WA MATRIX 185 Brochure-5.qxp_WA MATRIX 185 Brochure 10/20/20 5:12 PM Page 1 ALI BANISADR SEEIN

People are alway MAT RI X 185 into the void—th —Ali Banisadr

Did Ali Banisadr a pandemic? Artist the world has all completed in ear red sky hung wit to be shipped ab in mid-March 202 of the coronaviru the World Health composition assu worldwide pande

Banisadr’s painti of events. Howev United States’ dr Qasem Soleimani aftermath, Iran r in Qom. Its red co retaliatory action the American Pre Republican party red can mean urg coronavirus lock adding floating c

With layers of me from the persona literature, music painting, a new g which he refers t synesthesia, whi enhanced which taste, etc. Somet bordering on eac OCTOBER 22, 2020 — FEBRUARY 14, 2021 As a boy in Tehra

WADSWORTH ATHENEUM MUSEUM OF ART COVER: RED , 2020 (DETAIL) WA MATRIX 185 Brochure-5.qxp_WA MATRIX 185 Brochure 10/20/20 5:12 PM Page 2 DR SEEING RED RED , 2020

People are always afraid of what they don’t understand, but artists always step 85 into the void—the unknown. The unknown territory is where it is worth exploring. 1 —Ali Banisadr

Did Ali Banisadr anticipate the heightened global unrest caused by the coronavirus pandemic? Artists have historically been cited as prophets; their acute sensitivity to the world has allowed them to forecast future events. Banisadr’s painting Red (2020), completed in early January 2020, depicts a chaotic, dystopian world beneath a toxic red sky hung with an ominous blue sun (or moon). The work left his studio in January to be shipped abroad, destined to be presented at the Art Basel Hong Kong art fair in mid-March 2020. By early February the art fair was cancelled due to the severity of the coronavirus outbreak and the declaration of a global health emergency by the World Health Organization. Red was returned to the artist’s studio where the composition assumed a new layer of relevance within the context of the worldwide pandemic.

Banisadr’s paintings are never about one subject, but more like a subconscious chain of events. However, he traces some initial stimuli for Red to a then-current event, the United States’ drone strike in Baghdad on January 3, 2020, that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, considered the second most powerful person in Iran. 2 In the aftermath, Iran raised a blood-red flag of revenge over the blue Mosque of Jamkaran in Qom. Its red color signified blood spilled unjustly and simultaneously called for retaliatory action against the United States. But for Banisadr, red also connects to the American President and his signature extra-long red necktie symbolizing the Republican party. In more general terms, the artist also cites color theory, in which basement during red can mean urgency and danger. With the painting back in the studio for the monsters. His mo coronavirus lockdown, Banisadr sensed the need to make adjustments, including Today Banisadr fo adding floating crowns menacing one figure. compositions in w

With layers of meaning, each painting resolves a complex research project that spans Travel and living from the personal to the universal and encompasses his many interests: art history, Iran and moved t literature, music, ancient history, popular culture, and current events. For every twenty years aft painting, a new group of texts, images, and printouts cover his studio tabletops, to unfamiliar plac which he refers to as “mood boards.” From here, the artist’s process relates to artistic an outside obser synesthesia, which he describes as “an interior place [where]…the senses are super horizontally-orie enhanced which makes you extra sensitive to energy, sounds, visual things, colors, abstraction—pres taste, etc. Sometimes it can become very intense, the experience of the senses Variously human, bordering on each other.” This simultaneous perception can be traced to his childhood. the figures, only 14, 2021 As a boy in during the Iran-Iraq War (1980 1988), he would escape to the paintings in the e – inhabiting the “b M OF ART COVER: RED , 2020 (DETAIL) palettes with an WA MATRIX 185 Brochure-5.qxp_WA MATRIX 185 Brochure 10/20/20 5:13 PM Page 3

