this evident sheer joy of materials and the sense of purpose communicated by the outcome.

The Bologna Children’s Book Fair each spring gives us a chance to undertake something of a pilgrimage, a chance to enjoy some of the most inspiring and original graphic art from all corners of the globe. Each year, we look especially for the work of Morteza Zahedi, one of the most original talents to emerge in recent years.

Professor Martin Salisbury
Cambridge

January, 2011

contatti
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www.mortezahedi.com
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info
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www.liricigreci.it