Asia Week is coming to a close here in New York. There are tons of things I missed out on, of course, the chief one being the Asia Pacific Art Fair in Midtown. But, seeking to get *something* out of Asia Week, after having missed so many being away from home for so many years, I journeyed to the Upper East Side this past Saturday with my father.
Joan Mirviss, Hiroshi Yanagi, and Kaikodo all had incredible pieces on display, and beautiful spaces besides. But I never would have guessed that the one experience out of the day that would leave me with the greatest impression was the one I almost didn’t even go to – The Leila Taghinia-Milani Heller Gallery, specializing in Middle Eastern Contemporary Art, is located in the same building as Joan Mirviss’ gallery, and so, at my father’s suggestion, we decided, “why not?” and went and checked it out.
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Negar Ahkami is an American artist of Iranian descent who paints sparkling, boldly colorful images reflective of interactions between (traditional) Arabic/Persian and (modern) Western cultures.
I was lucky to get to speak with her that day, and she proved to be a most open, down-to-earth, friendly person. We did not get deeply into politics, but she referred vaguely, in general, to aspects of Iranian culture she disagrees with. She said that Western culture is present in Iran to a far greater extent than most Americans probably realize – Coca-Cola, designer fashion – and that Ahmadinejad’s views do not represent those of the Iranian public.
Her paintings, bright, colorful, and for the most part upbeat, or at least mysterious, and confusing in their dream-like imagery, inspire consideration or contemplation of the cultural and social issues involved in the interactions between traditional Iranian lifestyles and Western culture and attitudes. Some could be seen as biting social commentary, questioning certain traditional customs – in particular, those relating to the treatment of women – but, in a way, it’s refreshing and nice to see something related to Iranian/Arabic/Muslim/Persian culture that isn’t combative, accusatory, or even really political at all. There is more to Iran, she seems to be saying, than just the political (and ideological) enemy we see on our TV news, in our blogs and magazines. Being Iranian-American is, on some level, no different from being Irish-American or Vietnamese-American, and so her expression of her heritage, her culture, and the artistic, aesthetic influence of Persian painting should not be obligated to be political.
Ahkami’s works show significant influence from Persian art and architecture, the swirling arabesques and geometric patterns of mosque decoration and of Persian rugs. She uses a wide variety of untraditional materials, including lipstick, circular stains from coffee cups, and glitter. Lots of glitter. Her works are thick with gesso, acrylic paints, and other materials, making them seem more alive, perhaps, more visceral. At first, I thought the glitter bizarre, avant-garde, but really it serves the simple purpose of enhancing the bright colors of the image, and is really not all that different than the shiny gold and silver or sparkly mica used traditionally by artists the world over.
Artistic, unique in style, but not arrogantly abstract, Negar Ahkami’s works are beautiful in the simplest meaning of the word. They are brightly colored, artistically interesting, and have multiple layers of meaning.
Perhaps what made the most impact upon me was simply that Ms. Ahkami herself was so friendly and open, so willing to talk to me and my father about Asian art, about her work, and about a variety of related topics. Though I may not see her again, may not even happen upon her works again, I feel like she has entered my mental rolodex of artists I like, artists with whom I feel a special connection, however slight. If I should come across her name again, I will recognize it. And should someone ever mention her work, I can honestly say I’ve met her, and that she’s a very kind and friendly person. And that’s a nice feeling, a nice relationship to have with an artist.
