Statement:

The Enfe'al collection derives from the recent audiovisual set by Ali Phi entitled Maqruh. In Islamic terminology, the term makruh refers to a detestable act, although it is neither forbidden nor entirely allowed. It exists within a space of liminal ambivalence – disapproved of but not punishable.///

The audiovisual set is inspired by this concept, as well as the contrasts between the dark ambiance and tranquillity of techno-electronic music paired with Middle-Eastern and West-Asian musical and visual motifs merged with Western digital media processing technologies.

The visual elements of the collection are created using 3D point clouds of ancient architecture, 2D videos processed through visual programming and creative coding, as well as digital 3D illustrations of reconstructed structures. Digital technologies allow the artist to examine ancient Persian architecture, their sacred geometries, histories, and their relationship to Islamic concepts like makruh from a contemporary vantage point.

The visual materials are modified by the soundscape and processed in real time. The sound design includes field recordings of Iranian regional and ritual music. The beats are based on local patterns. Digital synthesizers produce the audio element.

The main project is composed of seven elements. Together they depict the cyclical formation of an entity and include the following phases: passivity, avoidance, constriction, conformity, elevation, expiry, and revival. Seven is significant in West Asian culture, acting as a metaphor for infinity or completion. It is invoked frequently in prophetic narrations and sacred texts to illustrate the cosmic scale.

These seven stages are based on the verb forms Enfeāl, used to assign the meaning of affectability to a verb and Eeāl, which is used to assign the meaning of obedience to a verb and the subject’s influence. These words are generally used in both Arabic and Farsi in the fields of science, mathematics, physics, and chemistry (alchemy).

Enfeāl [passivity]: Affectability; the effect created by the subject in the passive
Emtenā [Avoidance]: To stop, to avoid accepting or doing something
Enqebāz [Constriction]: To constrict, to draw together, to become narrower and tighter without making a change in physical characteristics
Entebāq [Conformity]: To conform, to accord, to be equalized, to adjust to new circumstances
Ertefā [Hight]: Prominence, elevation, the vertical distance from head to foot or from base to top of something, an Arabic poetic device
Enqezā [Expiry]: To pass, to end, termination
Ehyā [Revival]: To regain life

The Enfe'al exhibition explores select aspects of the Maqruh project, delving into the profound connections and reciprocal process of affecting and being affected. Ali Phi explores the inherent uncertainty in decision-making during the creative process by employing technology-driven materials and navigating the interplay between ancient concepts, aesthetics, and modern digital presentation tools.

Enfe’al illustrates the fusion of traditional art and architectural aesthetics from the greater Iranian plateau with the latest advancements in real-time digital processing, offering a captivating exploration at the intersection between past and present, tradition and innovation, and endless possibilities, probabilities, and contingencies.