Silvery Song of Resistance, 2022
Parimah Avani

Silvery Song of Resistance is a drawing created by the Iranian painter and poet Parimah Avani in 2022. India ink and acrylic on ivory-colored paper. Hand signed and dated with embossed stamp. 

Presented in a solo exhibition of "the Poems of Mourning and Struggle" curated by Leda Bartolucci in Turin, Italy, Bagni Pubblici, 2022. The artwork is created poetically through expressionistic brushstrokes, with dry and watery strokes well applied from the series "The Poems of Struggle and Mourning" representing revolutionary figures in a minimalist way. The figures on the right and left create a dynamically impressive composition. What makes this series unique: behind the dynamic emotion of each abstract figure and shape, four colors have metaphorical characteristics: pink as woman, yellow as hope, silver as resistance and red as blood. Her works in this series challenge oppression, torture, censorship and gender issues by applying the oriental brushstrokes of ink calligraphy as a primary tool, to fragile subjects. She portrays her oriental identity through basic materials and techniques, adding themes of today's socio-political interest. In her exhibition "Heroine's Journey" presented at Sparkasse Plettenberg, Germany, in 2023, she successfully presented revolutionary and rebellious figures with the same approach. Panoramic lines inspired by Persian calligraphy create harmonious patterns and repetitions in an orderly composition, each reminiscent of mysterious words. Her Persian calligraphy style and knowledge of poetry allowed her to create a visual poem in an expressionist style; the use of space and the maintenance of an empty background and foreground were done intentionally to emphasize the solitude of the figures and at the same time connect to oriental calligraphy in which empty space has the same value as full space, managing to create a pure embodiment. 

Avani's works have clear characteristics, firstly they are strongly inspired by the "Abstraction lyrique" of Tachisme and the works of Henri Michaux and Hans Hurting, secondly the oriental Persian calligraphy of the poetic style is evident in her works, finally the dynamic feeling of revolutionary art, the slogan of the street wall transformed into contemporary language, and its intuitive characteristics are subtly inserted. Parimah Garde, born 1988 in Tehran, Iran, is a multidisciplinary artist and a recognized figure in contemporary Hermetic Persian literature and the avant-garde "Other" movement. Her book, "Magic Verses of Antalus", was a finalist for the prestigious "Shamlou" prize.

Her most recent achievement is winning an art competition for a Werkstatt Plettenberg scholarship in Germany, culminating in a solo exhibition held at the German Bank Gallery Sparkasse. Avani's artistic journey began with trips to China and Russia during her formative years; Eastern philosophies, particularly Zen and Buddhism, and popular arts ignited a passion for comparative mythology, evident in her archaic style. In 2009 she moved to Rome to study multimedia art and obtained a Master's degree in painting from the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome. Paralleling the cultural parallels between East and West, mythological themes transcend the boundaries of art, exploring magic and ancient writings inspired by scholars Frazer and Eliade's insights into ritual. Her anthropological vision culminated in a PhD in contemporary art history at Sapienza University, achieving excellence and honor. Her major project, “Antalus," has resulted in published writing, performance, and visual art, a multidimensional feat of world-building that challenges convention. Within the imaginary lands of Antalus, he has constructed a tapestry of diverse cultures and rituals through archaic representations, including imaginary alphabets, calendars, maps, fantastical creatures, and botanical wonders, rooted in his travels, research, and nostalgia for his land. Her works blend and recontextualize allegories and popular traditions in a contemporary context and symbolism.she built a tapestry of different cultures and rituals through archaic representations, including imaginary alphabets, calendars, maps, fantastic creatures and botanical wonders, which are rooted in her travels, research and nostalgia for her homeland. His works blend and recontextualize allegories and popular traditions in a contemporary context and symbolism.she built a tapestry of different cultures and rituals through archaic representations, including imaginary alphabets, calendars, maps, fantastic creatures and botanical wonders, which are rooted in her travels, research and nostalgia for her homeland. Her works blend and recontextualize allegories and popular traditions in a contemporary context and symbolism.