"Jame jam" Newspaper
Translated by "Reza Sanaee"
)
Awhile ago the Barg Gallery was hosting 3
periods of this artist’s drawings, the result of his works within 10 years. The
first period that is called the “Dark Period”
by the artist, shows his works of the years 1994 –1997. During this period his
works were influenced by his own mentality and a kind of darkness overshadowed
his soul. This is the reason why his works of this period have been created with
exaggeration tending toward distortion. There is a predominance of
expressionistic practices, the figures are twisting and captured in darkness,
and also the white of the paper is barely visible. In the works of the second
period from 1997 – 2000, you will notice that the negative imagery is shattered
down to be replaced by a new one in which the tendency is toward more light and
ascent. He has named this period the “Empty Period”.
Study and research has penetrated his works, and life and soul are brought into
his sketches. His last period known as the “Bright Period
” begins with the year 2000 and stretches well into present. The strokes of
Mahvis’s pen reflect a unique kind of emancipation, and induce a
melodious rhythm in the visitor. The artist admits to having been listening to a
lot of music in this period, and that he did all the sketches and drawings of
this stage while listening to
)
background music. In short you could say that this period witnesses more white
of the paper than the previous ones. What is prominent in
Mahvis’s works is his penetration into the souls
and thoughts of his models. He is in search of a broader horizon. Perhaps in a
careless observation, his works may look like copies of still life; but in
reality they are mirrors reflecting the soul and thoughts of the visitor. It is
not easy to look into some of the models’ eyes in his drawings for long. Because
it would be more appropriate to say that he has so masterfully captured the
inner eye of the model that the boldness of it would make it impossible to look
back into the models’ eyes. His intention is to “dominate” over the image, and
he sketches the inner characters of his models in his works.
)
He was born in 1965 and is a lecturer in University of
Tehran and
AL-Zahra University. He has also another
10-year program, in which he intends to draw the inner self with more
transparency. However, 10 years is too long a time to wait to see his works
again.
Siavash Mahvis has had 12 group exhibitions most of which consisting
of him and a partner. He has also had exhibitions with his trainees at the
Laleh and
Bahman Galleries. He has participated in both of
the biennial drawing exhibitions of Contemporary Art
Museum, and in the designing section his works were chosen to be
displayed in an exhibition in the
Ershad Gallery
of Karaj in 1997, set up for the Ten-Day Dawn
ceremonies, and also in the
Barg Gallery, and he was awarded at both
exhibitions. He is a lecturer in
University of Tehran,
AL-Zahra University and other related educational environments.
"Ayandeye no" Newspaper
A commentary on "Siavash Mahvis" and trainees’ art exhibition
Written by "Bamdad Rezvanian"
Translated by "Mehrnush Naderi"
Siavash Mahvis is one of these painters
who have become well acquainted with this
)
kind of figures and drawings by realistic artists.
Daumier, a famous
French artist is one of them- Some one who
had attracted Mahvis’ interest by his gray,
dark and bright colors used in his drawings and models reflecting a social
tragic irony. Siavash was also captivated by
Daumier’s highly effective use of slight,
few and quick sketches and spots in his works. In later years,
Siavash
turned to Russian literature and art and
became familiar with famous
Russian writers like "Chekhov",
"Dostoevsky"and also with great painters
such as "Repin", "kramskoy"
and "serov". What’s most prominent about
these well-known people is their realistic view they had to life; what else is
outstanding about them is that they had made their diligent presence be felt by
almost a variety of social classes. Siavash
is one these artists who came under the influence of such eminent painters and
at a period of time was adversely affected by
realistic expressionistic attitudes of artists
such as “Kollwitz” what made his
social and aesthetic appeal arise and appear in his paintings.
Later, Mahvis’ naturalistic and even photo-realistic attitude made him to find better ways to express his ideas and thoughts. At this period of time, he worked hard and put in a great deal of effort. In contrary to his peers, seeking to prove themselves by their sophistications, Mahvis tried to experience painting through drawing and long time practice.
Moreover, he enjoyed teaching and sharing his knowledge to his students and trainees; and set the study of drawing as an academic discipline in his teaching practice. During this period, Siavash attempted to use forms, lines and tonalities for the sake of expressing the personal feelings of his models. Picturing the posture of his models made him full of enthusiasm; and in order not to distort his art works, appearing like illustrations, he avoids using subjects - an element missing in his drawings.
Actually, trying to sketch in the compositions for visual images like background and (in general) surroundings by a predetermined subject doesn’t sound appealing to him. Instead he prefers creating improvised artworks.
