By Ahmad Nadalian
Photos by Mansour Vahdani, R. Balochi, Ameneh Raisi, Gizella Varga Sinai and
Ahmad Nadalian.
During the last week of 2007 (25 -29, 2007) a new environmental art festival was
held on the coast of Hormoz, in the Persian Gulf. More than 80 artists gathered
on this beautiful island to create environmental installations and sand
sculptures. The festival also included a number of art performances.
http://www.riverart.net/paradise/festivals/persiangulf3
http://www.riverart.net/paradise/festivals/persiangulf3/persian
The Hungarian-born artist Gizella Varga Sinai, who is a painter and has lived in
Iran during the past forty years, painted on the rocks and created an
environmental installation of stones. Samira Sinai, who has a theater
background, filmed and is planning to create video art.
http://www.riverart.net/paradise/festivals/persiangulf3/artistsworks
http://www.riverart.net/paradise/festivals/persiangulf3/artistsworks/persian/index.htm
For the second
Persian Gulf Environmental Art Festival I presented
my latest cylinder seal which depicts a goddess combined
with a fish. I printed this
cylinder seal along the local beach.
http://www.riverart.net/sandprints/hormoz/index.htm
http://www.riverart.net/sandprints/hormoz/persian/index.htm
My recent cylinder seal
I also realized another new project: deer hoof prints and tracks on the sand
beach. Hormoz Island has a number of local deer. In recent years some of the
deer population has died due to a lack of rain and a shortage of "sweet water"
on the island.
People in Hormoz Island believe that when a deer is thirsty, it comes near the
beach and the sea water then gathers in its foot prints and becomes sweet so
that the deer can drink it. (This is a belief and miracle). The fact is that now
because of a shortage of rain some of the deer have died.
http://www.riverart.net/sandprints/hormoz/index.htm
http://www.riverart.net/sandprints/hormoz/persian/index.htm
I was inspired by this belief and by using local lime stone, made deer feet and
printed them on the sand of beach. The artists who participated in the festival
were very excited to see that deer came close to our camp, but the deer was
actually me having printed unusual patterns. (Environmental deer).
The local red earth named "Gelak". This red earth is used to cook "Soragh" which
is a traditional food. It consists of organic earth, fish and a kind of lemon or
sour orange "Nareng". Usually Soragh is served with bread. Experience shows that
the colored earth doesn't affect the body, so we enjoyed using this earth as a
medium for art.
Unfortunately, a local company exports this valuable earth and uses it in some
industry. Unfortunately, most of the people of Hormoz are poor and have no
income and many receive charity from the government. We artists aim to introduce
the value of this earth as an art material and we invite all artists across the
globe to visit this beautiful island.
I also used Hormoz's red earth and made new paintings of portraits and hands.
Like many other works of mine, these recent paintings show a personal
interpretation of the story of the first couple (Adam & Eve).
A couple from Latvia, Ieva Usca and Janis Matvejs, joined our festival, and I
painted the tree of life on their portraits. Ieva (Eve) is an environmental
scientist.
http://www.riverart.net/nadalian/paintedbody3
http://www.riverart.net/nadalian/paintedbody3/persian
Her fertility seduces him
http://www.riverart.net/nadalian/paintedbody3
http://www.riverart.net/nadalian/paintedbody3/persian
My other works, as usual, were carvings of fish and crabs on the stones and
rocks of the beach. I will carry on this tradition for my entire life.
More Images
http://www.riverart.net//iran/hormoz3
http://www.riverart.net//iran/hormoz3/persian/index.htm
We also had some noted international artists at this year's festival: Two
international artists from Germany named Bernhard Bub and Parisa Karimi
participated as well. They are the founders of and members of Antagon group.
They arrange workshops for young artists. One night we reviewed their works and
discussed ideas about theater and art performance.
http://www.riverart.net/paradise/festivals/persiangulf/artistsworks
http://www.riverart.net/paradise/festivals/persiangulf3/artistsworks/persian/index.htm
... Payvand News - 01/15/08 ... --