RED , 2020 THE PROPHET , 2020 (TOP) THE CARAVAN , 2020 (BOTTOM

always step rth exploring. 1

coronavirus e sensitivity to ting Red (2020), eneath a toxic dio in January Kong art fair the severity rgency by where the he

onscious chain rent event, the Iranian General 2 In the e of Jamkaran y called for connects to olizing the ory, in which basement during Iraqi bombings, making sense of the terrifying sounds by drawing for the monsters. His mother recalls these moments of which the artist has no memory. , including Today Banisadr follows a sense of inner sound, approaching his artworks like musical compositions in which his gestures translate sound into energy, rhythm, and color.

oject that spans Travel and living in different cultures inspire his work as well. In 1988, his family left s: art history, Iran and moved to Turkey, then California. Banisadr has now lived in New York for For every twenty years after initially moving there to attend art school. International travel tabletops, to unfamiliar places also fuels his creative curiosity. He assumes the perspective of elates to artistic an outside observer in his compositions. Seen from a bird’s-eye view, the large, nses are super horizontally-oriented landscapes—oscillating between representation and ings, colors, abstraction—present stage-like settings teeming with masses of hybrid figures. he senses Variously human, animal, vegetable, and even machine, there is no central focus among to his childhood. the figures, only movement. The Prophet (2020) and The Caravan (2020), two new ape to the paintings in the exhibition, bristle with activity. Banisadr describes these works as inhabiting the “between space” of hallucinations and dreams rendered in intense color palettes with an “infinite variety” in methods of paint application. WA MATRIX 185 Brochure-5.qxp_WA MATRIX 185 Brochure 10/20/20 5:13 PM Page 4

THE PROPHET , 2020 (TOP) ONLY BREATH , 2020 THE CARAVAN , 2020 (BOTTOM)

Banisadr’s popul fantastic narrati peasant scenes. and entropy, and time of instabilit movement, Banis to the political ra s by drawing recent headlines o memory. ks like musical In addition to fig m, and color. and prints, such or square, the sm his family left The two painting w York for Nothing is planne ional travel inner sense of so erspective of figuration. There he large, notes of the pain and then the painting d figures. tral focus among Banisadr’s titles 0), two new titles are importa ese works as painted surprisin d in intense color strong sense of c figures, one dom WA MATRIX 185 Brochure-5.qxp_WA MATRIX 185 Brochure 10/20/20 5:13 PM Page 5

ONLY BREATH , 2020 FOOT SOLDIER , 2016 THE LEVANTER , 2017

Banisadr’s populated views are reminiscent of Hieronymus Bosch’s (c. 1450–1516) 3 fantastic narrative paintings and Pieter Brueghel the Elder’s (c. 1525-30–1569) 4 peasant scenes. They depict intangible worlds that balance order and chaos, energy and entropy, and his figures seem to be in a constant state of transformation. In this time of instability and change, from the coronavirus to the Black Lives Matter movement, Banisadr’s masses in motion, or commotion, feel especially connected to the political rallies, protest marches, and street riots that have dominated recent headlines and international discourse.

In addition to figurative landscapes, the artist also works on a small scale in paintings and prints, such as in Only Breath (2020), and The Levanter (2017). Vertically oriented spots (or droplet or square, the small paintings can be understood as portraits or focused narratives. pandemic that in The two paintings are also primarily monochromatic, one in violet and the other in blue. heard. The title a Nothing is planned in advance. Banisadr begins with a blank canvas and follows an breathe.” Finally inner sense of sound, building the image from fragmented abstraction to emerging Persian poet Jala figuration. There is a musical element to the process. He continues to work until the our differences, notes of the painting achieve an inner harmony, which is when the sound quiets; the past, present then the painting is complete, except for the title. Banisadr’s bound Banisadr’s titles come to the artist over time spent with the completed painting. And Wadsworth Athen titles are important, often with multiple references. As a small work, Only Breath was the museum that painted surprisingly quickly, according to the artist. Its urgency was signaled by its eye is drawn and strong sense of color, a rich and vivid violet with red accents. The work depicts four he shares on soc figures, one dominating the foreground with a visible gloved hand. Pattern, especially pool that resonat WA MATRIX 185 Brochure-5.qxp_WA MATRIX 185 Brochure 10/20/20 5:13 PM Page 6

