Lot 28: * Parviz Tanavoli (Iran, born 1937) Twisted Heech I (Heech looking Skywards) depth: 37 cm

Parviz Tanavoli (Iran, born 1937)
Twisted Heech I (Heech looking Skywards) bronzesigned "Parviz", dated "012" and numbered "3/6", number 3 from an edition of 6, executed in 2012110 x 42cm (43 5/16 x 16 9/16in).depth: 37 cm

Provenance:Property from a private collection, CanadaAcquired directly from the Artist by the present owner"The word Heech, or nothingness, has a special place in our culture. The Idea of making nothing that was for me enough, but later I realized great Iranian poets like Khayam, Rumi and Hafez all had dealt with this single word," Parviz Tanavoli'If the astonishing resemblance between a Heech and a human-being did not exist, I would have never involved myself in making it'- Tanavoli.Bonhams have the distinct privilege of presenting two superlative examples of Tanavoli's bronze twisted Heech sculptures. In 1965, Tanavoli protested against the empty overuse of traditional forms and gave new depth to the two dimensional calligraphy on paper by transforming it into three dimensional 'Heech' sculptures. His signature Heech sculptures are composed of three Farsi letters in the Persian calligraphic style of 'nastaliq'. With its elegant curvilinear shape and hollow eyes, the Heech is anthropomorphised, gazing playfully at its viewers. Here are two fine examples of Tanavoli's use of bronze; a medium he embraced throughout his career and through which he found great versatility in form and freedom of expression. The craftsmanship and dexterity that is reflected through these polished bronze sculptures reveal the unequaled talent of Tanavoli; confirming his leading and pioneering role in sculpture and philosophy. To Tanavoli, the concept of nothingness has multiple layers of meanings and is not an expression of despair and hopelessness. One interpretation relates to Persian Sufism, in which nothing is an aspect of God, who creates everything from nothing. Tanavoli's nothingness permeates everything, it is an animating and creative force; it is the nothingness that precedes creation, the nothingness out of which we are born, from which ideas come to life and out of which bonds are formed. The other interpretation is that the physical shape of the word has a figurative aspect, an appealing volume and a life-like form. Tanavoli crafted numerous Heechs over the years in various mediums such as bronze, ceramic, fiberglass and neon and in many forms and colours to expose the world with the concept of "nothingness". The repetition of design in his oeuvre is also reflective of the traditional Islamic practice of repeating a craft in the quest for perfection. Tanavoli was able to fuse this very specific translation of Persia calligraphy with contemporary idiom and abstract sculpture. Heech incorporates the best of his passion for Persia history that he exemplifies as well as this knowledge and skill as a contemporary artist. His practice focuses on the intersection of both traditional Persian folk art and contemporary practices in a career spanning over six decades.Tanavoli was born in Tehran in 1937 and was one of the very first students to enrol in the newly established Tehran School of Fine Arts in 1955. A few years later, he left Iran to further his education in sculpting at the Brera Academy of Milan and graduated in 1959. Tanavoli then went to the Unites States to serve as artist-in-residence at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design where he became exposed to pop art and consumer culture. Upon his return to Iran, Tanavoli established Atelier Kaboud, which became the birthplace of the most significant and avant-garde Iranian modern art movement, the Saqqakhaneh movement. Here artists were dealing with contemporary issues and reconciling past traditions with contemporary outlooks.