Coffee house paintings : Iran's return to Islamic art

              REVIEHS
Sincc (he Islamic rcvoliilioii,
conteníporarv Icanians are finding it a
clialleiiu'e Ki re-¡(leiilil\ tlieniselves.
Traditional l'ersian iconograpln no
longer seenis lo represenl llie Iranian
culture, and lias been loiig snbstituted
by new icons sucli as guns and NCÍIS.
Once ihe l'anlasN land oíllie Oiienl. ihis
country lias been Iransronned hilo the
Middle East's ideological ballle gi'onnd.
The new han has niade it its nhssion lo
•puriíy hs cnhure bv ii|>i'ooung all
f'oi'eign infhíences. To niost Westerners,
ihis fililí IVoni llie exotics of 'Persia' to
ihe niililancv of islamic
(nndanienlalisin is ¡iicoinprehensible
and dilTicnll. llo\\('\ei-. ihe reliu'ii to
Islam íor' man\ haihims IUIM IOHOWCÍI a
long hislorx' ol colonialism and WVsiern
doininalion o\ei' llie lasl cenlni\. and a
coiise(|ueii( necessilv lo reclaim a los!
¡(lenlilv. Al the lime of llie revolutioii.
Islam offered llie onlv alleriial¡\c lowaid
a colleclive. plulosophical and spirilual
directive. .Vlansoor l'Lhsan. anlhor of
Polilirs (if Mdilyidoiii iii l'osl
líeroliilioiKiry lian describes: "'riie
conslniclioii of Islamic fnndamenlalihiii
is nsiialK ploUed (b\ llie West) on a
graph dial sepárales Iradilion Irom
inodeiiiiu. I he Islamic cnhure ¡s
homogenized and placed in llie calegorv
of Iradilion. wlhic modernily marks ihe
Weslern cnhure. Modernilv is
associaled willi science. lechnologw
progress. rallonalilx'. and democracy.
Coffee House
Paintings
Return to
S H I R I N NESHAT
These adribiiles all carrv a |)Osilive
sigiiature. while li'adilion lilis ilie
negali\'e slol wilh ¡Is archaic. irralional.
reactionarv, superstitious, and des|iolic
allribules.'''
i l i e ¡menliou of ihis article,
howexcr. is iiot to analyze or delend the
polilical coufigiiralion of the Islamic
Kepul)l¡c of han. bul lo ^ludy ihe
presenl Iranian cullure and liow il
enibodies ihe social and polilical
Islamizalion ihal has laken place since
the revoluliou. I'erhaps a cióse look al
lilis •ciilliiial purifi<al¡oii' movemenl.
ina\ facililale an underslandiiig of \\'h\
and how haniaus ha\'e arrixcd al such a
State of sell- delerminalion.
Islamic re\-ohil¡on lias made
culi mal produclion a serious business. a
sxsleni lo dissenhnale ils ideology.
(áillure is no longer aboul 'fuii or
gi\ ing 'pleasure'. bul il fimclions as a
lool foi'commimicalion. Arl and
ihoiiglil. inlellecliialisni and seiisiiality.,
logic and poelrv seeni lo be runiiing
parallel. In i'ecent years. ait lias becoine
less and less 'precioiis'. and more
accessil>le. Tliis is i'emarkable
considering llhs counli\'s long hislorv of
niaking arls and crafls lo enlerlain kiiigs
and (pieens. The cnrreiit climate has
abandoned such pasl luxuries. and is
cleaiiy niakiug il ils mission lo bring
'arl back to 'socielx' b\ popiilarising ihe
cullure. and resculing ihe decadeuce and
exclus¡\ il\ of liigh cullure.
