Maelstrom
Maelstrom continues the artistic journey I began with Braided Photos, exploring patterns and textures as metaphors for the shared and repetitive nature of human experience. My fascination with patterns extends beyond the visual; it is a study in monotony, ordinariness, and the routine moments that shape our lives. This collection builds upon the concepts of my previous works, where I used documentary photography to craft digital patterns, capturing the essence of life's repetitive rhythms.
In this new series, however, I draw inspiration from the travelogue of Madame Jane Dieulafoy, a French orientalist who documented her journeys in Iran. Her unique perspective on the East resonated with me, leading to a creative fusion of her historical images with my own photographic patterns. These compositions offer a historical viewpoint, blending contemporary digital techniques with the evocative imagery of a bygone era.
The artworks in Maelstrom combine digital painting with acrylic on print, creating a textured interplay between history and modernity. The human figures are derived from Dieulafoy's travelogue, while the documentary photographs and patterns are my own. This blending of sources lends the series a layered depth, where each piece is a dialogue between past and present, the ordinary and the extraordinary.
In addition, this collection includes a video piece, created through a computer algorithm, that allows viewers to zoom infinitely into one of these patterns, uncovering new layers and details with each level. This piece embodies the concept of endless repetition, where patterns continually transform, revealing the nuanced beauty within life’s everyday rhythms.
Patterns, for me, are more than mere repetition—they are a commentary on the routines and cycles of daily life. While the patterns may appear vibrant and engaging from afar, a closer inspection reveals repeated frames that echo life’s daily repetitions. This visual metaphor highlights the contrast between the allure of routine and its potential to become mundane over time.
This collection was first exhibited in 2019 at Vista Gallery, and since then, selected works have been showcased in various exhibitions across Iran and internationally. Previously, my pattern-based work has been displayed in solo and group exhibitions, but Maelstrom represents an evolution—a new stage where additional elements, such as historical references and figures, have been introduced. Inspired by my architectural background, I approached the arrangement of figures with a spatial sensitivity, allowing each pose and stance to evoke a sense of place.