The looks of his models inspires him to study them and come up with a new idea to work on. In some of his artworks drawn from a real model, we can see lots of gray colors; it’s like as if he believes that bright and vivid colors make his works seem unusual; the belief of some painters who considered colors as the second element in painting; and drafts and forms the most prominent one. At these works, Siavash tries to follow this path and sacrifice colors for the realistic structure of a painting. One of the major, developmental feature and aim represented at Siavash’s paintings is the characterization and the way he tries to create a true image of his models. Some times the close similarity of his models and images distorts the sudden and first reflection of his paintings.
By the way, gaining experience and seeking knowledge is believed to be necessary for all artists and painters to achieve, something which has been trusted in Siavash Mahvis’ artworks so far and will hopefully be so on.
"Tandis" Magazine
A commentary on "Jamshid Haghighat Ansari’s" exhibition in "Kamaleddin Behzad gallery"
"Written by "Siavash Mahvis"
Translated by "Marzie Mehri"
)
Those who are dab hands at art (painting) are well aware of the difficulty in
painting of a large size. The accomplishment of the first design, the betterment
of weak points and the removing faults during the performance often make the
painter pass on immediate and difficult resolution which its range of difficulty
differs according to the chosen technique by the artist and also the framework
and content of art work. It is what clear-sighted people and experts can observe
in Jamshid Haghighat Ansari’s exhibition, the
artist’s attempt and struggle to pass this stage successfully is not easily
achieved. A look at his drawings and small dark drafts besides his large-sized
works can efficiently reveal his interests and points of view. And that is the
point where we can draw a line to show the artist’s passed path of progress to
reach the current large-size works. These drawings are mostly in the form of
practice and study which have been created within the years of the artist’s
teaching and training, and these are ones of the experiences, each
)
artist gets to fulfill his sense of technique orientation. Besides they are
mainly based on experimental, they attempt to show the potentiality, hidden in
lines and tonal marks, which keeps finding a loop-escape to get free. The
artist’s first large-size works are considered as a start to have the mentioned
freedom and they also represent the bright spots which were vague in the
artist’s previous works. The fluid currently of mind impressionability from
realties, environment, life, society and the people around….
)
He has taken enough courage and excitement to break the old technical and rules
by choosing the large canvas for his work and acrylic color as the major
material, and it goes on and reaches the point which he even washes the canvas
by water and mop. According to the extreme attractions of his works, he creates
such works that despite their change, diversity and improvisation in its
discourse and expression. They are still rooted in the artist’s characteristics
and identical background. The gentle movement, the formed turn, the lines of
portraits and the mixture and togetherness of visual varieties of background
often represent a real complete composition of a painting with subject of
“human”. On the other hand, the single portrait, and sometime, the buts which
their sleeping inner feelings and weird thoughts visualize the still and fearful
sadness of those people who are dominant over everything and dominated by them
at the same time. Generally anything which has the ability to penetrate, finds
its way to penetrate. The artist has reached the ability of penetration by the
use of intensity and strength of vivid paint layers besides the other visual
qualities. And also the artist has made progress without hurting the freshness
of paint-composition to reach his aims. It is the form of life dominating his
feeling with the modern techniques in a silly or showy modernistic way. Well, in
order to say that he has gone beyond the circle drawn by the previous artists.
He has found the right path and followed it. It is not a way to get lost. The
rootless modernity is the same as guarding a cemetery full of the dead. The
various needs of life in different period of time show right path to the
hardworking and investigation artists and speakers. May God help us be one of
these followers.
"Tandis" Magazine
Written by "Arman Yaghoub poor"
Translated by "Marzie Mehri"
Having these views, I saw Siavash Mahvis’
works in
Barg gallery. In all his works human’s body
plays the main role and it seems as though
Mahvis
has attempted to find the way tot the interior of the sitter and to the hidden
points, using a great number of lines and tonalities which create the general
form of the model. This exhibition is the result of 10 years of work and
generally it can be divided into 3 sections:
1. Expressive look to model.
2. Naturalistic look to
model.
3. Improvisation in figure drawing.
After looking at the artworks, I came up this question that why
Mahvis has chosen the human subject? Or what are the untold secrets
of his models that he wishes to express? Has he followed copying the nature or
is he seeking a boarder horizon?
If one looks at the artworks superficially, the unaware addressee would
comment that his works are
)
just a copy of the nature as what the camera does. But we are well aware that
the figures of this artist are not the frozen naturalistic, in fact they are
trying to release from this coagulation. He has been determined to find a way to
the inside of his models by knowing them. He finds the subject of human having
more depth than nature and still life. However we know that many of the great
painters in history have studied the still life for years. We have not forgotten
the search of Cézanne for changing the
bottle into cylinder and the hard work of
Morandi for simplifying the objects goes on so
far that the bottle will just be an excuse to show the artist’s attitude.