Much of b-anian cullure exists in
ihe piibhc realm. .Vlosl nolewDi'lln are
llie muráis all o\cr Iraihan cities,
poilraying ke\ polilical characlers.
evenls and slogans inscrilied in ciassical
calligraphv. Poelrx. alwavs a siguificanl
asjiecl of Iranian cullure. fimclions
loda\ in piiblic parks. fdr e.xample.
social messages oii en\ ¡roiuueiUal
preservalion are s|)read across public
billboards. PodaN'. llie lilerary lield
enjoys a large audience. wilh ihe ciirrent
level of pro(hi(i¡on c.xceediug all past
records. Bookslores are exlremcly
popular, ¡n pan icplacing ihe previoiis
nieeling groimd of W'eslcrn cales. Pop
innsic. llie b-iiil of ihe Sliahs period of
yw
CENrfO-'llANliCODf ARIl MODltNO
J(i.S('/t/f í/intirií iti ///(' //•('// I)\JH.S l>r(il/ií'fs.
Eiii-opeaiiisalion. lias Ix-cn \iiluallv
eliniiiia(('(l aiicl i-cplaccd hv classical
inusic Olí radio and Iclcxisioii. l'iiialK.
llie screening of foi'cigii niiiis lias liccii
loi'hiddcii iii iiiovie llicalrcs. while
piodiiclioii oí lianiaii films, mosllv
liiiaiiced bv llic goxcrniiii'iii. lias beeii
successfullv revilaliscd and is
licgiiiniíig lo receive ¡iilci'iialional
acclaiin.
I ladilionalK. Pcisian and Islaiiiic
Ail llave liad dicir siniilarilics and
differences. Wliilc bolli are considcred
lii<ílily rcl'iiKMl and IccIinicalK coniiilcx,
Pci'sian Ail has icincscnlcd Pcrsian
coiirls and llicir clahoratc kingdoin.
Islaniic Arl. oii ilic OIIUT liaiid. is liijíliK
r('rici'liv<' OÍ IIIC s|)iiiliial aiid |)olitical
|ii'¡iiripals oí Islam, icpirsciiling llic
mass cnllnrc.
Islamic \]l ilscir. lias ils
\ariaiioiis. Classic and Popular Art.
(llassic Islamic Arl. an ¡nlcllccliial Irciid
willi slroiiu pliilosopliical lonndalion. is
closclv associali'd willi imslical
nioM'incnts. siicli as Snlisin. Iraniaii
Scholar. Scvccd I losseiii Nasr in Islamic
Arl (111(1 SpiriliKi/ily dcscrilics:
•''Tradilional Islamic arl pro\ idcs an
¡inibiancc in wliicli (iod is rcmcmbcrcd
wlicn'vcr oiic liiriis. Il coii\c\s llic
spiriliialilx and csscnlial nicssagc ol
Islam llironiili a limclcss langiiagc
wliicli. prcciscK bccaiisc of ils
limi'lcssncss as wcll as ils dirccl
sviiibulisiii. is iiioi'c elTecIi\e and iess
pidbli-malic lliaii inosi of llic llii'ologii-iil
('.\|)laii¿UÍoiis of Islam. Il is llic scrcnclv
inlclligililc. sliiicliir('<l and liigliK
spiriliKil i'liaracicr of Ulainic arl w liicli
more llian aii\ ollier elemcnl has lielpcd
lo i'ombal aiiil ofl-sel ihe \cr\ iieuali\e
efh'cl prodnccd b\ ihal l\ pe of i-iirreiillv
popular lileraliire abíHil Islam wliich
wdiild depiel il as a \'iolenl. inalional
and lanalical lorce.
Popular Arl. seems lo speak abonl
and lo lile niasses. preciseK lliose w lio
h'll economicalK . aiiil ciihnralK
depr¡\('il l)\ llie Shah s goM-nimenl.
