Exhibition Statement:

Humans, in their continuous return from the present to the past, are constantly walking on a bridge to dreams that are both real and imaginary. The focus of this collection of paintings is indeed a return to the fundamental identity, such as being Iranian. The “Return” collection is a return inward and outward. Outwardly, it is like a historical identification card that has shaped civilization and culture, and internally, it represents the mental aspirations of returning home and restoring greatness to our country. This exhibition pays homage to the traditional narrative style of painting and miniatures prevalent in the history of Iranian painting. Over the centuries, these works have served as powerful tools for storytelling and have maintained an unbroken continuity of expression in their images. However, Ebrin Bagheri’s aim in the “Return” collection has been to infuse this ancient tradition with fresh vitality while simultaneously introducing creativity within its technical framework, presenting a view of contemporary Iranian challenges from his perspective.

In the “Return” collection, Bagheri has endeavoured to reconstruct the general position of humanity and the specific position of Iranians. The main characteristic of traditional paintings (miniatures) is the small dimensions of their elements, requiring a close look for better understanding.
In contrast, in the “Return” collection, the artist distances himself from the traditional format by magnifying these small elements, especially the human element. The large size of the characters in this collection can be examined from both a semantic and technical perspective. Firstly, from a semantic point of view, it signifies the challenges of contemporary human life and redefinition within this complex world, while simultaneously returning to the historical roots and ancient culture of Iran. Secondly, from a technical standpoint, it confronts the viewer with a technical challenge due to the large size of the human figure, which contrasts with the traditional structure of Iranian paintings. In other words, Abreen Baqeri is striving to present a new narrative of the true value of humanity in today’s world, engaging in a kind of deconstruction of traditional works.

The deconstruction in the “Return” collection not only reassesses the position of humans in Iranian painting but also creates a greater sense of intimacy between the characters of the artwork and the viewers. Additionally, the size of the characters allows viewers to engage with them on a deeper level. Bagheri, through his portrayal of historical and narrative characters such as “Khosrow” and “Shirin” in his collection space, seeks to showcase references to the eternal values and grandeur of Iranian civilization. Through these paintings, he strives to initiate an artistic dialogue with Iran’s historical and cultural past and even represent cultural events such as Nowruz.

The lost circle of Iranians, both inside and outside the country, is encapsulated in the word “Return.” We all owe and need a return to what we have been, to our country and civilization.