(West Hollywood, CA— August 15th, 2022) Los Angeles-based Iranian Contemporary art platform ADVOCARTSY is pleased to present Dreamscape, an exhibition of whimsical compositions on handmade paper and canvas created using unique printmaking techniques by UK-based Iranian artist Mohammad Barrangi. This exhibition is presented in conjunction with a live installation by the artist that will be taking place at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) from September 16th thru the 18th outside of the museum in the Smidt Welcome Plaza. The LACMA program will culminate with a panel discussion between artists Mohammad Barrangi and Yassi Mazandi on Sunday, September 18th from 5-6 pm at the Museum’s Resnick Lawn. Both the live installation and panel discussion are free and open to the public.
Dreamscape marks Barrangi’s second solo exhibition with ADVOCARTSY and in the United States. The exhibition is free and will open to the public with a reception on Thursday, September 22nd, 2022 from 7-10 pm at ADVOCARTSY’s West Hollywood gallery. All are welcome to attend the opening reception, both the artist and ADVOCARTSY founder and director Roshi Rahnama will be present.
ADVOCARTSY is thrilled to exhibit this new, captivating body of work by Mohammad Barrangi. His once limited palette has intensified, now including large swathes of saturated jewel tones that color his world of whimsy with a subtle aura of gravitas. Through his deft unification of contemporary themes with ancient attributes, Barrangi transports viewers to a universe unbridled by the laws that define our reality. In the words of the artist: “In my world, animals talk to humans. / In my world, the moon is always full. And that makes me sleepy in the real world. / In the thoughts that I have in my head, everything flows on the basis of love and affection.”
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION + THE ARTIST
Mohammad Barrangi was born in Rasht, Iran, in 1988. Now based in the UK, he is both a globally recognized artist and a medal-winning athlete who has represented Iran internationally in the 100m sprint. Born without full mobility in his left arm, Barrangi has developed a unique artistic practice that utilizes his right hand and both feet to create his distinctive works. Blending traditional calligraphy with experimental mark-making techniques, Barrangi combines elements of Persian calligraphy, storytelling, text, and touches of humor to create intimate works on handmade paper that are selectively expanded into large-scale murals.
Barrangi holds a degree in graphic design from the Islamic Azad University of Tonekabon and recently graduated from the Royal Drawing School in London. Barrangi has extensively exhibited his work around the world, winning numerous awards and recognition that has led to the prolific publication of his illustrations in a variety of books. His works have been acquired by the permanent collections of the British Museum, the Royal Family Collection, the National Government Collection in the UK, the San Diego Museum of Art in the USA, as well as the Cluj Napoka Art Museum in Romania. In addition, LACMA has selected two of Barrangi’s works on paper for their permanent collection.
In Dreamscape, Mohammad Barrangi conjures up a world that exists in the realm of fantasy, yet seems to have a reality of its own. Trumpeters ride flying elephants, a lady carries an upside-down zebra, cats hula-hoop, and play the fiddle while processions of revelers parade forth in antique bathtubs. Yet somehow it all makes sense and invites the viewer to put logic aside and play along.
Indeed, play is the energy that almost palpably runs through the works in this exhibition. Characters – human or animal – are often masked and costumed, striking theatrical poses and postures, frolicking about with apparent abandon. Through these personifications, Barrangi designates life as an opportunity to take on not just one but many identities, each of which allows a different facet of our cosmic consciousness to shine through; yet there is no need to feel bound to, or by, any one of those identities – we can move through them fluidly the way an actor in the theater moves through costumes, passionately playing each part but not letting the part play us.
To complement and further express this fervent energy, Barrangi’s signature sepia-tone palette has exploded with colors that are both vivid and soft, evoking a faraway dreamland of azure skies and sun-kissed surfaces where all kinds of stories can – and do – unfold. The stories are not always entirely jovial; some of the pieces even hint at a looming violence, or a tenacious sense of alienation – but just like life, and just like dreams, these layers adds further depth and interest to the show as a whole.
General Information:
Dreamscape Exhibition Dates: September 22nd - November 5th, 2022Public Opening Reception: Thursday, September 22nd, 7-10 pm
ADVOCARTSY West Hollywood 434 N La Cienega Blvd. LA 90048Gallery hours: Wednesday - Saturday 11-5 pm or by appointment.For more information or to request a preview catalogue, email [email protected].
LACMA Live Installation:Dates: September 16th, 17th, and 18th, 2022 Times: 11 am - 5 pm each day. Location: LACMA, Smidt Welcome Plaza.
LACMA: Panel Discussion with Mohammad Barrangi & Yassi Mazandi
Date: Sunday, September 18th, 2022Time: 5 - 6 pm.Location: LACMA, Resnick Lawn.
About ADVOCARTSY:
Launched in 2015, ADVOCARTSY is a leading contemporary art platform specializing in Iranian contemporary art. In 2021, ADVOCARTSY moved its exhibition space from Downtown Los Angeles to West Hollywood. Founded by lawyer-turned-art advocate Roshi Rahnama, ADVOCARTSY acts as an incubator for emerging and established Iranian artists living in diaspora. ADVOCARTSY aims to transcend borders and connect artists of Iranian origin to arts organizations, museums, foundations, and collectors in the United States and worldwide.
