Shahryar Hatami

Commonly known as “miniature,” “negārgari” is a multilayered and mysterious art form. Within the Persian context, negārgari is more than often interpreted with reference to the “imaginal world” and the realm of divinity, and even when analyzed historically, the focus has been on the symbolic and mythological aspects of its imagery. The mystery, however, does not simply lie in what these paintings reveal, but in a particular language concealed by the images themselves. A worldly and temporal language through which Persian painters have long reflected their deep understanding of geometry, astronomy, and perspective—a language drawn not from the painters’ imagination or taste, but by means of their compasses, set squares, and rulers. Since the first royal library-atelier was established in Rab’-e Rashidi in Tabriz (8th century AH/ early14th century AD), until a while after Shah Tahmāsb’s famous repentance in 939 AH/1532 AD which led to the exclusion of painters from the royal atelier, for almost three hundred years, the Persian tradition of negārgari followed an identifiable, coherent, and integrated visual organization, or what may be called a visual grammar. To understand this particular “way of seeing” the current study follows medieval artists methodically and sympathetically through their working routines, in order to investigate the hidden geometry of their images. Hence, this is also an attempt to revive a remarkable visual methodology found in a particular cultural geography to which we here refer as “Iran,” but which, of course, does not coincide with national Iranian territory. One hundred and twenty illuminated manuscripts ranging over a three-hundred-years period have been studied here, beginning with Jāmi‘ al-Tawārikh (707 AH/1307 AD) and ending with the so-called Shāhnāme of Shāh Abbās (1006 AH/1597 AD). 2021 June

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Website: tmoca.com

One of the distinguishing aspects of my practice is to challenge observation and visual perception. Subject matters that I choose vary from contemporary issues to classical art. References to art history and the history of seeing are inseparable to my art. Yet, I do not put art history on a pedestal as references are not there to be praised or to give joy; they rather work against each other.
Each of my works has a different subject matter as I do not make series. I mix painting and sculpture with mechanical machines that question the nature of painting and sometimes go against the nature of creation and even ruin it. 2015 Dec