Once (lisinisseil as 'low-class arl . ihis
ino\ ('iiH'iil has reiinned w ilh an
enormoiis popnlarih. Il speaks abonl a
iiew sensc of s|iirilnal aml polilical
coiiiiiiiliiiriil. aii ¡iil('ii-.l ¡II ii'liiiildiim
Islaiiiic hi^liiiA. and rc\i\¡iig li'adiliiinal
\aliic.s. 1(1 maii\ ciiiilciiipoiaix liaiiiaiis.
i'iilliiial piiiiricalidii rcliiN licaNiK im llic
i('(l¡sc(i\iT\ ol llic pa-il.
lile (Idiiliiiaiil ililTrrcncr hclwceil
(lassical aiiil Piipiilar l.ilaiiiii- Arl
ri'iiiaiiih lili llic ¡ssiii- (il |»ilii¡cs. W hile
(da.ssii-al Islaiiiir Arl ili^lanrrs ¡IM'IÍ
liniii war and |)i)lil¡r^. Popular l-.laniic
Arl ¡.^ iiisi'paralilc Iriiiii piilhics. l-iir
¡nslancc. llic ''Ddíícdics (ij kaiiidlii'. ihc
asha^sinalidii i)i' hiiriiii Ilosítyn ¡ii liis
liallli' liir l>lam. i-^ dcpiclcd (ir pl¿i\c(l
oiil ¡II llicalrc i)\cr and (i\cr auaiii. I liis
cxciil wa-. lariicK iiscd iii rc-iiilrixliicc
lile niilion ni Slialiadal (iiiarl\ rd(iiii) lo
lile ucncral piililic. and a ^iüiidicanl
ídii-i' iii iiidl¡\aliim' Iranian nirii lo jiiin
llic halllc diiring llic lraii/liai| war. As
|•,ll^all dc^crilics: "llic r\ciil-, iif Karliala
rcpri'M'iil a liisldrical iri-iid . a paradiuní
lliidiiuii wliiili \\r rail cdnrrpl iializc
lidlli liisIdiN and lile prcscnl social
slriiíiulc. Marl\ rddiii lias hcrdini' a
ddininaiil calcüdix ¡n llii' sirii^glc
aaainsl lurcian idroldUA and íniu'cdit'x
of kaihfi/d liccanii' a sxniliol iif rrxoll
and ri'sisiancí' lor iiiain proplc. lo lie a
Iriic Miinliin was lii IKIIIIW II¡^ palli and.
likr liiiii. (lie loi' lile laiix-. ' Piipiilar .\rl
llirrclorc. is dcdicali'd lo llir ic\i\al (il
liisKirical Islainir cxciils and prniiKilliií;
lile spiril ni iiiariN rdoni li\ dcpicliim'
nccncs (iT liloiiilliallis and llii' .saciiiice (il
Islaniir .saiiils.
Oni'cif lile iiKisl simiiíicanl lorccs
willihi l'iipnlar ciilliirr i> ('oITcc-lloii.se
|)a¡ii(iii<>'. DriuiíialK i'.-.lal)l¡,>lird ¡n llic
1 (lili and 1 ^lli (•(•iiliir\. diiriiiü lile
Siifiirid riilr. and ialcí' n-\¡\rd ¡ii llic
i'arK 2()lli ccnliirv. Tliis nHiNcincnl
was d('\('l(ip('d l)\ •()rdiiiar\ . IKIII-Iraini'd
arlisls. wilii a clcar inlciiliiiii (il
slicddiiij; olT llir rapid I .iiropranisalidn
(if Iranian arl. Oílcii iianicd llir SC-IKHII
ni ¡niauinalinn . (innVc-l Iniísc painlings
dcpicl naliniial cpics and rcliginiis
(wciils. Micli as lile 7/r/ü('í//('.v oj
kiiilmld. rcclinicalK . llic\ sliarc iiniii'
ni llic riili'M ni' ihc nccidcnlal painliiiu's.
Rallicr llic\ íiillow llic nriainal i-nnccpls
hi Prrsian painlinus. willi iin ridalinn lo
pcisprclixc. rcalisni nr llic \isililr
nianilcilalion ni nalurr.
Siiirc lile Islainic rc\ iiliilinn. lilis
sclinnl ni painlinu" lias lircii rc\ ¡lalizcd.
