EXPLORING NATIONAL IDENTITY AND MODERN ART AESTHETICS, AN INVESTIGATION OF THE LIFE, ACTIVITIES AND ARTWORKS OF JALIL ZIAPOUR MARYAM POURNAYEBZADEH CULTURAL CENTRE UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA KUALA LUMPUR University of Malaya 2019 EXPLORING NATIONAL IDENTITY AND MODERN ART AESTHETICS, AN INVESTIGATION OF THE LIFE, ACTIVITIES AND ARTWORKS OF JALIL ZIAPOUR MARYAM POURNAYEBZADEH DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF VISUAL ARTS CULTURAL CENTRE UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA KUALA LUMPUR University of Malaya 2019 University of Malaya ii [EXPLORING NATIONAL IDENTITY AND MODERN ART AESTHETICS, AN INVESTIGATION OF THE LIFE, ACTIVITIES AND ARTWORKS OF JALIL ZIAPOUR] Abstract This research will investigate Jalil Ziapour; a pioneer Iranian modern artist.The study will also explore Iranian identity in his paintings as well as his artistic activities, anthropological studies, and changes during different phases of his life from 1920 to 1999 alongside, modernism and nationalist movements in Iran. Ziapour was a creative artist and an active academician during the different phases of his life. Since he was looking for inspiration and innovation through the artistic creations in Iran, many artists and scholars appreciated him as an important modern artist, who made advanced the art of painting in Iran. However, he is not explored well particularly when it comes to taking into account the different dimensions of his artistic life. In my research, I investigated Ziapour, taking into account various dimensions of his different artistic activities, including his biography, the social- political situation of his time, and his theory of modern art, his art writings and his anthropological studies. I studied how he integrated Iranian identity and modern art aesthetics in his paintings and I analyzed how his painting styles changed during different phases of his life. Key Words: Jalil Ziapour, modern artist, art works, artistic life, national identity University of Malaya iii [MENEROKA IDENTITI KEBANGSAAN DAN ESTETIKA SENI MODEN, SATU KAJIAN MENGENAI KEHIDUPAN, AKTIVITI DAN KARYA SENI JALIL ZIAPOUR] Abstrak Kajian penyelidikan ini akan mengkaji Jalil Ziapour, salah seorang perintis seni lukis moden di Iran. Kajian ini juga akan menyelidik penerokaan identity warga Iran melalui hasil lukisan dan aktiviti seni beliau, serta kajian antropologi dan perubahan fasa kehidupan beliau di antara tahun 1920 hingga 1999, bersampingan dengan gerakan Modenisme dan Nasionalisme di Iran. Ziapour adalah seorang tokoh seni yang kreatif dan ahli akademik aktif dalam pelbagai fasa kehidupan beliau. Memandangkan beliau sering menerokai inspirasi dan inovasi menerusi ciptaan seni beliau di Iran, ramai pelukis dan cendekiawan menghargai beliau sebagai tokoh seni moden yang penting, dalam usaha menjayakan evolusi bidang seni lukis di Iran. Walaupun demikian, kisah perjalanan seni beliau tidak pernah dieksplorasikan secara terperinci dari segi dimensi yang berbeza. Dalam penyelidikan ini, saya menyiasat Ziapour dari pelbagai dimensi, sama ada dari aktiviti seni beliau yang berbeza, analisis biografi beliau, keadaan politik sosial sezaman, teori seni moden beliau, tulisan seni serta kajian antropologi yang berhubungan dengan beliau. Saya juga belajar bagaimana beliau menggabungkan Identiti Iran dan estetika seni moden dalam lukisan beliau. Di samping itu, saya mengkaji bagaimana gaya lukisan beliau berubah dalamUniversity fasa kehidupan yang berlainan. of Malaya Keywords: Jalil Ziapour, artis moden, kerja seni, kehidupan artistic, identiti kebangsaan iii Acknowledgements I would like to give my regards and appreciation to all of the great people who helped me to organize this dissertation. With their creative cooperation and helpful attention, it became possible for me to go through to finish the work of this dissertation enthusiastically. I do appreciate my dear parents for their support and encouragement during the period of my study and work on this thesis dissertation and that, with their influential presence and warm care; I could pursue my goals and destiny. Working on the topic of this dissertation was started from the idea in mind and various negotiations with my dear supervisor, Dr. Genevieve Gamache, to study about the biography analysis of the artist about different dimensions of his life and changes in his artworks, which done in an analytical descriptive study. For this reason, I would like to give special thanks to my dear supervisor for her great help and supervision during the step by step progressions and work on the chapters of this dissertation. Thanks to 'Mehrdad Jalali' for his help during the translation works of the chapters, 3, 4 and 6. I firstly wrote some of the texts of these chapters in Farsi