Thursday, December 12, 2013

The Nostalgic Road from Detroit to Tehran

Apologies for the lack of updates here recently, but I have yet another very exciting news for you. I had the honor of being interviewed on NPR's The Takeaway program, which was aired yesterday!

I want thank John Hockenberry, Peggah Navab and the rest of the staff at The Takeaway for having me on their show. You can listen to the interview here: The Nostalgic Road from Detroit to Tehran.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Final Encore II Report


















Finally got a chance to upload some photos for you from the Final Encore II group exhibition that I co-curated with my dear friends Sogol Kashani & Joubeen Mireskandari. The show was a HIT!.... It was an incredible experience for me and I got to work with some amazing people along the way. I want thank Hormoz Hematian & the rest of the staff at Dastan's Basement Gallery.

For the brochure/poster of this event and the statement please check this link.

Photos by: Nathalie Taleghani 

In the order of pictures above:
Headlights:
Artist: Namdar Shirazian
Title: Eyezzzzz

Bonnet:
Artist: Alireza Masoumi
Title: Carrying a fire extinguisher is required

Engine Bay:
Artist: Sogol Kashani
Title: Empty Bay

Interior Space:
Artist: Wahed Khakdan
Title: Bread & Steel

Rear Glass:
Artist: Mina Bozorgmehr & Hadi Kamali Moghadamm
Title: Once upon a time Tehran-J

Left Doors:
Artist: Joubeen Mireskandari
Title: Injured

Boot:
Artist: Reza Sharifi
Title: Look Back

Mirrors:
Artist: Samira Alikhanzadeh
Title: Objects in the mirror are farther than they appear

Front Right Door:
Artist: MAD
Title: The Window

Windshield:
Artists: Adel Younesi & Zahra Shafie
Title: One way street

The New York Times!


I have the most exciting news for you!... I was the subject of a brilliant article written in the prestigious New York Times yesterday!!!... You can read the full article here: A Homely Relic on Wheels Awakens Nostalgia in Iran

I would like to send a special Thank You to Thomas Erdbrink for all of his work and dedication. I am truly honored my friend!...

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Fresh Cyan

Official release photo from IranNational featuring a 1357(1978) Paykan DeLuxe.

Pit Stop

Corgi No. 302 featuring the Hillman Hunter winner of the "1968 London-Sydney Marathon" here in its scheduled pit stop. :) Photo from stefho74

Abadan-Khorramshahr

Vintage photo featuring a Paykan taxi shuttle between Abadan and Khorramshahr probably taken in 1967. Found it over at Tehran Taxi.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

...This Beautiful Car

Billboard artwork adverts for New Zealand, image provided by Ian Morton

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Final Encore 2


After 6 months of planning and hard work "Final Encore 2" group exhibition will be open to the public tomorrow at Dastan's basement dastangallery.com. Don't miss it!

FINAL ENCORE II
These days in Iran uncertainty in social, economical and cultural fronts has created changes, none of which are relevant to the past. Consequently a lack of identity is innate in these transformations.
A thirst for modernity mixed with imported ideas not loyal to our past beliefs, is going to build a future far from our imagined utopia.  

The idea behind the first "Final Encore" was developed at the time when Tehran has been experiencing a construction boom like never seen before. In this urban renewal there are no longer any space left for the beautiful mid-century brick dwellings with shallow pools and persimmon trees in their courtyards. "Final Encore" created an occasion for appreciation and a show of gratitude.

In the meantime, a stage was set for "Final Encore 2" by finding a half burned PAYKAN (1970 model, dark blue) at a junkyard, we found similarities between those brick houses and Iran's national car, which carries in itself the bitter sweet memories of at least four generations of Iranians. Both the homes and the PAYKAN are now widely forgotten.

We decided to breathe a new life into its metal body in order to recollect some of its memories.   

- of course!


Wednesday, October 9, 2013

"Paykan Group Exhibition" Report







































Its been crazy times here at PaykanHunter HQ. and I do apologies for the lack of updates. But I wanted to let you know that tomorrow will be the last day for the "Paykan, Iranian Automobile" group exhibition at the AUN  Gallery in Tehran. 

This was the first art exhibition of its kind exclusively about the Paykan. As part of the gallery's biannual challenge each artist was invited to take a hood of a discarded Paykan and create their own interpretive art. I am very pleased and honored to be invited and my participation resulted in a collaboration piece and a short video. 

The show was divided into two spaces, in the second space I was asked to present a sample of my collection material on the Arrow series cars, which were shown along an exclusive screening of Kamran Shirdel's brilliant Paykan advert films which he made for IranNational some 40 years ago. 

I want thank Afarin Neyssari and the rest of the staff at the AUN Gallery for providing me the opportunity to participate in this group show, and also thank Nathalie Taleghani for the above photos. 


Lady Firouzeh, 2013
Digital Video
Duration 6'30''

A piece of metal meanders through the city streets. Time erodes it, polishes it and the metal becomes a mirror for the grey city that can no longer bear it. Generously gives its turquoise color to the city's sky.
Joubeen Mireskandari

Firouzeh Khanom is a short video about a 1976 Paykan DeLuxe. Kept in its original factory condition, it was hardly driven and was parked for 37 years underneath a tree. Just a day short of being scrapped this Paykan was saved by the current owner Saied Kholdi. Saied and Shahin chat about the car and its history while driving through northern Tehran streets.    


Stone Head, 2013
dimensions 80 x 45 x 60 cm
Marble, metal rods

Stone Head is a collaboration between visual artist Nazgol Ansarinia and automotive design-engineer Shahin Armin.

Fifty years after Paykan (arrow in Farsi) was designed by the British automobile manufacturer Rootes Group, this work commemorates the car used by no less than four generations of Iranians. Paykan was produced in Iran for nearly forty years. Through political upheaval, war and economical difficulties this car was the primary means of transportation and a main source of income for many Iranians until its production was stopped in 2005. 

Stone Head is made using 3D data, subsequently cutting the front of the car into twenty four sections, a modeling method often used by car designers. The pieces are then assembled into a 1/2 scale model in stone, freezing the head of Paykan in the most durable of materials as a way of immortalizing this iconic car.