A Domestic Art History: An Interview with Sahand Hesamiyan by Shahrouz Nazari
Original text in Farsi by Shahrouz Nazari
Translated to English by Omid Armat
Introduction
This is the introduction that I wrote in 2009 at the beginning of this series of interviews. At that time, I imagined the interviews would depict, after several decades, not only the face of the generation but also a precise image of each member of it. Political, social, and intellectual changes were happening so rapidly in Iranian society, making some of the interview questions senseless now. The only picture remaining of that generation is the overall face of that age; for me, this is what makes this interview a meaningful cognitive tool. Through the medium of conversation, the essence of the era is preserved without any intention; people talk about themselves, but they are actually saying things about the age, about the wishes they had but did not come true, about the tragedies they were afraid of, but actually did come true.
In these interviews, the faces are not pictured clearly, or at least that is how it seems today! It is mainly because I did not fully understand the importance of documenting such data. It should be noted that all of these people, including myself, have changed; for better or worse, will be judged later. Artists mentioned in this book were about 40 years old then. They performed some real practice regardless of artistic evaluation or any other evaluation criteria. Many thought that revising the texts of this book would help the reader, but I thought that it would also remove the essence of the texts, and the whole thing would be manipulated. So I tried not to edit it unless it was necessary.
Most of the interviews are published in Tandis Magazine. I hope, in my old age, I can interview those remaining of that generation.
Gombrich advised not to write about people who are alive. He was right. In fact, to avoid writing about artists younger than 40 is because of their vague, uncertain future rather than a nonchalant or resentful attitude. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, several artists, whom I would like to call the new wave of Iran's visual arts, started to work in various fields, such as painting, graphics, sculpture, illustration, and new art. These artists challenged their previous generation by rejecting negligence and formal values and relations. This was an obvious struggle that revolutionized fixed cultural values in less than a decade. Their struggle was partly because they wanted to converge with their contemporaneous events in the world, but it was also aimed to violate sociopolitical relations. Moreover, Iran's intellectual space had remained in its traditional atmosphere and therefore necessitated acquiring a new language with vast, potent expressive qualities. Regardless of how each interviewee was responding to the questions, the only reason I make a dialog with them is not to approve of them, but to acknowledge their endeavor. Despite their idealistic nature, these conversations are at least a reflection of the effects that are taking place in Iranian society today, as well as in contemporary culture on a broader scale.
*This interview was conducted in November 2009
Sahand Hesamiyan, born in 1977 in Tehran, is originally from Boushehr and lived there until the second grade of high school. He spent his final years of secondary education in Kazeroun and earned his diploma without attending the school. He says: "I acquired part of my knowledge about technical processes of metals and welding during my two years of free education in Kazeroun." In 1996, he went to Art School in Tehran, where Mr. Rezaei suggested that he study in the field of sculpting. Eventually, in 2001, Hesamiyan signed up for sculpting at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Tehran University. His artworks have been presented in symposiums and biennials. Four of his urban sculptures are installed on the Hemmat expressway, Milad tower entrance, Oshan boulevard, and Shaghayegh park in district 19 of Tehan. Hesamiyan is one of six selected contestants of Magic of Persia and he ran his first exterritorial exhibition at XVA Gallery in 2009. He has been awarded the municipality special prize of the 4th biennial of sculpture and the third prize of Tehran's 1st International Sculpture Symposium.
· In an interview with "Tandis Magazine", Behrouz Daresh mentioned your artworks as influenced by Saqqakhaneh School. Do you agree with that?
I don't agree, because I don't see any relation here. Although they used the visual characteristics of tradition, my vision is slightly different from theirs.
· What difference makes you think you cannot be included in that category?
To be honest, I don't have much artistic literacy, but as far as I'm concerned there is a basic difference between me and them: my work doesn't contain any ornament to make it fall into that category. I basically tried, like them, to use architecture in my works, but, unlike them, I was never interested in gaudiness, luxuries, and baroque-like effects
· What is criticized about the works by Saqqakhaneh artists, including Tanavoli, are their decorative characteristics, and not just their gaudy, explicit qualities and the glow of their bronze.