THE LEVANTER , 2017

1450–1516) 3 30–1569) 4 chaos, energy mation. In this Matter y connected minated

cale in paintings rtically oriented spots (or droplets) dot the surface. The artist made Only Breath in the midst of a ed narratives. pandemic that inhibits breathing. Breath also speaks to protest, one’s voice being the other in blue. heard. The title also evokes some of the last words spoken by George Floyd, “I can’t d follows an breathe.” Finally, Only Breath is the title of a famous poem by the thirteenth-century to emerging Persian poet Jalal al-Din Rumi 5 (a favorite of Banisadr) that reminds us that despite work until the our differences, we are all just human. Banisadr’s allusions are varied and speak to nd quiets; the past, present, and future.

Banisadr’s boundless interests have inspired multiple companion projects at the d painting. And Wadsworth Atheneum. The artist created a video collage of works located throughout Only Breath was the museum that inspire him. The collage presents specific details to which his artistic gnaled by its eye is drawn and reveals how he sees these works. This is a regular practice that k depicts four he shares on social media. 6 A small installation from the collection—drawn from the tern, especially pool that resonated with him as he scoured the museum’s digital catalogue last WA MATRIX 185 Brochure-5.qxp_WA MATRIX 185 Brochure 10/20/20 5:13 PM Page 7

THE HEALERS , 2020 WA MATRIX 185 Brochure-5.qxp_WA MATRIX 185 Brochure 10/20/20 5:13 PM Page 8

CANNONS HIDDEN IN ROSES ,

winter—accents t and cultures—Ba installation that Caprichos and Lo Utagawa Hiroshig (2016) hanging a animated by curi

And with sound a a music playlist t accessible both i and on thewadsw

Banisadr’s expan from the persona to the macrocosm considers societi human condition

PATRICIA HICKSO The Emily Hall Tremai WA MATRIX 185 Brochure-5.qxp_WA MATRIX 185 Brochure 10/20/20 5:13 PM Page 9 CANNONS HIDDEN IN ROSES , 2019 ALI

Banisadr is the subje at the Benaki Museum Bardini & Palazzo Vec recently the subject museum exhibitions a Fine Arts, ; Het Bosch, Netherlands; a Contemporary Art, Ja work was included in Contemporary Art fro Neighbors , The 55th Venice Biennale; and Biennale 6. Banisadr’

WORKS IN THE E

PAINTINGS

Exterior , 2015

Oil on linen

16 x 16 in. Courtesy of the artis

Interior , 2015

Oil on linen

16 x 16 in. winter—accents the new paintings and prints in this project. Works from different eras Courtesy of the artis

and cultures—Banisadr clearly doesn’t believe in borders—populate the salon-style Foot Soldier , 2016

installation that includes a panel painting after Bosch, several prints from the Los Oil on linen

Caprichos and Los Proverbios series by Francisco Goya, woodblock landscape prints by 10 x 8 in. Utagawa Hiroshige, and an assemblage by Joseph Cornell. With Banisadr’s Foot Soldier Courtesy of Sperone Treasure , 2016 (2016) hanging among them, their affinity is evident: strange and vivid worlds often Oil on linen animated by curious or monstrous creatures. 66 x 88 in.

