Solo show by Peyman Houshmandzadeh

This exhibition is the latest works of Peyman Hooshmandzadeh, a set of projects; “Time”, “Bank Notes”, “Trampled” and “Knives” , all have a common trait of documentary but in a new mould. The elements that are common in this series are objects that are either on our person during the day or close by; bank notes in our pockets, clocks that decorate the offices, bits and pieces that are crumpled every day and knives that are to be found on certain people. The earlier projects of the artist; “Tea House Regulars”, “Shooka Café”, “The Lads in Customs” and “Zourkhaneh” were documentaries with inclination to cast certain types. The presence of Humans particularly the men in a Patriarchal Society that we live in, is extremely visible. But the present exhibition emphasizes on objects; objects that are thought provoking and at the same time trivial, we are called on to open our eyes and ears and to concentrate on details. What becomes quite fascinating is that the previous series, the “Paradoxical Life” is now the connecting link; humans that were put behind window shields of cars with decorations that reflect our society as a cabinet of curiosities. The common thread that can be found in the artists’ body of work, is the common man’s Culture (The Folklore). A culture that by it’s nature is mixed with Kitsch art (The collection of Time) and also describes the mundane everyday (The Bank Notes). What happens in back alleyways of Tehran, from Café Shooka to the Customs House, the contents of our pockets, prints on shirts, the belts, the mustaches, all make up and form sub cultures that are full of contradictions but utterly Iranian.
Arash Fayez