and then gave them to him to translate them to English and then I edited them again. I also give my thanks and regards to dear committee members for their attention, notifications and effective comments about the work of this dissertation. I would like to thank the office of public relations in the Contemporary Art Museum of Tehran, National Library of Tehran andUniversity Central City Hall Library of Isfahan, forof their helpMalaya and cooperation, and thanks to Cultural Centre, University of Malaya and my dear lecturers and wonderful friends for their various helps, suggestions, and supporting, during the process of works on this dissertation. Table of Contents Title Page Abstract iii Abstrak iii Acknowledgments iv Chapter 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Thesis Statement 3 1.3 Background of Research 3 1.3.1 Fighting Cock Society 1947-1956 5 1.3.2 Movement of Modern Art in Iran 1950-1980 7 1.3.3 Ziapour’s Paintings 9 1.3.4 The summary of Iran’s Art History 10 1.3.5 Where Ziapour stand in the Art History of Iran 13 1.4 Purpose of Research 15 1.5 Problem Statement 15 1.6 Objectives 15 1.7 Research Questions 16 1.8 Method of Approach 16 1.9University Delimitations and Limitations of Malaya 16 1.10 Theoretical Construct 17 1.10.1 Modernism 17 1.10.1.1 Concept of Modernism and Modernity 18 1.10.1.2 Modernism in Asia 20 1.10.2 Nationalism 23 1.10.2.1 History of Nationalism 24 v 1.10.2.2 Nation and Post-Colonialism 26 1.10.2.3 Nation and Critics 27 1.10.2.4 Ziapour's Idea of Nation and Nationalism 30 Chapter 2/Literature Review 2.1 Literature Review 33 2.1.1 Exhibitions 33 2.1.2 Artist and the Movement 36 2.1.3 General Books 38 2.1.4 Conclusion 40 Chapter3 / Modernism and Nationalism in Iran 3.1 Introduction 41 3.2 The Beginning of Modernization and the Formation of National Movement in Iran 41 3.3 Iranian Modern Nationalism 45 3.4 Reverse Modernism and the emergence of a new form of Nationalism 51 3.4.1 Shah’s Actions and Reforms 52 3.4.2 National Front of Iran 56 3.4.3 Tudeh Party 57 3.4.3.1University Third Force (Reverse Modernism/Iranian of Socialism). Malaya 58 3.5 Modernism and the Ideology of Development (since the Islamic Republic). 62 3.6 Construction of Iranian Nationalism and where did the art stand 67 3.6.1 Qajar era and Art 68 vi 3.6.2 Pahlavi I and Art 69 3.6.3 Pahlavi II and Art 70 3.6.4 Islamic Republic and Art 71 3.7 Conclusion 74 Chapter4 / Biography 4.1 Introduction 75 4.2 Early Life and Education in Iran (1920-1946) 75 4.2.1 In his Hometown 77 4.2.2 In Tehran (1938-1946) 79 4.3 His education in Paris and return back to Iran (1946-1948) 82 4.3.1 In Paris 82 4.3.2 Back to Iran from Paris and starting Cultural and Artistic Activities 86 4.4 Fighting Cock Society and the Modern Art Movement in Iran (1949- 1956) 87 4.4.1 Fighting Cock Society and Magazine (1949-1956) 87 4.4.2 After Leaving the Fighting Cock Society 95 4.5 1951 and the start of the administrative responsibilities and conducting researches on the Culture of Iranian People 98 4.6 Conclusion 103 University of Malaya Chapter 5/ Writings 5.1 Introduction 107 5.2 Section of Modern Art Articles 108 5.2.1 Ziapour’s Theory of Modern Art 108 5.2.2 Modern Art 114 vii 5.2.3 The Concept of Modern Art 117 5.2.4 Explanation of Comprehensive Plan 118 5.2.5 Conclusion 120 5.3 Section of Historic Ancient Writings 121 5.3.1 The Art of Painting and Sculpture in Iran from Ancient time to Islam Era 121 5.3.2 Ancient Iranian Costumes in Several Dynasties 125 5.3.3 The Coloring of Iranian Artworks from Ancient time to Safavid Dynasty 130 5.3.4 Conclusion 135 Chapter 6 / Analysis 6.1 Introduction 138 6.2 Phase 1, Modern Paintings with Iranian Subject Matter 139 6.2. 1 Sepahsalar Mosque Painting 141 6.3 Phase 2, Personal Style, (Figurative Paintings). 147 6.3.1 Turkman Girl Painting 149 6.3.2 Zeynab Khatun Painting 155 6.3.3 Lur Girl Painting 162 6.3.4 The Nomads Painting 168 6.4 Phase 3, Personal style, (Pure Abstraction). 175 6.4.1 My Life Painting 177 6.4.2University A Window to the Inside World Painting of Malaya 182 6.4.3 A Flight in the Unknowns Painting 190 6.5 Conclusion 194 6.5.1 How his Paintings are Modern, National and Iranian 195 Bibliography 198 viii List of Figures: Figure 3.1: The tendency of modernism and nationalism in Iran, during 1920-1999 67 Figure 4.1: Jalil Ziapour, the artist’s self-portrait 104 Figure 4.2: Ziapour at Paris Beax Art School 104 Figure 4.3: Fighting Cock Society members 104 Figure 4.4: The logo of Fighting Cock magazine 105 Figure 4.5: Ziapour in his trips during 1960's 105 Figure 4.6: The logo of dessert and cock’s paw magazine 105 Figure 4.7: Ziapour in his studio, during 1990’s 106 Figure 5.1: Naghshe rostam engraving 124 Figure 5.2: Stone engraving of perspolise 124 Figure 5.3: Susa, Sialk, 4000 BCE, Symbolic motives 124 Figure