Morteza Khakshoor: Forty-One Drawings and Prints

M or te z a K ha k s hoor Fo r ty-On e Drawin gs an d Pr in ts 20 1 6 – 1 8

M or te z a K ha k s hoor Fo r ty-On e Drawin gs an d Pr in ts 2 0 1 6 – 1 8 University Ar t Galler y Depar tment of Ar t School of the Ar ts California State University, Stanislaus

Just Another Meeting, screenprint on paper, 29” x 43”, 2018

D ir e c tor ’s For ewor d

Morteza Khakshoor exhibit: Forty-One Drawings and Prints 2016–18, presents a opportunity to view his brilliant work.

Drawing is one of the earliest forms of art and continues to be a major force in the art world. From simple renderings to images of complex ideas, drawing continues to make important statements. In Morteza’s work, a narrative base is made from alterations of photographs and memories through drawing. These images tell of power, history and the struggles that his generation has with it’s past.

The University Art Gallery’s programing help support our faculty’s teaching and it is with their recommendations that many of our exhibitions come to our galleries. This exhibition was recommended by my colleague Susan Stephenson.

Susan has watched Morteza’s progression from student to artist over a number of years and had the following to say about his work: “I knew that if we hoped to show his work here, we’d have to act quickly because Morteza’s star is rising in the art world. Why is he so outstanding? Unusually intelligent and obviously talented, his artwork is both haunting and disturbing. I think he’s as brave as he is intellectual, as introspective as he is expressive. It makes his work powerful, whenever he shows us something, I have to look.”

I am very excited to be able to exhibit Morteza’s work for others to enjoy.

I would like to thank the many colleagues that have been instrumental in presenting this exhibition; Morteza Khakshoor for the chance of exhibiting his brilliant work, Susan Stephenson for recommending Morteza’s exhibition, the College of the Arts, California State University, Stanislaus for the catalog design and Parks Printing for the printing this catalog.

Much gratitude is extended to the Instructionally Related Activates Program of California State University, Stanislaus, as well as anonymous donors for the funding of the exhibition and catalogue. Their support is greatly appreciated.

Dean De Cocker Gallery Director California State University, Stanislaus

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Pretty Pretty Book, screenprint on paper, 29” x 43”, 2018

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A r t is t St a te m e n t

It has been some years now that I have obsessively searched, collected and looked at every photograph and documentary film that depict Iranian politicians before the 1979 Islamic revolution. The homo-social aspect of those historical records with the inevitable, never-ending trace of power struggle embedded in them coincides with my broad fascination with men and their projected personas. Looking at photographs and dealing with a history which is still affecting me and my generation—and will continue to do so to future generations—I constantly find myself in a position to judge; to identify good from evil, guilty from innocent, and passive from assertive. This is not a comfortable place to be.

The four larger screenprints and, to a lesser degree, the narrative-based pictures presented in this exhibition are interpreted, edited and distorted alterations of some of these photographs. These photographs are combined with everyday elements from different times and spaces. I select my characters from images most of which I have never seen before mainly due to the very limited circulation of images of this sort during my education in Iran. It is very amusing yet curious to watch these figures either acknowledging each other’s presence and behaviors or completely ignoring each other, by the force of my drawing or printing. In my pictures, a figure of a very respected ambassador might end up sitting next to a group of anti-government leaders all together watching a cockfight. I am particularly interested in the character castration that happens when these individuals travel from one image to another, often to a place they have never been in their real life. It is an attempt to reshape history. I like to think that I am a puppeteer and these scenes are my own interpretation of what could or should have happened. Given the current political climate, it feels that the events of the Twentieth century follow into the Twenty-first century, and these images go back and forth in time and space.

Notes on Portraits In May of 2018 when I started making the preparatory sketches and drawing for this group of intaglio and screenprint portraits, I viewed them as something completely apart and different from the historically/sexually charged scenarios I had been making to that point. I wanted to take a break from narrative and history, at least for a short period of time. I thought what I was about to do would be completely different from the rest of my imageries. I was wrong. After working almost three months on a group of thirty intaglio plates—twelve of them presented here—I realized I have always been making portraits; portraits of places, events and people I had never met or known. I think specificity, which does not necessarily refer to details, is the key in portraiture. I realized my characters in my previous images have almost always been specific in their facial characters, their clothing, their pictures and in their environments. This recent portfolio of portraits depicts some of my friends and peers during the last months at graduate school.

