NOW AND TEN

By uniquely observing the traditions of Iran, Haerizadeh makes both
provocative and sympathetic portrayals of a society that difers so drastically
from the West, yet seem eerily familiar. His ability to step back and appreciate
the comedy that exists in the contradictions and faws of one’s own culture
in a way that is so visually beautiful must be applauded. In Typical Iranian
Funeral, Haerizadeh brings to life the polarities that exist not only between
East and West but also those which exist within the traditions of Iran itself.
Using the rituals of an Iranian funeral as a vehicle for doing so, the artist
creates two distinct panels to address these apparent issues. While the panel
on the left shows the more intimate of the two traditions, we see individual
tables on which are seating the closest friends and families of the deceased
as they share a plentiful meal, referring to the reception that often takes
place after the burial. Alternatively, the right hand panel conveys a far more
public spectacle, that of the actual funeral ceremony. While the bodies of the
deceased are displayed to be grieved by mourners and strangers alike, the
large-scale impersonality of the event is depicted by the loudspeaker which
plays the proclaimed rites near the grave. Haerizadeh’s profound ability to
liberate the scene from the sense of tragedy that is synonymous to a funeral
is truly a masterful feat. Through the satirical comedy he imbues into these
works, his artistic style brings about a true divergence from normative
painterly styles. Lifting the emotional weight of the events in favour of a more
comedic richness, his artistic style eschews heavily layered paint, abundantly
ornamented canvases and geometric forms in favour of a richness which
stems from a light-hearted and sensitive approach.
The originality of Haerizadeh’s technique harmonises the comedic qualities of
satire and cartoon-like silhouettes with the familiarity of the practices native
to his hometown. Painting with an energetic expression, his observations
have remained with him since his childhood and will continue to inform his
artistic lexicon as he progresses through his artistic journey. The present
work is undeniably one of Haerizadeh’s masterpieces, along with two other
monumental diptychs including its sister piece entitled Typical Iranian
Wedding and Shomal, which both stand as the artist’s auction records to date.
The ensemble that is made of these three monumental paintings led to the
artist’s international recognition, as they were the star pieces at the much
celebrated Unveiled exhibition, which showcased the best of Middle Eastern
contemporary art at Saatchi in London in 2009.