\ iirw ncncralinn ni'arlisls are clnscK
¡dciilir\ iiiu willi lliin ninxcmcnl's
acccsMÍliilil\ lo llir niasscs . anil ils
Í7f
/>c/><ir/iirc of Kiirkliiisiiiir'.^ iiiul/iri- uiiu ;^iuiiuiiinllnr hiiniui Ir
disassociation wilh tlic 'ponipous'' arls
and literature that are alien lo the
character of ordinary peoplc. Goffee
house paintings speak of the significant
role played by the coffee-houses, a
coUective-site where arlists and poets are
niet by their coniiniinily. A place for (he
coinmon people to drink tea, rest and
get pleasure, by looking at paintings and
listening to the narrators recite epic
poems í'roni Iranian literary masterpieces
such as Shahnainelí by Ferdowsi, and
other stories about religious héroes.
Another i'orm of Po[)iilar culline is
Tazieh, otherwise known as 'passion
]jlay', an interactive religious theatre
where the audience [)lays oiit the
tragedies of Imam Ilosayn and his
conipanions, with the actors. Presentad
in open, |)iiblii- sjiaces. lazielí is a
drainalic pfTf'orniance and public
inonrning of the brutal killing of this
Islainic Saint. Non-believers are not
permitted to join the event as their
presence inay destroy the drama's
spiritual chínate.
Seventeen years after the Islaniic
revolution, however, new cultural trends
are developing, While soine Iranians
reinain coinmilted to Islainic anti-
Western objectives, others are
disillusioned by the llaws of this
'purification' moveinent, and are
beginning to resist the traditionalists.
An icón that seems to caf)ture this
tensión, is the presence of satellite
dishes, all across city landscapcs,
iinporting Western pop culture into the
hviiiíí rooins of iranian honu^s where the
screens are normally filled with
religious, sociallv correct progranis.
Foreign jounialists who liave found their
way into the borders of Iranian societv,
are thrilled to report the faihir(;s of (he
Islamic revolution (o (he outsiders,
claiining that the iinavoidable has
occurr(Ml and that Western teí'hnologv is
outsniarting Islamic fundaine(i(alism.
Whether a failure or a success in
Irán, Islamic ideologv is aggressivelv
spreading all across the worid, filling in
niany gaps within the lives of those
Moslems who have either been deprived
or unconvinced by 'Western valúes'. For
niany Middle Easterners, Islam is a
governing set of principáis, that offers a
sense of autononiv, independence and
validi(y in a world that they lind hard to
compele in.
Meanwliile, a mudial fear of the
'other side' -'aggressor'- 'alien'
continúes lo live with every one of iis
today, and i( is precisely the presence of
this feEtr that makes chaiKU's of
reconciliation obsole(e. Falimeh
Mernissi, audior of Islam and
üemocracy: 1'ear.s of ihe Modcrn World
describes Moslems' fear as follows:
^-Charb. the Arainc WÍM'CI for (he West,
is also the place of darkness and (he
incomprehensible, alwavs frighíening.
Glidib is (he (errl(oi-v of (he s(range, the
for(Mgn (gliarib). Evervthing that we
don't imdíü'stand is friglitening. (íliarb
is the place where the sun sets and
where darkness awaits. It is in the West
(ha( (he nigh( sna|)s up the sim and
swailows it; tlieii all terrors are possible.
Facing what friglitens us and
understanding it is the onlv possilile
reflex. We are (ired of being afraid."
Perhaps, now it's time for us to
ask: "Wliy is (he West so fearful of
Islam?"
Shirin Neshat is an Iranian arti.st-
¡)li()to<íi'a¡)lH'r jivin^ and wnrking in New
York. Slie will have lier fir.st .solo .sliow at the
Aniña Nosei (íallcrv (Iiis coniiníí OÍMOIXT.
Stiurash .s/aiii nii Ájnisytib'íi arder.