Rostam the National Hero of Persia, closely resembles the notion of Hollywood’s Superheroes. He had a costume, a Hood, as super fantastic horse, a gallery of Archenemies, Magical connections and godlike friends, unprecedented powers and strong tendency to combat threats against Humanity. Rostam was immortalized by the famous 10th Century AD poet Ferdowsi, in the Shahnameh (Book of Kings). A legacy which has remained alive and vigorous, cherished by Iranians for centuries. The epic of Shahnameh depicts a fantastical world a fairyland where the first man who was an Iranian king rules and the prowess of various early heroes magnifies the Persian legacy. Persian myths are of ancient origin, involving fantastical figures and supernatural powers. All referring to the legendary past of Iran, mirroring the attitudes of society towards confrontation of Good and Evil; The Ancient conflict. A hero is supposed to spring to life in the face of danger and adversity and to display courage and the will for self sacrifice. By inventing legends and mythical heroes, humans have given their lives a larger setting. Solace to combat the fear of death and extinction; A great silence. Myth very much like art, is about the unknown; it is about that for which we initially have no words no immediate presence or objective existence. Another plane that exits alongside our own world. Myths invoke the sublime moments when we seem to be transported beyond our ordinary concerns. The experience of transcendence. We seek out moments of ecstasy, when we feel deeply touched within and lifted momentarily beyond ourselves. Like a novel, a movie or a painting, myth is make believe, it’s a game that transfigures our fragmented wretched world. The Persian artists for centuries have used mythology and poetry, to depict a wondrous world, loyal to ideals of beauty, truth and perfection. A world where they have found the redeeming answer to brutality chaos and frustration that has been a part of daily life for centuries. Artists have created sanctuaries, providing consolation, delight and revelation for their audiences. They have preserved Persian legacy, enriched our lives and inspired us as a Nation to become better than we are. A significant portion of Iran’s contemporary art works have a rhythmic beat of pain and anxiety; the anxiety and obsessions of a young generation, initially grown up in a childhood with the revolutionary violence, and the worry and fears of the war years, and ultimately matured in an environment of scarcity, impositions, limitations, apprehensions and concerns. Despite all they dare and speak the truth to the existing powers. Working within the boundaries of state and self censorship; Screaming in an oblique language. Much like Epic Heroes they venture from the world of common day in to the unknown, facing adversaries that try to defeat them in their journey. They illustrate traits, perform deeds and exemplify certain morals, always perfecting the art of resistance. Let us hope that the Decisive Victory shall be theirs.
Nazila Noebashari, Aaran Gallery