PHOTO BY AMIN KAMRANI
There is the illusion That a leaf can be anything: Growing to the sun, away from the earth
Longer, wider, higher and older Than its kin.
But the life of the leaf is in the tree – and the tree alone
The tree’s life is in its roots And its roots in the earth.
Wherever you may be Rooted and uprooted You travel the same earth And the destiny of every leaf Is gravity.
BENJAMIN ONGHere Beyond reflects Komeil’s growth as an artist. From a boy growing up in Iran enjoying painting to where he is now, his journey continues with the same sense of purpose. Being here, but always reaching out to the beyond. Not waiting, but always creating.
Here Beyond is an invitation to see through the artist’s eyes as his mind takes a walk. The exploration follows no path, it is simply a wander into the beyond, the unknown. The unknown is fundamental in Komeil’s art – without it, creation cannot happen. As he paints, each canvas becomes a window from which one can catch glimpses of what is behind the veil.
As a child, Komeil used to sit immersed in the shallows of the sea, his chin bobbing above the waves as he stared at the clouds. How would a duck or a seagull see this world? He would wonder. Why are we alive? Why are we here? There are no answers to these questions, but there is beauty in acknowledging the mystery.
Komeil paints to learn what he knows. Layer upon layer, colours and forms appear and morph as Komeil’s paintings go on little journeys of their own. A colour calls to another, which then calls another. The artist’s role is to listen and to transcribe faithfully what he sees in his mind’s eye.
Here comes a green, built on the shoulders of a red. A fish appears, only to transform into a cat. The canvas arrives at a mesmerising destination which could only have emerged out of this meditative process – an unseen number of brush strokes, each a vital part of the whole.
Also part of the exhibition are a selection of Komeil’s drawings, which provide a more direct encounter with the artist. Komeil’s lines are influenced by his Iranian heritage of Persian calligraphy. Like a drummer pounding his heart out, or a reed flute with a long and haunting note, his strokes strike the paper with a certain musicality and precision. The rhythm of the lines reflects the spontaneity in his work, a quality that he values in life and art.
Drawing and painting with spontaneity is Komeil’s acknowledgment that change is constant in life. Creating art is the artist’s way of staying awake for anything that may come. What would the next moment propose? How would he respond to it? How would the canvas receive it? His eyes, following his brush, try to find out.
Here Beyond welcomes you to view this collection in the same spirit.
The form of the cypress is like a drop of water, with symmetrical sides and a curved bottom. In Persian culture, the cypress represents evergreen life. The symbol of one of the seven archangels in Zoroastrianism, the cypress embodies agelessness and longevity, as well as freedom, integrity, and justice. The upright tree features prominently in Persian mythology and imagination, as is evident in the legend of the cypress of Kashmar.
The “botteh” (or paisley) is a familiar motif which originates from Persia. It can be seen as a bent cypress, its tip pointed towards one direction as if it is blown by a strong gust of wind. It is resilient as it is flexible, standing strong against adversity and oppression – bringing to mind the survival of Persian culture and language in defiance of the Arab conquests. Bending, but not breaking. This spirit lends strength to poets and the populace alike.
The vitality of the cypress spans across centuries, and extends to modern day Iran. Its life-giving green and fertile curves inspire Komeil’s works, which unfurl as he draws from his roots. Through the humble act of painting which knows no bounds or borders, Komeil discovers visual elements which bind him to his cultural heritage, and provide him with a space of belonging among those who came before and those who will come after.
Legend has it that the prophet Zoroaster had planted a cypress tree in the village of Kashmar, to witness the King Gushtasp’s acceptance of the Zoroastrian faith.
Over many centuries, the noble tree grew tall and strong, amidst the rise and fall of kings, and through the Islamic conquest of Persia. Unrivalled in its beauty and height, the tree’s fame travelled far and wide until it reached the ears of Al-Mutawakkil, an Abbasid caliph.
Al-Mutawakkil, intrigued by the great cypress of Kashmar, decided that he had to see it with his own eyes. Instead of travelling to the tree, he gave orders for it to be cut down, split into pieces, and brought to him by camels. Upon arrival, carpenters would rebuild the tree for the caliph to enjoy. After that, its branches would be used for beams in his new palace.
When the people heard of the plan, they were grief-stricken –they pleaded for mercy and tried to offer large sums of money to secure the majestic tree, to no avail. It was cut down, and cut apart.
They say that the noble cypress was 1450 years old at that point, with a girth of 28 whip lengths, and provided an enormous shade that could shelter 10,000 sheep. When the tree fell, the skies went black with the fleeing birds which had built their nests in its branches. It took 1,300 camels to carry the whole tree, in parts, to Baghdad.
Al-Mutawakkil never saw the tree. Just before the procession arrived with its pieces, the caliph was assassinated. He was hacked to pieces by his own slaves.
SARV (CYPRESS) KASHMAR BOTTEH (PAISLEY)
Homeward Acrylic on canvas
Little Swan Oil on canvas
A Trip to the Seaside Oil on canvas
Eve Oil on canvas
A Bird Protecting a Tree Oil on canvas
A Horse Oil on canvas
Dedicated to those who invaded and took over cultures and burnt their books throughout history.
Shamiran means lack of history. It means chaos.
Shamiran Oil on canvas
Afsāneh II
(A Legend)
Oil on canvas
Orange Oil on canvas
The day will come when a single carrot, freshly observed, will set off a revolution.
PAUL CEZANNE
Komeil, an Iranian born artist began his artistic journey as a young child painting alongside his father Mohammad Yousefi Zarin, a painter, Persian calligrapher and musician. Since then he has continually explored words, music, mediums and styles in his search for deeper connections –with himself as well as with others.
As one who is exiled yet forever connected to his homeland; waiting here yet always looking beyond, Komeil's work questions our perceived notions of identity, belonging, boundaries and realities. For Komeil, beyond relationships that are formed with people, there exist relationships with Knowledge, with Time and with Nature. Komeil’s paintings are a result of his investigations within these realms.
Through what is ordinary, Komeil strives to see deeper into the world, in order to find what it means to be.
Komeil’s work in Malaysia includes:
• Debut solo exhibition at Teapods Cafe, Kuala Lumpur – Sept 2015.
• Featured artist for Himapan Malaysia Gallery’s lotus leaf paintings exhibition – Nov 2016.
• Artworks exhibited at Our Body Space, Kuala Lumpur – March 2017.
• Mural painting and illustrations for commercial spaces and marketing material.
• Illustration for children’s story books. The latest book is “A to Z Grandpa & Me” by Diani Lee – published December 2018.
• Art workshops and classes.
PHOTO BY AMIN KAMRANI
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