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118 SUMMER 2024 01 Carpets of Eden Behrang Samadzadegan’s latest curation at Leila Heller Gallery Dubai uses traditional materials to weave a contemporary narrative. Aisha Zaman reports After rising to prominence since its establishment in New York over four decades ago, Leila Heller Gallery has gained worldwide recognition as a pioneer in promoting a creative dialogue and exchange between Western artists and Middle Eastern, Central and Southeast Asian artists. Currently on show is the group exhibition ‘Carpets of Eden, Gardens of Fantasy’, curated by Behrang Samadzadegan, exploring how carpets since time immemorial have been integral to the fabric of human existence, serving as a vessel for cultural storytelling. The exhibition showcases a collection of intricately crafted carpets, positioned as dynamic canvases of expression by artists who have given a new lease of life to this age-old art form. The viewer is invited to explore the ethereal realms of a journey through fantastical gardens, where fibres dream and artists share their philosophies by unleashing their creativity. Each weave unveils a narrative and every thread comes together to create a rich tapestry of transcendence. As each piece captivates the senses and ignites the imagination, the installation is a testament to the amazing potential found in often-overlooked objects in our daily lives. The carpets emerge not just as functional objects but also as masterpieces of craftsmanship. Samadzadegan was born in Iran. In his works, he is renowned for exploring the possibility (or impossibility) of representing truth, identity and history within the framework of aesthetic laws, and to challenge artworks’ capacity for displaying these concepts. In an exclusive interview he tells COVER, ‘I believe every aesthetic approach and artistic expression is rooted in the human perception of beauty, imagination and fantasy. It’s not just about the physical elements like form, colour and composition, but also about how these visual elements can convey human ideas, narratives and philosophy.’

I S SUE 119 He further explains that initially he had reservations about utilising carpets as the medium for the exhibition, owing to the prevalence of stereotypes associated with oriental carpets. ‘My concern was not about avoiding historical narratives altogether but about the risk of perpetuating clichés and preconceived notions through artistic representation.’ His focus, both in creating and curating, has always been on exploring how art can transcend stereotypes and instead serve as a medium for conveying narratives and history in a subtle manner. Therefore, he embarked on a year-long journey to compile an archive of artists who essentially approached carpets as more than mere decorative artefacts. Each artist was chosen based on their ability to provoke curiosity and stimulate a deeper exploration of the craft’s complexities beyond superficial representations. He says, ‘Central to my selection process was a deliberate e ort to avoid reinforcing orientalist stereotypes. Instead of imposing my own aesthetic preferences, I sought out artists whose works challenged conventional interpretations and o ered a fresh contemporary take on the role of carpets in art.’ By showcasing diverse artistic approaches to carpets, Samadzadegan has successfully 02 01 A view of ‘Carpets of Eden, Gardens of Fantasy’ at the Leila Heller Gallery in Dubai 02 Al Mulatham, Ayman Baalbaki (left), Crying Man, Marwan Sahmarani (right), both rugs created with the Iwan Maktabi Lab 03 White Tiger, Debbie Lawson 04 Metamorphosis, Ali Cha’aban (left) and artwork by Josefina Concha E. 03 04 dismantled typecasts and transcended the limitations of traditional Western discourse to foster a more inclusive understanding of oriental carpets’ cultural significance. In essence, this installation not only o ers new perspectives on carpet research and artistic exploration but also presents the carpet as a model for understanding art and art histories in a broader sense. Aisha Zaman The exhibition continues until September 2024 at Leila Heller Gallery in Dubai. The participating artists include Etel Adnan, Faig Ahmed, Maryam Al-Homaid, Ayman Baalbaki, Melis Buyruk, Josefina Concha, Ali Cha’aban, Mohammad Ehsaei, Bijan Ghaseminejad, Shoeib Gorgani, Marcos Grigorian, Shahzad Hassan Ghazi, Areen Hassan, Mona Hatoum, Debbie Lawson, Aref Montazeri, Soheil Rad, Farid Rasulov, Marwan Sahmarani, Antonio Santin, Parviz Tanavoli and Shaheer Zazai. www.leilahellergallery.com

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118 SUMMER 2024

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Carpets of Eden Behrang Samadzadegan’s latest curation at Leila Heller Gallery

Dubai uses traditional materials to weave a contemporary narrative. Aisha Zaman reports

After rising to prominence since its establishment in New York over four decades ago, Leila Heller Gallery has gained worldwide recognition as a pioneer in promoting a creative dialogue and exchange between Western artists and Middle Eastern, Central and Southeast Asian artists. Currently on show is the group exhibition ‘Carpets of Eden, Gardens of Fantasy’, curated by Behrang Samadzadegan, exploring how carpets since time immemorial have been integral to the fabric of human existence, serving as a vessel for cultural storytelling. The exhibition showcases a collection of intricately crafted carpets,

positioned as dynamic canvases of expression by artists who have given a new lease of life to this age-old art form.

The viewer is invited to explore the ethereal realms of a journey through fantastical gardens, where fibres dream and artists share their philosophies by unleashing their creativity. Each weave unveils a narrative and every thread comes together to create a rich tapestry of transcendence. As each piece captivates the senses and ignites the imagination, the installation is a testament to the amazing potential found in often-overlooked objects in our daily lives. The carpets emerge not just as functional objects but also as masterpieces of craftsmanship.

Samadzadegan was born in Iran. In his works, he is renowned for exploring the possibility (or impossibility) of representing truth, identity and history within the framework of aesthetic laws, and to challenge artworks’ capacity for displaying these concepts. In an exclusive interview he tells COVER, ‘I believe every aesthetic approach and artistic expression is rooted in the human perception of beauty, imagination and fantasy. It’s not just about the physical elements like form, colour and composition, but also about how these visual elements can convey human ideas, narratives and philosophy.’

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