21 February,2015 08:10 AM IST | | Soma Das
Building Bridges of Love is an exhibition of Iranian art and artefacts at Cosmic Art Gallery. On display are rare Persian handicrafts, calligraphy art, fine art prints and photographs
Iranian art and artefacts take centrestage at Building Bridges of Love, an exhibition organised by Cosmic Heart Gallery, Culture House of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Chishty Foundation, Ajmer Sharif.
An image from the Sufi Musafir Photography collection
The showcase includes a collection of Persian handicrafts, calligraphy artworks and renowned artist Mahmoud Farshchian's fine art prints. The occasion will also mark the launch of Sufi Musafir Photography Journey to Iran Zameen by artist Syed Salman Chishty, director of Chishty Foundation.
Persian Minakari handicraft
Jalpa Vithalani, creative director of Cosmic Heart Gallery, shares about the exhibition, "It features khatamkari works, which involve a delicate and meticulous marquetry (applying veneer to a structure to form patterns) and have been produced since the Safavid period.
Minakari vase
There are also Minakari works, a form of decorating metals with colourful baked coats, that is one of the most distinguished art forms of Isfahan. The Iranian craftsmen of the Sassanid era invented this art; the Mongols spread it to India and other countries."
She adds that there are a series of calligraphy artworks by calligrapher Bahadur Baghri from Tehran, each of which carries a universal message. There are also fine art prints by Mahmoud Farshchian, a master of Persian painting and miniatures, whose paintings have become symbols of Iranian contemporary art.
Last but not the least are photographs by Haji Syed Salman Chishty from the Chishty Foundation, who has been engaged in practical research on world Sufi traditions and their impact on different cultures. The title, Building Bridges of Love, comes from the Persian word Sulh-e-kul (peace to all).
"Exchange of art and culture is the foundation of peaceful co-existence. I have always been a great admirer of Iran's cultural heritage. It defines beauty in more ways than one, and was one of the first civilisations of the world," she explains.
Vithalani also emphasises that India and Iran share a historic bond, and culture is one of the ways in which these two ancient civilisations have come together. "Through this exhibition, we are celebrating and furthering these cultural connections," she sums up. The exhibition will tour the major cities across India.
