nº76 / FIROUZ FARMANFARMAIAN / CHILTERN FIREHOUSE / LONDON
Updated: Jul 26
At Chiltern Firehouse, we unexpectedly ran into Iranian artist Firouz FarmanFarmaian, and spontaneously recorded an interview at the bar, a noisy and passionate conversation panning through his life, his art, identity, memories and exile from Iran to Marrakesh and Venice - unplugged live.
Review by Zoltan Alexander
FIROUZ FARMANFARMAIAN Persian multidisciplinary artist Firouz FarmanFarmaian is a journey himself. He is bejewelled, dresses impeccably, wears traditional, colourful caftans, layers of fabrics, prints, and mixes them with cool sportswear. His looks are just as striking as his art.
THE PERSIAN STORY
Descendant of the Qajar dynasty, which ruled Iran from 1794 to 1925, Firouz FarmanFarmaian relocated following the Islamic Revolution in the late 70s, to Paris and Spain, where he grew up and turned his political exile into art. He was very much awed by the careers of both his grandfather, architect Abdol-Aziz FarmanFarmaian and his grand-aunt, contemporary artist Monir Shahroudy FarmanFarmaian.
PHOTOS / Selected paintings by Firouz FarmanFarmaian / photos © Courtesy of Firouz FarmanFarmaian
THE MARRAKESH STORY
We first met in 2020, in Marrakesh, during the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, at the Théâtre Royal de Marrakech, where he created and curated a sculptural, site-specific installation Memorandum of the Unknown Path, with large-scale tent elements and hand-painted fabric panels held together by Touareg raw camel wool.
He knotted Moroccan and Persian millenary cultures with Sufi-inspired textures, and post-tribal military symbols sourced at the Atlas Mountains in Draa Valley, and the Sahara. He then spiced the installation with sub-Saharan soundscapes.
PHOTO / (top) Portrait of Firouz FarmanFarmaian / photos © Courtesy of Princess Antalya von Preussen
PHOTO / (bottom) "Memorandum of the Unknown Path" at the Royal Theatre, Marrakesh / photos © Courtesy of Zoltan Alexander
Later, Her Majesty Farah Pahlavi, accompanied by Ladan Mina, came to admire his exhibition.
As FarmanFarmaian loves multiplying events at the same time, in parallel with Memorandum of the Unknown Path at the Royal Theatre, he presented another series Traces at Palais Aziza, Marrakesh.
Living a lifetime in exile between Paris, Marbella and Marrakech had profoundly influenced both his creative practice and individual character. "It is circumstance that ultimately shapes our lives", said the artist, whose work seeks to actively engage in a dialogue with the past. As such, his compositions possess a vivacious and spontaneous energy, as well as a deeply symbolic quality, which speaks to a multiplicity of currents in politics, art and philosophy.
PHOTOS / "The Gates of Turan" by Firouz FarmanFarmaian / photos © Courtesy of Firouz FarmanFarmaian
THE VENETIAN STORY
In 2022, during the 59th Venice Biennale, he represented the first national participation of the Kyrgyz Republic at their pavilion in Giudecca, with his installation The Gates of Turan.
“I set up a tent throughout the winter season and developed intense collaborative interactions with local artisans, marking the exhibit as my foundational multivalent post-tribal experience, the sacred and the immemorial role of women in the passage of knowledge.”
“These projected aspirations have been brought to the cupola of a partnership crafted with the Ministry of Culture of the Kyrgyz Republic, through 18 months of travels, friendship, and exchange,” said the artist in an interview with ARTREVIEW.
“Today, the Biennale is still important, because I believe there needs to be a new movement, one which transcends the last forty years of materialistic exploration.”
André Malraux famously said: “The 21st century will be spiritual or will not”. The biennale is fundamental in finding this balance.
VIDEO / "The Gates of Turan" by Firouz FarmanFarmaian / video © Courtesy of Firouz FarmanFarmaian
THE INTERVIEW
THE INSTIGATOR: “so… what’s next?”
FIROUZ FARMANFARMAIAN: “The Persian New Year, to start with! It is a new beginning, not just the Spring Equinox, but in a few days, we are launching our art-hub, a multi-disciplinary, site-specific installation and workshop near Essaouira, the ArtRyad, which reunites the FFF Studio, Assorted Studio, and Juncture Gallery in contemporary art, design, and curatorial advisory.”
“We will also inaugurate a private event, and present a multi-format art collection, the FIBULAE. Our invitation is obviously a sacred Talismanic Berber Fibulae. Zoltan, you are, bien évidemment, of course, invited.”
THE INSTIGATOR: “and… Venice?”
FIROUZ FARMANFARMAIAN: “Following the 59th Venice Biennale, I will return to Venice during the 60th Venice Biennale with an avant-garde film SHIMMERR, in conversation with curator Valentina G Levy at the Galleria Itinerarate. We will see each other there.”
PHOTO / "SIMMERR" by Firouz FarmanFarmaian in Venice / photo © Courtesy of Firouz FarmanFarmaian
THE INSTIGATOR: The only answer I could give you now comes from Arthur Rimbaud:
You have to be absolutely modern / l faut être absolument modern
VIDEO / "SHIMMERR" by Firouz FarmanFarmaian / video © Courtesy of Firouz FarmanFarmaian
AN INTENSE BAR TALK AT CHILTERN FIREHOUSE
We ran into each other again at the Chiltern Firehouse in London. We decided to be spontaneous and improvise an interview, like a friendly, passionate, storytelling conversation, bringing the house down with our personalities. It did work.
I switched on my microphone and only needed to ask him one question:
What does it take to be Persian?
PHOTO / At the bar of Chiltern Firehouse, London with Firouz FarmanFarmaian / photo © Courtesy of Zoltan Alexander
And his answer?
Sit back and listen to our noisy, crazy conversation at the bar about art, identity, memories and exile – with a lot of olives, almonds, and one or two Margaritas.
We recorded absolutely everything, even the barman interrupting us several times, as it happened. It is unedited, just like life. Grab a drink or your headphones and join us.
YOUTUBE
SOUNDCLOUD
INDEX
COVER
(left) Installation of The Gates of Turan at the 59th Venice Biennale
Photo © Courtesy of Firouz FarmanFarmaian
(right) Portrait of Firouz FarmanFarmaian
Photo © Courtesy of Princess Antalya von Preussen
Cover design © ZOLTAN+MEDIA Paris
EXHIBITION
“The Gates of Turan” / Firouz FarmanFarmaian
Galleria Itinerarte Venice (Italy)
60th Venice Biennale Arte
18 April 2024
PHOTOGRAPHERS
© Firouz FarmanFarmaian
© Princess Antalya von Preussen
© Zoltan Alexander
VIDEOS
© Firouz FarmanFarmaian
VISUALS & WEBDESIGN
© Zoltan Alexander ZOLTAN+MEDIA Paris
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