The Third Line will showcase new works by artist Farhad Moshiri at the 2009 Frieze Art Fair, an annual international event dedicated to modern and contemporary art held in London. Moshiri continues to combine humour and cynicism portraying a lighter side away from social and political matters.

Established in 2003, Frieze Art Fair takes place every October in Regent’s Park, London and features over 150 international contemporary art galleries. The fair also includes specially commissioned artists’ projects, a talks program and an artist-led education schedule. The Third Line will exhibit new works from artist Farhad Moshiri with a solo exhibition of paintings entitled Fluffy Friends at booth F17.

Moshiri’s works have been inspired by diverse sources as history, philosophy, politics and artistic expression. His art often takes up activities of normality portrayed with an underlying tone of cynicism. Far away from the politics of society, these recent works do not focus on regional themes but highlights there is much else beyond the patriotic metaphors of clichéd veiled women and calligraphy on hand for inspiration.

A more light-hearted and personal direction has been taken for the subject of these paintings: a kitten, rabbit, tiger and duck. All four images recall childhood memories and moments of innocence referencing fairy tales, nursery rhymes and bedtime stories. With his ability to surprise, Moshiri’s latest satirical interpretation depicts his selection of animals as kitchy, highly animated and cartoon-like. In these works, he continues his practice of coupling mass-produced commodities and ideals with creative techniques and the subtle touch of irony.

With the ability to simplify his subjects through his composition and painting style, Moshiri continues to support his status within the neo-pop movement. Stylistically, Moshiri has continued with his signature icing technique by means of common kitchen utensils. The surfaces of the paintings are covered with the sugary icing texture seen in candy-based and jewelled works - where an individual frosting drop represents a single pixel of the entire work.

The multi-surfaces and layers disclose a patient and truthful relationship between the artist and his works which in turn brings the two dimensional friend closer to ones perception of reality, adding a personal touch of innocence. The simplicity of these portraits plays as an homage to animal lovers and a need for the comfort provided by their fluffy friends.

Farhad Moshiri was born in Shiraz and currently lives in Tehran, Iran. He studied art and filmmaking at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). Moshiri received international acclaim with his jar series – paintings of large jars and bowls embellished with highly textured calligraphy and abdjad, an ancient Arabic clerical code, correlating letters and numerals. He was the first artist from the Middle East to set a world record at the international auction level.

Moshiri has since been constantly pushing his materials, using cake icing dispensers, Swarovski crystals, and knives to make paintings that incorporate increasingly textured and sculptural approaches. But it is not Moshiri’s technique that has earned him the attention that he currently benefits from, rather, it is his mastery of Iranian visual vernacular, as well as his acute awareness of popular culture and art history.

-Alarabonline-

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IA