Since the 1979 revolution in Iran (except for already established artists), the transformation of contemporary visual arts has been scattered, discontinuous, and has, therefore, faced many different challenges in the country. From within this period, with all its unstable atmosphere, doubts and unsustainable currents; however, a spectrum of young, courageous and exploratory artists are constantly undergoing new experiences by relying on their self-consciousness and a different visual perception; resulting from the fundamental capacities of their cultural history, reflected and integrated through a global sense of meaning and language. There is no doubt that part of these experiences has been possible through the visual presence in the virtual stream. The use of new media has been a great challenge, as well as a tremendous treasure in the hands of this group of artists. As a result, they have been able to create “an intuitive mutation in the same direction as the global language, which is not readily available and stereotyped. […] Looking for identity in artistic language and form, as well as searching for themes related to modern life with immediate and clear expression. A generation away from the common schools that seeks to create personal expressions from within itself to the boundaries of everyday and current life, it is from this perspective that a new space is flourishing and is able to link its art to the world.” This cultural stance, this new quality and this flow in the younger generation, is also evident in the structure of other arts, including theater, cinema, literature and poetry. By ignoring the differences in relations and expression structures, the analysis of the prominent author and critic Dr. Mojabi of the new era of poetry and story can be generalized to visual arts: “… Moving away from indigenousness and paying attention to the world-urban space that does not reflect a specific climate, the artist does not want to deliberately associate herself to a specific region. However, living in a country and a culture, imposes a footprint on the appearance or the structure of the text. […] There is a sense of humor that acts against dogma and prejudice, and is a sign for tolerance, ambition and self-esteem that distances itself from sentiment and globalization of this generation and their tendency to a regional human heritage. They are pursuing a culture that can engage in active dialogue with the world’s leading cultures.» If these artists and their art are thriving more than ever, it is because they are satisfying the need of a certain art which is expected to link regional issues to the global art. These artists have been able to make a balance between their technical, social and cognitive abilities and the international artistic developments as well as their own studies. Obviously, courage and experimentation, and establishing a link to the global art are not the only measures of content and method, but more of a turning point in art! The presence of these three artists: Mimi Amini, Yousha Bashir and Hoda Kashiha in one exhibition, with different backgrounds and diverse experiences in terms of style and methodology, and at the same time their related concepts and with three distinct positions among this generation of artists, is the first solemn experience in shaping this cycle and turning point. I hope that similar attempts in fronting and discerning the new face of Iranian visual art continues in the future with the presence of other artists.
-Ali Nassir