representing the concept of space in Iranian expressionist paintings

Subject Areas : Life Space Journal

Parichehr  Moafi Ghafari ¹ (PhD Researcher in Architecture, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Qazvin Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran.)
simon  Ayvazian ² (Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Art. Tehran Iran)
sheida  khansari ³ (Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Qazvin Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qazvin. Iran.)

Received: 2023-07-22 Accepted : 2024-05-12 Published : 2024-05-12

Keywords: Concept of space, expressionist painting, Iran, Pahlavi period,

Abstract :

The artistic developments of the early 20th century in art history are generally called "Expressionist", which is the beginning and decline of this movement between 1910 and 1925. Expressionism is a kind of exaggeration in colors and shapes, a way free from naturalism that wanted to express emotional states as clearly and explicitly as possible. The main goal of this school was to show human emotions, especially fear, hatred, love, and anxiety, in which the artist uses strong colors, crooked shapes, and rough lines to induce her intense emotions. Expressionism is not only one of the most important and influential currents in today's societies; Rather, it is a global movement that includes various fields such as literature, philosophy, social and political sciences, architecture, music, painting, and cinema. Since painting and architecture as two identical categories have been continuously present throughout history in sync with each other and influenced by each other, naturally, the influence of these two arts from the expressionism movement can be the goal of this research. In this research, the method of collecting information from the library and field type and the interpretation-historical method will be used which, historical interpretation is a process during which past events are described, analyzed, evaluated, explained, and the researcher bases interpretation on primary [primary] and secondary [scientific] historical sources, and finally, evidence, contexts, perspectives, and reference frames are analyzed. the expressionism movement in the Pahlavi period is investigated, which also asks the question, what is the effect of the art movement of expressionism on the architecture and painting of the Pahlavi period. The answer is: which itself leads to the emergence of the common components of expressionist painting and architecture of that period, and from the commonality of the two, it explains the framework of intellectual developments in that period for the reader; This topic itself can be influential in connecting modernist paintings and contemporary architecture of the Pahlavi period. The theoretical and formal principles of this architectural style are based on the two foundations of the modern era and the place - the land of Iran - these two fundamental pillars are shown parallel to each other in the physical composition of the building. Although modern art is often referred to as works produced in a certain period in Europe and the United States, art historians have tried to find the concept of "new" and "contemporary" art in works from other parts of the world. And it should be noted that "modern art" and "contemporary art" are not synonymous. In the 20th century, Iranian society saw many changes from a political and social point of view, and these changes can be seen among Iranian artists in the form of works that were different from traditional Iranian paintings. Modernization in Iranian society in this period led artists to present results that, although they were linked to Iran's tradition and past, contained new forms and methods experienced by modernist European and American artists. The formation of the pioneers of modern art did not only mean the victory of the supporters of modernism against their opponents, but it was also able to provide positive aspects for Iranian art in the international arena. Although modernism is a fluid concept, the moment of its birth is somewhat clear, but the moment of its decline is unclear. The results of the research show that what is known as expressionist painting in Iran does not seem to be a superficial understanding of the essence of expressionist painting; In Iranian examples, where architectural spaces were created to have social and cultural effects with the help of painting, Imitation can be seen in the first and second generation of modernist Iranian painters Also, architectural space creation in Iranian paintings that expressionist painters include two divisions in terms of architectural space creation, wanted or not. The first group includes painters who depend on form in all painting components, and the second group includes painters who imitated other painters. However, more than half a century has passed since the official beginning of the modern art movement in Iran. A movement that tried to harmonize with world art and went through many hardships and has been continued by contemporary artists.