Collection of Joshua And with sound as a key component of his artistic process, Banisadr has also created a music playlist that relates to the exhibition. These companion projects will be The Levanter , 2017 Oil on linen

accessible both in the gallery and remotely on the Wadsworth’s social media channels 24 x 24 in.

and on thewadsworth.org. Private collection

Red , 2020 Banisadr’s expansive MATRIX project encompasses his engagement with the world, Oil on linen from the personal to the universal, across time and cultures, from the microcosm 48 x 60 in. to the macrocosm. Driven by impulse and an artist’s eye, Banisadr observes and Collection Het Noord ‘s-Hertogenbosch (Th considers societies past, present, and future and acts as a social critic on the human condition. Only Breath , 2020 Oil on linen PATRICIA HICKSON 20 x 16 in. Courtesy of Kasmin G The Emily Hall Tremaine Curator of Contemporary Art WA MATRIX 185 Brochure-5.qxp_WA MATRIX 185 Brochure 10/20/20 5:13 PM Page 10

American, born in Teh ALI BANISADR Lives and works in Br

Banisadr is the subject of upcoming solo exhibitions significant public collections worldwide, including After Pieter Brueghel at the Benaki Museum, Athens; and Museo Stefano the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY; the (Flemish, c. 1525–156 Bardini & Palazzo Vecchio, Florence. He was , ; Centre Pompidou, Paris; Avaritia (Greed) , c. 15 recently the subject of solo and two-person Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Engraving on paper museum exhibitions at Gemäldegalerie, Academy of Washington, D.C.; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bequest of Edward Go Fine Arts, Vienna; Het Noordbrabants Museum, Den New York; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Persian Bosch, Netherlands; and the Museum of Angeles; County Museum of Art; Laila and Majnun, pag Contemporary Art, Jacksonville, FL. In 2013, his Museum der Moderne, Salzburg; and the (five poems) of Nizam work was included in Love Me/Love Me Not, Philadelphia Museum of Art. Banisadr is the subject Ink, watercolor, and g Contemporary Art from Azerbaijan and its of a forthcoming monograph, published by Rizzoli, Gift of Kirkor Minass Neighbors , The 55th International Art Exhibition, to be released Spring 2021 to coincide with his Venice Biennale; and Expanded Painting , Prague upcoming exhibition at Kasmin Gallery. Utagawa Hiroshige (b Biennale 6. Banisadr’s work is included in (Japanese, 1797–185 New Year’s Eve Foxfir WORKS IN THE EXHIBITION From the series One H of Edo , nd PAINTINGS The Prophet , 2020 Woodblock print Oil on linen Gift of Mrs. Jared K. M Exterior , 2015 66 x 88 in. Oil on linen William Blake (English Courtesy of Kasmin Gallery, New York 16 x 16 in. The Lord answered Jo Courtesy of the artist The Caravan , 2020 Engraving on paper Oil on linen Collection of Jane Cla Interior , 2015 66 x 88 in. Oil on linen Francisco Goya (Span Courtesy of Kasmin Gallery, New York 16 x 16 in. Nohubo Remedio (The m different eras Courtesy of the artist The Healers , 2020 From Los Caprichos , c Oil on linen Etching on paper e salon-style Foot Soldier , 2016 82 x 120 in. Collection of Susanna rom the Los Oil on linen Courtesy of Kasmin Gallery, New York T.L.2011.24.30.23 dscape prints by 10 x 8 in. Courtesy of Sperone Westwater, New York Francisco Goya (Span dr’s Foot Soldier PRINTS El sueno de la razon p Treasure , 2016 worlds often Cannon Hidden in Roses , 2019 (The Sleep of Reason Oil on linen 26 ¾ x 31 ½ in. From Los Caprichos , c 66 x 88 in. Etching on paper Hand-colored aquatint with photogravure, spitbite, Collection of Joshua Rechnitz, New York Collection of Susanna as also created drypoint, and burnishing on paper T.L.2011.24.30.42 ts will be The Levanter , 2017 Courtesy of the artist Oil on linen media channels Nocturne , 2019 Francisco Goya (Span 24 x 24 in. Subir y bajar (To Rise 26 ¾ x 31 ½ in. Private collection From Los Caprichos , c Hand-colored aquatint with photogravure, spitbite, Etching on paper Red , 2020 drypoint, and burnishing on paper th the world, Collection of Susanna Oil on linen Courtesy of the artist microcosm 48 x 60 in. T.L.2011.24.30.55

erves and Collection Het Noordbrabants Museum, INSTALLATION Francisco Goya (Span

‘s-Hertogenbosch (The Netherlands) La Lealtad (Loyalty) c on the Unidentified Artist (Netherlandish, c. 1550–1575) From Los Proverbios ( Only Breath , 2020 The Temptation of St. Anthony , c. 1550–75 Oil on linen Oil on panel Etching and burnishe Bequest of Warren H. 20 x 16 in. The Ella Gallup Sumner and Mary Catlin Sumner Courtesy of Kasmin Gallery, New York Collection Fund, 1938.605

