Rebel, Jester, Mystic, Poet

Rebel, Jester, Mystic, Poet

Cultural rebellion and lyrical reflection come together in this world-premiere exhibition showcasing one of the most important collections of contemporary Iranian art. Encounter the works of 23 artists who have chosen self-expression over silence — men and women separated by generations but united in their desire to explore complex issues against a backdrop of political and social unrest.

A Closer Look at Ali Banisadr’s “We Haven’t Landed on Earth Yet” (2012)

A Closer Look at Ali Banisadr’s “We Haven’t Landed on Earth Yet” (2012)

A Closer Look at Ali Banisadr’s “We Haven’t Landed on Earth Yet” (2012)
A Closer Look at Shiva Ahmadi’s “Oil Barrel #13” (2010)

A Closer Look at Shiva Ahmadi’s “Oil Barrel #13” (2010)

There’s more to art than what meets the eye. Shiva Ahmadi’s lavishly ornamented “Oil Barrel #13” makes a connection between the lust for oil and the logic of war.
A Closer Look at Shirazeh Houshiary’s “Memory” (2005

A Closer Look at Shirazeh Houshiary’s “Memory” (2005

There’s more to art than what meets the eye. Shirazeh Houshiary’s large-scale, apparently abstract painting contains two words written in the Arabic script, repeated many times over the width of the canvas.
Behind the Scenes: Installation of Farhad Moshiri’s “Flying Carpet”

Behind the Scenes: Installation of Farhad Moshiri’s “Flying Carpet”

On Monday, January 30, the Aga Khan Museum’s exhibitions team installed a spectacular new piece in our first-floor Museum Collections gallery. Titled “Flying Carpet,” this whimsical piece by artist Farhad Moshiri is one of more than two dozen works in the world-premiere exhibition “Rebel, Jester, Mystic, Poet: Contemporary Persians.” The piece features a generic aircraft cut out of 32 Persian carpets, each nearly 3 metres wide, carefully stacked on top of each other. Special permission was obtained to install “Flying Carpet” in our first-floor gallery for “Contemporary Persians” by the exhibition’s curator, Dr. Fereshteh Daftari.

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