Not all of Tanavoli's works are decorative; for example, his "Farhad" sculptures are not decorative; or at least they are not purely decorative. It should also be noted that Tanavoli originated from a specific period in Iran's history. Additionally, it is the special characteristic of bronze to produce brocade-like shininess. Regardless of his potteries, in most of his bronze artworks, the material itself presents the piece as decorative.
. But using bronze does not necessarily turn the sculpture into a decorative object. There are many examples of Bronze sculptures, the shininess of which did not make them decorative. Even Pomodoro's sculpture with its fully polished surface is not decorative. Don't you think the viewer's increasing trend towards decorative artworks has led to the tendency, even among great artists like Tanavoli or Ovissi, to create applied, ornamental works like decorations, jewelry, ties, etc.?
As I said, Tanavoli's sculptures should be evaluated in the context of that specific period of time, in which one of his best works were used as jewelry by the royal family, and at the same time was noted as an artwork. Tanavoli has always considered rings, locks, and spells as sculptures. Such inferences are based on our understanding of art.
· Do you think you can name a prominent artist among the first generation of sculptors after Iranian Revolution?
After the Iranian Revolution, special conditions were formed for sculpture art. The major harm to the field was that making sculptures was considered illegal. Additionally, with the closure of universities, everything was suspended. So, due to lack of support, sculptors could not present their work so as to be judged. In this situation, the only way to continue artistic activity was to cooperate with the government, and sculptors were turned into agents, put on duty to present the revolution's values. Of course, today, sculptors in Iran still have to work with the government. Therefore, it is clear that sculpture art could only survive in one specific direction. That is why no alternative directions emerged. Garousian, Memarian, Sheikhol-Hokama, Rezaei, and many others didn't produce any outstanding artwork because the constraints of that period made them not to. So while they were at the highest point of their career path, they didn't have the opportunity to present themselves.
· Do you believe the conditions of the time were the only reason for their stagnancy? Imagine you started your work during those years. Do you think it was not possible then to present the artworks you produce today?
I think it was absolutely not possible; because each one of us originated from certain conditions. I started sculpting with a figurative style, which, unfortunately, or fortunately, was never given the opportunity to be exhibited. Later, when I entered the university, my attitude to sculpture art was influenced by Youaf Daresh's ideas. Most sculptors of my generation engaged with the education system and Daresh's attitude to sculpture; a counter which was not possible in the early days of the Iranian Revolution. Moreover, today's artistic atmosphere, in which sculpting is introduced and presented, cannot be compared with that of the years just after the revolution.
· You mean that Youaf Daresh's attitude dominates the sculpture department of the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran?
Yes, his attitude dominates the overall structure of the faculty's educational system; he teaches all the theories. Also, Sheikhol-hokama and Rezaei teach through Daresh's attitudes and he is presiding over the whole system.
· Has Youaf Daresh influenced your career path?
On the contrary, at first, he was not in favor of the minimalism of my work. He believed Minimalism to be an old trend. At least, until my third year at the university, he didn't approve of this characteristic of my work, but later, when he saw that I am determined to do this, he started to guide me, and his suggestions helped me a lot.
· Two aspects are perceivable in your work; first, the physical structure of your sculptures, which associates with geodesic abstraction; second, there is fine accordance between this geometric quality and the indigenous idea of the work. Regarding the first, your works are not innovative and we can agree with Daresh's opinion about their minimalistic quality. However, considering their second aspect, they are successful examples of abstract artworks in the scope of Iranian art. What do you think?
I started my career in 2005. So I have been working for only four years. I mean there are many fields that I have yet to experience. Nevertheless, what I have presented until now, is not all of what I have experienced in my workshop. The sculptures for which I have been known are not all of my sculptures, but only those that have been noticed. In fact, I decided by chance to continue these sculptures. I was in doubt and fully disappointed about my work for a while until I saw a work by Deacon at an exhibition of English artists. It was such an innovative work and some parts of it were very similar to my work. After that, I saw artworks by Shirazeh Houshiary on the internet. Finally, these two encounters made me conclude that using this geometry in my work is actually a contemporary practice. It was like somehow I had received their approval of my work. Later on, thanks to the internet, I constantly managed to decrease the similarities between my work and those of others.
