Drawing on the 11th century Persian epic poem ‘The Book of Kings,’ Arghavan Khosravi abuts the fantastical and mundane in absorbing and beautiful paintings that contrast Iran’s storied past and post-Revolution political realities. Here, a pensive young woman in a glass-walled enclosure holds Simurg, a mythical creature that sustained one of the poem’s heroes by providing him sustenance in difficult times. (On view at Lyles and King on the Lower East Side through Nov 10th).
Painting over You Tube video stills, Iranian artist Rokni Haerizadeh morphs familiar imagery into a setting for mythological creatures inspired by Persian tradition. Here, a building echoes the Guggenheim’s spiraling form but is surrounded by emergency vehicles, one of which has partially changed into a fish. (At the Guggenheim, in ‘A Storm is Blowing from Paradise: Contemporary Art of the Middle East and North Africa’ through Oct 5th).
As a kid, LA-based British artist Kour Pour grew up watching his dad repair and work with carpets in his rug shop. He continues the tradition, after a fashion, by silkscreening carpets from auction catalogues onto canvas, then painting and sanding the images into something entirely new. (At Untitled Gallery through Feb 23rd).
Kour Pour, detail from ‘Kour Pour’ at Untitled Gallery Jan 2014, acrylic on canvas over panel, 96 x 72 inches.