Mahvis divides his works into 3 periods of time. He Calls the first
period “Dark period” and it contains his works
of the years 1944 till 1997.The next period is called “Emptiness
period” which continued till the year 2000 and the last period called
“White period ” that goes through the years of
2001 until now .In the works of the first period a kind of pessimism over the
soul of Mahvis. It causes the existing
exaggeration in his works towards distortion; figures are captured in black and
imprisoned in a frame. The second period is the period of the Emptiness or the
Naturalistic look at the figures in which he intends to build a wall of tonality
using hatches and to show the picture’s structure. According to the artist, in
this period he was aiming to study the pictures and nothing more. He calls his
last works “White period”. During this period improvisation in using his brush
shows that Mahvis
)
is released from some naturalistic principles. The fluid movement of pencil on
paper in these works provides a more optimistic view compared to those of the
other periods. Usually the figures have sparkle of hope in their eyes and a
smile on their lips. If we compare the works of the first and the last period,
we can admit that in the pessimistic characters of the artist was dominating
over his works, but in his resent works the character of the model or figure
tends to overshadow the picture. In this period he is absorbed in characterizing
to his subjects that he sacrifices the space around the figure background to
work on his face. There is an exaggeration in this period like the first period.
But this exaggeration remains loyal to naturalism. He proceeds as far as he
gives life to the hidden characters of the model. In this matter as he says
himself: “I have started a journey that I hope reach its end in the future.”
"Hamshahri" Newspaper
Translated by "Marzie Mehri"
)
…Siavash Mahvis graduated from the
University of Tehran in painting. This was his
first exhibition. His works that generally contain figure drawing, characters
representation are situated beautifully on the sheets. Delicate and sensitive
lines and the fine harmony of light and shade in some of the works in which the
subject and background or in other works the full and empty spaces in drawing
are located nicely, create a beautiful space. But this event does not appear in
all the woks and besides the fact that the importance subject is not ignored,
but mangle of attention to the background, decreases the work to a level of
being just a good sketch.
He says about his works: “Presenting academic performance needs hard work and if it is combined with thinking, it can form the basis of a modern work for the artist. I am looking for a new and suitable mental for the space of my work. Time will specify whether or not I will succeed. Basically, all the painters like all other artists are changeable, because are more sensitive than other people. The different factors that are changing cause immediate changes in them and naturally, these changes affect their works. Right now I am in a situation which is different from the space in which I created these works. My present situation does not let me create these works again. Now I am in need of profound thinking. Perhaps the following works would be in continuation of these works or may have a completely different space. This will be distinct when I start my work again”.
Hamshahri" Newspaper
A commentary on "Minnoo Asaadi’s" Art Exhibition
Written by "Siavash Mahvis"
Translated by "Mehrnush Naderi"
The subjects of her paintings are mostly still life and scenes of her house- a place with the aim of creating
paintings, using it as a workshop and also living. In order to form an idea for painting, she either starts her work outdoors and finishes it at home or her workshop or stays indoors and paints from her own imagination and conception. She‘s also done some collages and pastel works. One of her collages named "Damaging the Environment" and also some other pastel works have been created at her working trips. In some of her collages, she’s tried her best to resemble the feelings applied under the background of the picture and also her own conceptions through the painting. But at some other works of her collage, she has attempted to present a graphic design through her simple, rough sketches and the way she puts the designs together. At 1969, after she did an M.A in painting at Britain’s Imperial Art Academy, she returned to her country and continued painting till 1977. Despite the time when the country’s culture became westernized; and artists and open-minded people started losing their own customs, Minoo Asaadi and the ones having her mentality, did all they could to keep Eastern Art style. But later, they felt stigmatized by these so-called open-minded and intellectual people. Asaadi says: “I don’t care about new styles and modern trends. I have my own definition for what others call an aesthetically pleasing artwork.” What she’s looking for is pure beauty in herself. She still employs eastern styles in her works and still respects eastern outlooks.
She’s been an assistant professor since 1971 at AL-Zahra University and has held about 50 (both personal and group) exhibitions in our country and also some other foreign countries like China, Turkey, Russia, Kuwait, Bulgaria, England, United States and so on. She’s received different awards and citations for her paintings and art researches including, 2 bronze medals and 3 prize money from Britain’s Imperial Academy, 2 gold medal from Tehran municipality, one Iranian renown women medal from the presidential bureau and also a medal and prize money from ECO.
فارسی