WA MATRIX 185 Brochure-5.qxp_WA MATRIX 185 Brochure 10/20/20 5:13 PM Page 11

American, born in Tehran, Iran, 1976 DR Lives and works in Brooklyn, NY

orldwide, including After Pieter Brueghel the Elder Francisco Goya (Spanish, 1746–1828) VIRTUAL GALLER uffalo, NY; the (Flemish, c. 1525–1569) Disparate Volante (Flying Folly) Ali Banisadr e Pompidou, Paris; Avaritia (Greed) , c. 1558 From Los Proverbios (Proverbs) , 1815–23 Friday, October 23 re Garden, Engraving on paper Etching and burnished aquatint on heavy laid paper 5 pm tan Museum of Art, Bequest of Edward Gorey, 2001.13.31 Bequest of Warren H. Lowenhaupt, 1967.628. orary Art, Los Persian Utagawa Hiroshige (born Ando Hiroshige) ONLINE DISCUSS useum of Art; Laila and Majnun, page from the Khamsa (Japanese, 1797–1858) Ali Banisadr and Robe g; and the (five poems) of Nizami , 16th century Mountains and Streams in Winter , 1857 Friday, November 20 nisadr is the subject Ink, watercolor, and gold on paper Color-printed woodcut 5 pm ublished by Rizzoli, Gift of Kirkor Minassian, 1921.440 Gift of Mrs. Jared K. Morse, 1954.50 oincide with his VIRTUAL GALLER Gallery. Utagawa Hiroshige (born Ando Hiroshige) Max Ernst (German, 1891–1976) Patricia Hickson, Emi (Japanese, 1797–1858) The Night (Act 2, Scene 4: Balcony Scene) Contemporary Art New Year’s Eve Foxfires at the Changing Tree, Oji From Romeo and Juliet , nd Thursday, January 14 From the series One Hundred Famous Views Oil on canvas 12 pm of Edo , nd The Ella Gallup Sumner and Mary Catlin Sumner Woodblock print Collection Fund, 1933.470 ART BASEL ONLI Gift of Mrs. Jared K. Morse, 1954.49 Ali Banisadr in Conve Joseph Cornell (American, 1903–1972) Available via thewads William Blake (English, 1757–1827) Untitled , nd w York The Lord answered Job…, nd Mixed media Visit thewadsworth.o Engraving on paper Gift of The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Collection of Jane Clark Carey, 1982.80 Foundation, 1996.34.4

Francisco Goya (Spanish, 1746–1828) Roberto Matta Echauren (called Matta) w York Nohubo Remedio (There Was No Remedy) (Chilean, 1911–2002) From Los Caprichos , c. 1799 Untitled (Personage Transparence) , c. 1941–42 Etching on paper Graphite and colored crayon on wove paper

Collection of Susannah Shickman, The Ella Gallup Sumner and Mary Catlin Sumner

w York T.L.2011.24.30.23 Collection Fund, 1942.280

Francisco Goya (Spanish, 1746–1828) Arshile Gorky (American, born Armenia, 1904–1948) El sueno de la razon produce monstrous Untitled , 1941–43

(The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters) Pencil, ink, and gouache on paper

From Los Caprichos , c. 1799 Anonymous gift, 2005.36.2 Etching on paper togravure, spitbite, Hans Hofmann (American, born Bavaria, 1880–1966) Collection of Susannah Shickman, per Untitled , 1948 T.L.2011.24.30.42 Black ink and colored crayon on wove paper

