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Nadalian spend most of his time
in the mountain region of Damavand, he derives his forms from those
already in nature. The shape of a stone is meaningful to him. He has
collected thousands of stones, and each is a distinct figure to him. In
gathering stones and arranging them in novel patterns, he strives to
discover the meanings hidden within. Another collection is a set of
carvings at the Haraz River near Mt. Damavand (near the village of
Poloor, 65 kilometers from the Tehran-Amol road). This series, which he
has named “River Art”, is composed of carved rocks that have been
abandoned at the site where they were created. He intends to transform
this area into a permanent repository for his art. Instead of being
displayed in a gallery or museum, the artwork has been presented in
nature itself. The designs on the riverbank are human
figures, hands, feet, birds, goats, crabs, snakes and fish. Symbols of the Zodiac, the
sun and the moon surround these designs, reminding the viewer that the
images are not merely representations of nature, but symbolic concepts.
A few examples of these carved images depict a man and a woman, hands
raised upwards to cup a hollow in the rock, where water gathers during
the rain for small birds to drink. These works recall Anahita, the
goddess of water and fertility. There is a great slab of rock in the
middle of this river, where another of these holes allows water to
gather. A bird has been carved on this rock, its beak lowered into the
hollow, appearing to drink from the water gathered there. Other birds
have been carved near other pools of water along the riverbank.
A number of the works on the
riverbank are images of hands. Eyes look out from the palms of these
hands, and they are surrounded by symbols of water, fire and earth. The
hands reach toward a plant growing near the top, away from the snake
carved at the foot of the stone. This composition could symbolize a
turning from evil, a yearning for growth, fertility and life, and
perhaps the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The
significance of these works lies in their use of natural elements like
water and plants.
He abandons small carved stones on
the riverbank. He leaves his contact numbers ++98 911 248 2177 and website addresses
(www.riverart.net, www.mysticalart.net
& www.nadalian.com ) on these stones, yet has no inclination to
disclose their exact whereabouts. What he intends is for the spectator
searching for the artwork to perhaps discover something more valuable
than his stones in nature. He then considers himself a partner in the
spectator’s findings.
But not all of the work is in a small
scale. One of his largest works, a rock about three meters long, shows a
human figure, respectfully seated before a tree; perhaps the tree of
life, or the tree of existence. He has carved various images on the
stones lining the ground among the riverbank and houses, near bridges
and on garden walls—a young piper, a woman’s face combined with an
image of the moon, prints of human feet, birds and snakes, as well as
many other abstract motifs. Set along the banks of the Haraz are a
number of nets filled with stones, set by the villagers to provide
barriers against flooding.
Birds have been carved on the stones in these
nets, birds that seem to be trapped in their net cages.
Most of the river carvings are fish,
scattered across a distance kilometers long. In his childhood, the
rivers of Poloor were filled with fish. With the gradual polluting of
the waters the fish disappeared. Through his carvings, he wishes to tell
us that the river still has fish, though only images remain. The fish is
a symbol of life and fertility. Some of the fish are immersed in water,
but a greater number are upon the stones that lie in the middle of the
river, their bodies only partly under water. The rush of water
constantly soaks them, while the bubbling of the river provides a
suitable background for viewing the artwork. In spring, the fish are
often completely submerged in water, while in summer and autumn they are
often entirely dry. This effect is perhaps symbolic of global warming,
drought and threats to survival. Yet to him, the fish symbolizes the
human soul— thirsty to experience life. One of his works at the First
Conceptual Art Exhibition at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art was a
video of his carvings on the riverbank, emphasizing the role of fish.
Ahmad Nadalian’s works are based in
primitive art. He concentrates upon the ancient concepts and methods
that are slowly vanishing. His choice of stone as a medium, and his
technique, are in accordance with ancient traditions. Yet he does not
attempt to give a primitive appearance to his art. His technique is
different from ancient approaches. He displays his work in nature, on
the ground. The presence of newborns in his work testifies to his
interests; he is drawn not only to the past, but also to the future.
His
only concern is that humanity, at present or in the future, may be less
in harmony with the past, and with the earth and heavens.
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