Echoes of Infinite: Poetry’s Visual Symphony

The Farjam Foundation isn’t a particularly activity gallery, but it does have access to an excellent private collection that spans early Islam to present-day artistic practice across regional geographies and beyond. So when it puts on a show of selected artworks from The Farjam Collection, it’s worth paying attention.

This one offers a contemporary take on classical themes in four paintings by Iranian artist Arash Nazari, juxtaposed with ten miniature folios of Shahnameh (aka ‘The Book of Kings’, Ferdowsi’s epic poem of 940-1020 CE) from the 15th to 17th century.

The exhibition seeks to magnify the glories of the detailed, early illustrations portraying mythical stories of heroic tales, with their rich tapestry of symbols and legendary characters that reflect ancient beliefs and traditions. Nazari himself is a self-taught Iranian artist who is fascinated by the paintings of the Shahnameh. His practice explores the original techniques of Persian Negaargari — a classical style of miniature painting or illustration that often features elaborate scenes in exquisite detail, reflecting themes of literature, mythology, and royalty, using fine brushwork and intricate color palettes.

“The running colours in his paintings evoke a sense of speed, symbolising the rapid changes that we witness, the focal point of his works lying in the carefully chosen central scenes from the Shahnameh” says the Foundation’s blurb. And the exhibition’s curator, Marjan Farjam, says “this exhibition serves as an encouraging platform for learning, exploring, and reflecting on traditional arts, with the aim of bridging past and present”.

To 24 June.