Francisco Goya (Spanish, 1746–1828) Gift of Mr. Herrick Jackson, 1976.109 Subir y bajar (To Rise and to Fall) Charles Burchfield (American, 1893–1967) From Los Caprichos , c. 1799 togravure, spitbite, Study of Bats in Flight , c. 1954–63 Etching on paper per Conte crayon on wove paper mounted on cardboard Collection of Susannah Shickman, Bequest of Edward Gorey, 2001.13.34 1 T.L.2011.24.30.55 Ali Banisadr quoted in Robe (London: Blain Southern, 20 Ali Banisadr American, born Iran , 1976 November 2012 –November Francisco Goya (Spanish, 1746–1828) 2 All specific references to A Foot Soldier , 2016 sh, c. 1550–1575) La Lealtad (Loyalty) artist in 2019 and 2020. Oil on linen 3 From Los Proverbios (Proverbs) , 1815–23 Hieronymus Bosch (Dutch/ c. 1550–75 Courtesy of Sperone Westwater, New York (1515) in the collection of t Etching and burnished aquatint on heavy laid paper 4 Pieter Brueghel the Elder (D Bequest of Warren H. Lowenhaupt, 1967.622 groups of figures. y Catlin Sumner 5 Jalal al-Din Rumi (Iranian, b make them human, regardl 6 Banisadr creates such vide WA MATRIX 185 Brochure-5.qxp_WA MATRIX 185 Brochure 10/20/20 5:13 PM Page 12

1828) VIRTUAL GALLERY TALK Ali Banisadr 1815–23 Friday, October 23 on heavy laid paper 5 pm upt, 1967.628. 600 Main Street Hartford, Connecticut 06103 Hiroshige) ONLINE DISCUSSION (860) 278-2670 Ali Banisadr and Robert Hobbs er , 1857 Friday, November 20 thewadsworth.org 5 pm 54.50 VIRTUAL GALLERY TALK ) Patricia Hickson, Emily Hall Tremaine Curator of The MATRIX program is supported by the Wadsworth Atheneum’s Contemporary Coalition. Sustaining support ony Scene) Contemporary Art for the Wadsworth Atheneum is provided by Newman’s Own Thursday, January 14 Foundation and the Greater Hartford Arts Council’s United

12 pm Arts Campaign. y Catlin Sumner ART BASEL ONLINE VIEWING ROOM

–1972) Ali Banisadr in Conversation with Patricia Hickson Available via thewadsworth.org Visit thewadsworth.org for program Zoom links. ornell Memorial

d Matta)

ce) , c. 1941–42 wove paper y Catlin Sumner

rmenia, 1904–1948)

er

Bavaria, 1880–1966)

wove paper 6.109

893–1967)

–63

ounted on cardboard

.13.34 1 Ali Banisadr quoted in Robert Hobbs, “Ali Banisadr: Assaying the In-Between,” in Ali Banisadr: One Hundred and Twenty-Five Paintings (London: Blain Southern, 2015), p. 18. The artist’s quote was drawn from a group of notes sent to Hobbs cited as “Selected Notes: n , 1976 November 2012 –November 2014,” and attributed to an email to Hobbs dated 13 November 2014.

2 All specific references to Ali Banisadr that are not noted have been drawn from a series of conversations between the author and the artist in 2019 and 2020. 3 Hieronymus Bosch (Dutch/Netherlandish, c. 1450 1516) is best known for the otherworldly triptych panel The Garden of Earthly Delights r, New York (1515) in the collection of the Museo Prado, Madr–id. 4 Pieter Brueghel the Elder (Dutch/Flemish, c. 1525-30 1569) is known for his paintings of peasant scenes and landscapes filled with groups of figures. – 5 Jalal al-Din Rumi (Iranian, born Afghanistan, 1207 1273) was a mystic. Only Breath expresses that all people share the qualities that make them human, regardless of religion or race.– 6 Banisadr creates such video collages on his own and shares through his Instagram stories @simorgh3.