Morvarid K, the art of raising awareness and fighting oblivion
A visual artist with a variable geography, between Berlin and Bordeaux, Morvarid K recently completed an exhibition called “Traces”. It’s time and traces are left behind, whether visible or not. The exhibition occupies 350 square meters of Mérignac’s Old Church from September 24 to December 18.
From photography to materials
On the stone wall, four projects: It Will Also Fits, Once Upon a time, Ecotone and Moon Yuko. “The idea was to use multiple projects to showcase my artistic practice through different subjects. What’s interesting is when you use multiple projects and create links between them », says the artist. This is a project delayed by… Covid-19. “The project is growing because I have continued my work for these two years. If the project was showcased before the pandemic, the content would not be the same as today.”, noted Morvarid K, without regret. Procrastination is sometimes good.
Artists start by photographing their work before reworking it with collages, drawings, paintings, even collaborations and performances with other craftsmen or artists. In other words, the photos have relief, material. This allows blind or visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing people to enter exhibitions. Like this Friday, December 19, when in deathly silence, a mediator translated for two deaf friends, explained Morvarid K.
Be inspired and inspire
The photographer takes his inspiration from dance and music. Of Iranian origin, it refers to committed Iranian musicians. Nature and society are also sources of inspiration: “When there is a combination of beauty and fragility, and at the same time something powerful happens; that’s what caught my attention. Both in nature and in society. » This too shall pass is, for example, work on forest fires around the world between 2020 and 2022. “I started it in Australia and unfortunately I’m continuing it in France with the forest fires that happened this summer in the region”explains Morvarid K.
This photo taken from the “This Too Shall Pass” project is accompanied by a green ballpoint pen.
Generally, “There is horror every day, just to see the news in Iran. However, you have to face them all and stay active against them. We must not feel overwhelmed and ignore, hide, look elsewhere. Instead, we must look ahead. Therefore, we are part of the solution and not part of the problem. And most importantly, we identify actions that are going in the right direction and provide hope”, he is screaming. Nice philosophy.
The human brain is so arranged that we “attack” after a certain time. It makes us believe that the problem is solved, when in fact it is not.
Morvarid K has been into the artistic world from a very young age. He owes his overflowing imagination and passion to his parents. Today a ceramicist, his mother writes poetry and paints. His father did calligraphy and photography. “For the record, with the camera I started”he joked.
The artist also explains that his Iranian identity is very important in his relation to the world and his artistic sensibility: “In Iran, art is a democratized practice and is given to everyone. We are not in “Western education” where from the very beginning we say we are more artistic, literary or scientific. Art is a part of everyday Iranian life; they sing, write poetry or paint. »
A collection of committed projects
With some ambition and courage, Morvarid K allowed himself to be tempted by the first exhibition, then the second, until he made it his regular job. “Thanks to my friends and relatives who saw my work, motivating me to do exhibitions”obviously a visual artist.
Morvarid K has no shortage of inspiration for the years to come. Extending in the long term, the forest fire project continues. “The aim is to encourage people not to take this subject lightly and to continue to remain active and alert. The human brain is so arranged that we “attack” after a certain time. It makes us believe that the problem is solved, when in fact it is not. This is why, after spending two years working on the first chapter, I wanted to continue elsewhere and work on other aspects of this conflagration.”he pointed out.
The artist also started working in Iran. News requires. “With everything that’s going on right now, I really have an urgent and deep need to work on it. This is a long-term work tracing and tracking time since September 16, 2022, where it all started with the death of Mahsa Amini, and to the end of this movement.”, he testified. As such, Morvarid K continues to leave his mark after his connection to the world and his sensibilities.
