Boldness is the Artist's savior.

Perhaps the most significant visual event in Shirvanizadeh’s artworks can be attributed to the interwoven undulating lines that he has painted predominantly at the center of his compositions. These lines sometimes culminate in an abstract central configuration and at other times emerge as figurative forms that assert themselves in the middle of the canvas. In the smaller works, these central interwoven undulating lines may be likened to a flower or a vase, recalling examples of still life painting. In the larger paintings, the artist attempts to orchestrate more varied interactions with these interwoven undulating lines, arriving at different results that nevertheless almost all adhere to a shared compositional and chromatic logic.

By introducing human and animal figures visible primarily in the larger artworks along the edges of the picture plane, Shirvanizadeh achieves several new effects. First, by juxtaposing these figures with the interwoven undulating forms, which are generally much larger in scale, he emphasizes the monumentality of the latter. Second, by establishing a relationship between the figures and the interwoven lines, he renders the paintings open to interpretation, allowing viewers to engage in imaginative speculation and construct personal narratives. Finally, these figures complicate the otherwise simple compositions, inviting the viewer’s eye to explore a greater number of visual planes and pictorial surfaces.

The dramatic dimension appears to be of particular importance in Shirvanizadeh’s artwork a quality he achieves through the incorporation of diverse visual elements into his canvases. Beyond the monumental scale of the paintings, which, as noted earlier, establishes the works’ commanding presence before the viewer, the posture and form of the figures typically depicted as reacting to the interwoven undulating lines further intensify their dramatic character. Additional motifs, such as parted curtains recalling a theatrical stage or fragments of architectural structures represented only by a wall or a gateway, reinforce this sense of drama while increasing the movement and tension within the compositions. As a result, viewers remain engaged for longer periods particularly in front of the larger canvases while the artworks’ openness to interpretation and capacity to stimulate the imagination are considerably enhanced. Above all, one may discern the influence of traditions such as the Baroque in Mohammadreza Shirvanizadeh’s paintings. As Hossein Ganji also notes in the exhibition text, traces of Pop Art can likewise be identified in his artwork.

Boldness is among the first words that comes to mind when viewing Mohammadreza Shirvanizadeh’s paintings. The large scale of the artworks the largest measuring just under two meters in height and just under one and a half meters in width immediately commands the viewer’s attention. At the same time, the artist’s insistence on placing vibrant interwoven undulating forms at the center of the composition irresistibly draws the eye, while the abundance of pure, saturated colors spread across the canvases creates a rich chromatic world that, in combination with the monumental scale of the paintings, encourages close attention to their details. Together, these qualities suggest the presence of a bold artist who clearly delights in the physical act of painting and in engaging directly with its materials.

In my mind, boldness can be regarded as a quality that serves an artist well, enabling a painter to transform our familiar assumptions about artistic creation and to open up a new visual world before the viewer. In many respects, Mohammadreza Shirvanizadeh has sought to construct such a personal visual language, shaped by his own distinctive formal vocabulary, and he has succeeded to a considerable extent. Although, in the smaller works, the omission of many of the visual elements discussed above lends the paintings a more decorative character, the larger canvases deepen their interpretive potential while achieving greater visual complexity. In this sense, it seems that, at least in the smaller works, the artist exercises less of the boldness evident elsewhere. Nevertheless, what he presents in the exhibition The Geometry of Dance suggests that he has come remarkably close to establishing a distinctive visual world of his own. One may hope that his future works will bring this world to an even fuller realization.

Hafez Rouhani Critic and Journalist