"The Garden of Light": A Solo Show by Hiva Alizadeh at Palazzo Monti 

Palazzo Monti hosted an exhibition, "The Garden of Light", displaying artworks by Hiva Alizadeh from April 30 to May 30, 2022, in Italy. Edoardo Monti, founder and director of Palazzo Monti, believes that the artist's works are deeply rooted in Iranian ancient traditional art, especially Kerman's carpet-weaving techniques. Her works present contemporary readings of the ancient art of her birthplace which are distinguished through the lively colors.  

Some of the artworks are installed on the walls and three installations are located in the middle of the hall showcasing the three-dimensional features of her work. Color and light are the main elements of these installations which are made visible more clearly using a lightbox embedded in the layers beneath the surface. Passing through the pile of color strings, the light reminds the viewer of the interaction between light and colors through the windows of Persian historical buildings which are then projected on the walls and columns in their interior space. Works installed on the walls have saturated colors as well. However, compared to the installations, they don't follow a certain repetitive form, but vary in shape; these are forms which retrieve the patterns of Persian carpets for viewers who are familiar with Iran's culture and history. Nevertheless, Edoardo Monti, who understands the colors and their dynamism in Alizadeh's artworks from a different cultural perspective, reads her works as associated with Karaoke club images and the atmosphere of "Lost in Translation" movie by Sofia Coppola. He believes that the elements which were a source of inspiration for the artist have altered towards new interpretations due to the geographic movement.

Hiva Alizadeh (b. 1989, Kerman, Iran) started her artistic career by writing and producing experimental documentaries, as her father was an experimental filmmaker. However, she focused on creating sculpture-like installations after a while. She is inspired by the colors of nature; therefore, the viewers can perceive these colors reproduced in bright lively shades on strings similar to hair. Her works have been displayed at Iranian galleries and international events such as Art Basel Switzerland and a group show called "If Walls Could Talk" in Milan. Initially, she was working in her father's field but she gradually achieved her own personal expression. Her innovative approach to carpet-weaving traditions of her birthplace has led to the creation of artworks rooted in the ancient art. In her works, fine color strings, without any complication and disorder, have formed an area for each individual viewer, regardless of their Western or Eastern origin, to express their personal interpretations.  

Image Credit: Hiva Alizadeh's Instagram Account