Lot 94: FARHAD MOSHIRI (IRANIAN, B. 1963) 3N8R09 signed and dated in Farsi; signed,

FARHAD MOSHIRI (IRANIAN, B. 1963) 3N8R09 signed and dated in Farsi; signed, titled and dated ‘3N8R09 Farhad Moshiri 2006’ (on the reverse) oil and metallic paint on canvas 62 7/8 x 61 1/2 in. (159.5 x 156.2cm.) Painted in 2006

PROVENANCE: Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner. One of the most acclaimed international artists today, Farhad Moshiri returned to Tehran in 1991 after studying at the prised CalArts in California. He has since become an iconic fgure of the contemporary Middle Eastern art scene and is known for his constant innovation in the use of art techniques, from mimicking aged Persian ceramics to interpreting the Abjad alphabet, from making installations with acrylic ‘pastries’ to others entirely embroidered with beads and pearls, from incorporating Swarovksi crystals to his compositions to producing art pieces solely composed of knives. The rich variety of Moshiri’s oeuvre not only lies in his creativeness as both a painter and a conceptual artist, but also in the eclectic richness of his visual vocabulary, where past and present meet. Reconciling the ancient with the modern is at the core of Farhad Moshiri’s oeuvre, yet his works are always imbued with self-refection and his observation of present life in Iran. Moshiri’s Numbers series paintings are amongst his most stunning works. With his signature glazed craquelure present throughout his composition, Moshiri subtly alludes to his fascination with the Arabic Abjad alphabet, a centuries-old coded numerical system practiced in the Islamic world. In this symbolic language, the twenty-eight letters are assigned numerical values. Moshiri did not really understand the Abjad language but was strongly attracted to its unusual beauty. His interest thus lies in the shapes and harmonised sequence of the characters rather than in their meaning. He intentionally attributes an aged and worn look to the surface, revealing his interest in arch 3/4 ology, in the excavation process and in the re-discovery of a lost identity. 3N8R09 is a stunning example from the Numbers series as one observes the complexity of the layers, the use of diferent pigments and its extensive gold leaf work - a medium Moshiri fully explores in his series of furniture and objects entirely covered with gold leaf. The work, through its rich texture, recalls the lavish ancient Persian ceramic objects and vessels that he collected and simultaneously references the calligraphy found on manuscripts and talismanic garments in the Ottoman territories that were used to confer blessings and protection to the wearer. The lyrical abstraction that emanates from the delicate composition is enhanced by the limited colour palette used by the artist. By spreading this script over the canvas and having it bleed over the edges, Moshiri seems to have magnifed a small fragment of these lavish objects reproduced onto his canvas. The result is an almost grafiti-like work made of endlessly repeated numbers, that draws inspiration in the past, yet is undeniably Pop. While the gold leaf evokes his homeland’s glorious history, it also sarcastically alludes to the materialistic excesses that Moshiri observes in today’s consumerism, particularly amongst the nouveau riche society in Iran and as such, epitomises the constant dualities that have been central in his artistic refection. Moshiri’s Pop Art and fantasy world allow him to surpass the restraints on freedom of expression imposed by Iran’s censorship and invite his viewers to choose their own interpretation. A fne example from his Numbers series, the present work delicately combines a variety of Moshiri’s inspiration and cultural references. Further works from this series are now held in prestigious private and public collections around the globe.