The Art of Iran in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries - (Edinburgh Historical Studies of Iran and the Persian World) by Hamid Keshmirshekan

About the Book

Deals with the exploration and theorisation of Modern and Contemporary art of Iran through the examination of art movements and artistic practices in relation to other cultural, social and political discourses during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Book Synopsis

This book deals with the exploration and theorisation of Modern and Contemporary art of Iran through the examination of art movements and artistic practices in relation to other cultural, social and political discourses during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It focuses on discourses and their impact on art movements and practices and aims to selectively explore certain prevailing debates in action during this time. To come to grips with the way that artistic trends in Iran can be traced within the intellectual and political landscape of the country mainly from the 1940s to the present, the author has tried to articulate new ideas for relating art to its wider context - whether social, cultural or political - and to bring together critical and historical evidence in order to provide an insight into current artistic concerns. The book explores these underlying themes and discourses through a series of case studies, including through close scrutiny of works of artists.

Review Quotes

Few scholars of contemporary Islamic art, a seriously underdeveloped field, exhibit both range and staying power. Keshmirshekan, the outstanding specialist on its richest subset, Iranian art, does just that. In good, plain, jargon-free English and with clear, concise arguments and passionate commitment, he highlights the treasures of modern and contemporary art in Iran and beyond.--Robert Hillenbrand, University of Edinburgh

Hamid Keshmirshekan's writings have been foundational in the analysis of the modern and contemporary art of Iran. This collection of insightful essays engages with Persian and English sources, and covers both pre- and post- 1979 developments from the mid-twentieth century into the present. It will be an indispensable resource for future scholarship on the subject.--Iftikhar Dadi, Cornell University

This book serves as an essential foundational text for those seeking to deepen their knowledge of the development and trajectories of modern and contemporary art in Iran.--Fatemeh Takht Keshian "British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies"

This book will serve as a valuable grounding text for those who seek to know more about the trajectories of modern and contemporary art in Iran.--Margaret Graves, Indiana University

Very few people can write about the Iranian art scene and its global context with the same critical authority and depth of knowledge as does Hamid Keshmirshekan. The Art of Iran in the Twentieth and Twenty-first Centuries: Tracing the Modern and the Contemporary is perhaps his maturest and most probing prose into the field yet. It is impossible to imagine our understanding of modern and contemporary Iranian art without Keshmirshekan's sustained body of work. This book is the pinnacle of his lifetime scholarship.--Hamid Dabashi, Columbia University