SARAI Gallery is delighted to present its inaugural exhibition under the Dot. Projects umbrella. Curated by Payam Khalili, the thought-provoking group show, Body And Imagination, showcases a diverse selection of contemporary Iranian artists.
Participating artists include Ali Zakeri (1959), Omid Moshksar (1972), Hadi Arabnarmi (1978), Karim Ghane (1979), Omid Hallaj (1980), Mahdiye Mahmoudi (1984), Moslem Khezri (1984), Rasoul Akbarlou (1985), Mina Bahreini (1986), Farsam Sangini (1988), Hosein Shirahmadi (1988), Mahsa Nouri (1991), and Faezeh Zandieh (1993).
Body And Imagination opens at SARAI-Tehran on August 30 and continues through September 20.
The human body is more than just a physical entity; It is a vessel for meaning. Shaped by cultural and social dialogues, the body is influenced by historical and cultural contexts. As Foucault suggested, the body is more of a surface inscribed with the marks of its time than a biological matter. Consequently, our bodies are imbued with overt and covert signs and symbols.
Human consciousness is undeniably shaped by the body and the experiences it gathers. In essence, humans are subjects embodied. Therefore, for many artists, studying the body is a way of exploring the deeper meanings intertwined with its biological essence and uncovering the hidden layers of the human experience through the lens of physicality.
Contemporary Iranians are witnessing a profound transformation in their bodies. Their urbanized bodies have given rise to new ways of living and forms of imagination, including an ideal of a respectable, idealized body. For urban dwellers today, body consciousness is not a choice but a social imperative. Contemporary life, with its emphasis on individualistic values, has provided the opportunity to cultivate more liberated bodies. In response to societal changes and the demands of the modern era, urban individuals seek to free their bodies from the constraints of "ritualized bodies" and the confines of tradition, history, and nature.
This exhibition seeks to narrate these very dialogues around human bodies. From intimate introspection to expansive perspectives, the showcased artists use the human form as their central focus, transforming it into tangible expressions of inner worlds where dreams are forged, desires ignite, and fears manifest. The exhibition invites viewers to witness the birth of imagination within the physical form.
