Artiq Annual Volume 2
Freedom in the Finite It’s always been the nature of artists to reflect the times in which we live. Molly Coffey speaks to two artists who, in their own ways, have found producing art and cherishing the environment needn’t be at odds.
At first glance, the work of Rebecca Newnham
for a conversation with them last November.
and Cyrus Mahboubian appear vastly different.
We settle into a spot amongst the open-brick
Rebecca, based in the Southwest of England,
archways of Cyrus’s studio, Maison Pan, the
creates faceted glass works, some stretching
once National Gallery vaults turned artist-run
up to seven metres tall. Cyrus, based between
studios and project space, which the British-
London and Oxfordshire, known for his
Iranian artist now co-directs. Amid a variety
contemplative approach to photography, makes
of artworks spanning painting and sculpture,
black-and-white photographs of remote
is an elegant curation of Cyrus’s works hung
landscapes with vintage Polaroid film to create
in his distinctive style. The original black
a timeless, atmospheric aesthetic. Distinct in
and white polaroids sit within wide white
medium and materiality is their art, and yet
mounts and black frames, provoking intrigue
striking parallels can be drawn between their
within the viewer. You must get closer, nose
practices, as I found out, when I sat down
almost touching the glass, to observe the
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