· Does your work originate from your instinctive talent for creating geometrical bodies? I mean just like what students do in the school to understand geometry.
That is a good point, because I studied mathematics in high school and I used to create these bodies with great precision, but later, it took me a long time to use this ability in the production of my sculptures. In the beginning, it was very simple; I used just a long strip and rotated it around a center, but then I realized that the trapezoidal and triangular shapes can provide me with various special possibilities because of their irregular angles. So I continuously experimented with different divisions of these shapes. So I have now acquired a good understanding of their geometric properties and can produce a body through three draft studies.
· There are clear similarities between artworks by you and by Amir Vafaei. Which one of you is influenced by the other one?
None of us. The only common point between our works is the use of motifs and geometry.
· But one of you has certainly started to work earlier.
Yes, I have more career background. We were classmates at the university and we are also working together now. Based on our experience in our theses, we both decided to take up a geometric approach to sculpting. We started at the same time, I presented my work at the 4th biennial, while he decided not to because he believed that he shouldn't unless he is satisfied with his work.
· There is another questionable approach among the recent generation of sculptors; by justifying the use of unconventional materials, they try to introduce any experimental work as contemporary sculpture art. What do you think about it?
A group of young sculptors decided to work with unusual materials, and they were inspired by artists such as Kapoor, who used wax and paraffin. Many tried to alter their working material in order to update and ascend their work to a new level. Some did not succeed, while some others managed to create accordance between their work and the new materials.
· Being unconventional is one thing, and showing paper maquettes of an imaginary sculpture in the "Tiny Sculptures" exhibition at the Iran Artists Forum is another.
These experiences may not be approved here, but most of them are considered quite valid out of Iran, like cardboard rooms by Armajani.
· But Armajani build them as a maquette and then build the real ones in the museums. Also, the maquettes only present the concept of his work, not the final physical structure of it.
Yes, I agree, but I have seen many other works created with cardboard, of course, in huge dimensions.
· Do you find symposiums and biennials favorable? Because some believe they provide only certain artists with beneficial opportunities.
I approve of the original idea behind symposiums and biennials, but I don't think the supports are constitutional.
. For example, do you agree with the installation of numerous artworks by the Tehran Municipality's Beautification Organization throughout the city?
No, because they are following a strange policy. So they are now trying to increase the number of orders by decreasing contract fees. As a result, either the sculptures will shrink in size or the artists themselves will have to pay for and apply the excess amount of materials if they want to maintain their reputation. This causes established and talented young artists to lose their inclination for presenting their work in the city. Because today, creating a sculpture has expensive costs and it is not economical to work this way.
· Aside from its costs, what other problems stand in the way of producing urban sculptures?
Normally around the world, the sculpture's location is determined before building it. So then the sculpture can be made according to the conditions of that location. However, in Iran, after the sculpture is made, they start looking for a place to install it. This has led to incompatibilities between the sculpture's scale and its space. Additionally, there are not enough suitable places for installing sculptures in Tehran, and there are actually not many installed. Sculptures are usually found alongside the highways, boulevards, or on the sides of a street. These improper locations suppress sculptures, and when there is no accordance between the work and its space, it dies in a sense.
· Isn't it because they want them to be out of reach of people?
Maybe, but how is it possible to look at a sculpture while driving at 100 km/h? of course, administrators are concerned with some limits, because sculptures are not safe in the city. Many bronze and brass sculptures have been steeled or damaged. Many sculptors had to make long stands in order to keep their work out of reach. In fact, people in Iran are still not used to communicating with sculptures, and by causing damage to them, they make organizations like municipalities become extremely precautious about sculptures, but, on the other hand, sculptures are built for the people to communicate with.
· Have any of your works ever been damaged?
I didn't have enough space to store my selected work for the 4th biennial, so I had placed it somewhere near Atisaz town. One day, some guys came with a cutting torch, cut the sculpture into pieces, and they were stopped by the neighbors while they were taking them away. Such problems prevent sculptors from fully concentrating on their work. In fact, it is not possible to make sculptures without a workshop. Also, galleries are not very interested in presenting a sculpture, because there is not much demand for it. So all of these have deterrent effects on the progress of Iran's contemporary sculpture art.
