A Study on the Relationship between Language and Art in Conceptual Art of Iran (1965-2003)

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Associate Professor of Architecture, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, Iran.

2 M.A. Student in Art Research, University of Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Problem statement: Parallel with the confrontation of the East and the West in the fields of worldview and philosophy, the comprehension of contemporary artistic approaches and movements also has its own complexities. Among these, conceptual art is one of the most controversial issues in the art world due to its characteristics and its view of aesthetics, media, audience, and institutions. This subject by its very nature is directly related to the language. The question that arises is what is the connection between language and art in Iranian conceptual art?
Research objective: The aim of the present study is to gain a deeper understanding of conceptual art in Iran so that the weaknesses and strengths of the relationship between art and language in this movement can be better explored and, if possible, solutions for the future can be considered.
Research method: In this study, the first step was to examine conceptual art by delving into the background of the study and its related spectrum. In the second step, the relationship between art and language, was first analyzed in general and then were scrutinized in conceptual art by referring to the opinions of artists, current trends, and works, and to extract its components and principles. In the third step, the Iranian conceptual art and the relationship between art and language in this fledgling art movement were studied and the works were analyzed based on the mentioned components and principles. In this study, the main purpose was to analyze the relationship between art and language in conceptual art, and show the weaknesses and strengths of the process of understanding and absorbing conceptual art in Iran.
Conclusion:By studying the relationship between language and art in Iranian conceptual art, the results can be summarized in two dimensions. First, the three components of the formation of conceptual art in the West are very different from the context of its development and absorption in Iran. Second, this difference has created a weak link between language and art in Iranian conceptual art, which is contrary to the two principles derived from Western conceptual art. It seems that these two dimensions should be considered next to the strength of this movement, namely being related to tangible issues.

Keywords


Afrasiabi, A. (2004). Postmodernism (Iranian Perception). Unpublished master’s thesis. Art University, Tehran, Iran.
Ahmadvand, M. (2009). Study of the place of conceptual art in contemporary Iranian art. Unpublished Master Thesis. Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, Tehran.
Alberro, A. (2001). Recording Conceprtual Art. Berkeley: University of California press.
Fatemi, F. & Morsali Tohidi, F. (2015). Functions of Conceptual Art in the Concepts of the Art of Resistance (Case Study: Garden of the Museum of Sacred Defense). Peykareh, 4(7), 61-76.
Gambridge, E. (1998). History of Art )A. Ramin Trans.). Tehran: Ney.
Godfrey, T. (1998). Conceptual Art. New York: Phaidon.
Harrison, Ch. (2001). Conceptual Art, the Beautiful and the End (s) of Art. )A. R. Tagha Trans.). Tehran: Bongah.
Harrison, Ch. (2001a). Essays on art and language. London: MIT Press.
Harrison, Ch. (2001b). Conceptual art and painting. London: MIT Press.
Kafshchian Moghadam, A. (2002). Book of the First Conceptual Art Exhibition. Tehran: Museum of Contemporary Art.
Kalyva, E. (2016). Image and Text in Conceptual Art. leeds: Macmilain.
Kleiner, F. S. (2015). Art through Helen Gardner (M. Eslamieh et al. Trans.). Tehran: Agah.
Kosuth, J. (1969). Art after Philosophy. Massachusetts: MIT Press.
LeWitt, S. (1969). Sentences about Conceptual Art. New York and England: Art-Language.
Linton, N. (1980). Modern Art (A. Ramin Trans.). Tehran: Ney.
Lucy-Smith, E. (1969). Concepts and Approaches of the Last Art Movements of the Twentieth Century (A. Sami Azar Trans.). Tehran: Nazar.
Marzban, P. (2017). Summary of Art History. Tehran: Elmi va Farhangi.
Marzona, D. (2017). Conceptual Art (F. Ebadi Trans.). Tehran: Aban Book.
Nami, Gh. H. (1996). Selected Works. Tehran: Iran Art.
Newman, M. & Bird, J. (1999). Rewriting conceptual art. London: Reaktion Books.
Osborne, P. (2012). Conceptual Art (N. Rahmani Trans.). Tehran: Sepid.
Pakbaz, R. (2016). Encyclopedia of Art. Tehran: Contemporary Culture.
Pakbaz, R. (2017). Iranian Painting. Tehran: Zarrin and Simin.
Parsa, Kh. (Eds.). (2001). Postmodernism in the Critique. Tehran: Agah.
Ranjbar, M. (2007). Socio-political situation in Iran in the 1340s. Zamaneh, (57), 41-46.
Sami Azar, A. (2017). Conceptual Revolution. Tehran: Nazar.
Schelkins, E. & Hilpinen, R. (2014). Conceptual and Manufactured Art (B. Shamsini Trans.). Tehran: Ghoghnus.
Wittgenstein, L. (1984). Sheets (M. Hosseini Trans.). Tehran: Hermes.
Wittgenstein, L. (1998). Blue and Brown Books ) Qanuni Trans.). Tehran: Ney.
Wood, P. (2003). Conceptual Art. (M. Farzin Trans.). Tehran: Iranian Art.