(born in Shiraz, Iran in 1963)
Untitled, 2003, on the reverse titled, signed, dated Farhad Moshiri 2003, oil, acrylic on canvas,
177 x 128 cm, over stretcher

Provenance:
Gallery Kashya Hildebrand, Geneva
Philipps London, 17. October 2009, lot 213 - acquired there by the present owner
European Private Collection

Literature:
See Ed. Amirsadeghi, Different Sames New Perspectives in Contemporary Iranian Art, London 2009, p. 217

The oeuvre of Farhad Moshiri, born in 1963 in Shiraz, Iran, spans from painting, assemblage and sculpture. He is best known for his signature use of sparkling materials on his works inspired by pop culture. His aesthetics are on the crossroads of the Middle East and the West, referencing his native’s country current transformation.

The Jar Paintings started early on the artist’s career and are evolving ever since. With reference to Moshiri’s native country Iran, he takes upon the form of jars as well-known cultural artefacts from the Middle East and expresses his fascination towards archaeological excavations through his unique technique. The works’ splintering surfaces resemble the aged look of such archaeological excavations showing Moshiri’s fetish of the formal aspects of the works which tend to fade, crack and darken with time.

The Jar Painting which will be auctioned off is part of a rework from his initial series. The painting is stripped of context, depicted against a white backdrop and thus becoming fiercely contemporary. It will be an artefact of tomorrow rather than an artefact of yesterday, evolving itself with its cracked surface into a piece of history.

Compare:
Canvas, Sept.-Oct. 2005, Vol. 1 - Issue 5, p. 72-79 // Perrotin Gallery - Artists