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Men of High Culture, screenprint on paper, 29” x 43”, 2018

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Amateurs, screenprint on paper, 29” x 43”, 2018

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Man of Shadows, screenprint on paper, 20” x 15”, 2018

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A Significant Meeting, screenprint on paper, Image 31” x 23”, paper 38” x 30”, 2017

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A Very Funny History, screenprint on paper, Image 24” x 31”, paper 31” x 38”, 2017

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His Majesty and the Blue Dog, screenprint, image 28.5” x 22”, paper 35” x 28”, 2017

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Men and Goat, charcoal on paper, 38” x 25.5”, 2017

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A Significant Meeting, etching, aquatint, drypoint and chine-collé, image 8” x 6”, paper 20” x 15”, 2017

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Boy from the Revolution, paper lithograph, 23” x 15”, 2016

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Brothers, tearful and weak, color pencil on paper, 18� x 24�, 2016

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Hypnotist, pencil, acrylic, ink and collage on paper, 18� x 24�, 2016

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Big Jumpers, pencil and ink on paper, 18� x 24�, 2016

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Distracted Audiences, ink on paper, 18� x 24�, 2016

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My friend, turn back..., do not pursue this journey..., collaged ink drawings, 20� x 15�, 2016

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Interior, charcoal on paper, 24” x 18”, 2016

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Handrail, color pencil on paper, 17� x 13.5�, 2016

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A Single Red Shadow, color pencil on paper, 14� x 14�, 2016

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The Tree at the Backyard, color pencil on paper, 17” x 13.5”, 2016

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Untitled, ink on paper, 12” x 18”, 2015

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Boy and Bicycle in a Room, pencil and marker on paper, 17” x 14”, 2017

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Very Silly Games, transferred charcoal drawing, 14.5” x 11”, 2016

What to Wear Today?, transferred charcoal drawing, 14.5” x 11”, 2016

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Four Drawings from That Summer, pencil on paper, 11” x 14”, 2018

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Green Man, and Green Boy, color pencil on paper, 8” x 12”, 2016

Opposite: Twelve Portraits, etching, aquatint, and screenprint on paper, image size varies, paper size 18” x 15”, 2018

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M or te z a K ha k s hoor

Works and lives in Columbus, Ohio mortezakhakshoor1362@gmail.com www.mortezakhakshoor.com EDUCATION 2015–18 MFA, Ohio State University (OSU), Columbus, OH Printmaking 2011–15 BFA, Cum Laude, Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, CT Sculpture 2010–11 Art Academy of Cincinnati (AAC), Cincinnati, OH Sculpture 2002–04 Tehran University College of Fine Arts, Tehran, Iran Industrial Design/Sculpture EXHIBITION RECORD 2018 Group Exhibition, (forthcoming) The Salt City Dozen 2018 Portfolio, Coyne Gallery of Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

Group Exhibition, Multilayered: New Prints 2018/Summer, International Print Center, New York, NY

Group Exhibition, On Paper Contest, Spike Print Studio, Bristol, UK

Group Exhibition, One: Annual Emerging Artist Exhibit, Cleve Carney Gallery, Glen Ellyn, IL

Group Exhibition, 2018 Art From the Heartland Exhibition, Indianapolis Art Center, IN

Group Exhibition, Thesis 2018: Ohio State University Department of Art MFA Exhibition, Urban Arts Space, Columbus, OH

Group Exhibition, 26th Fergus Scholarship Award Exhibition, Urban Arts Space, Columbus, OH 2017

Group Exhibition, 3rd Annual Hand Pulled Prints Exhibition, Site: Brooklyn, New York, NY

Group Exhibition, Below the Surface: Intaglio Exhibition, Morgan Art of Papermaking Conservatory and Educational Foundation, Cleveland, OH (catalogue) 2016 Solo Exhibition, Relative to You: The OSU Department of Art Second-year Master of Fine Arts Candidate Exhibition, OSU Fine Arts Library, Columbus, OH

Group Exhibition, First-Year MFA Exhibition, Hopkins Hall Gallery, Columbus, OH

Solo Exhibition, What Has Become of Your Strength, George Mason Atrium Gallery, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA (catalogue, curated by Helen Frederick) 2015 Group Exhibition, 58th Chautauqua Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Arts, Strohl Art Center, Chautauqua, NY

(curated by Hrag Vartanian)

Group Exhibition, Chautauqua School of Art Annual student Exhibition, Foler-Kellogg Art Center, Chautauqua, NY

Group Exhibition, LACFA Senior Thesis Exhibition: Chauncey Stillman Gallery, Old Lyme, CT 2014 Group Exhibition, About Face: Portraits with Presence, Thomas Center Galleries, Gainesville, FL 2013

Group Exhibition, A Fine Line: Contemporary Drawing, Young Artist Gallery, Morehead, KY (Juried by Anne Harris) 2012-13 Group Exhibition, Laumeister Fine Art Competition, Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, VT 2011-15 Group Exhibition, Annual Summer Exhibition, Chauncey Stillman Gallery, LACFA, Old Lyme, CT

Group Exhibition, Annual Juried Exhibition, Chauncey Stillman Gallery, LACFA, Old Lyme, CT AWARDS/FELLOWSHIPS/SCHOLARSHIPS 2018 Best in show award, Indianapolis Art Center, Indianapolis, IN 2017 Fergus Scholarship Award, Columbus, OH 2015–16 University Fellowship (full tuition, most fees, and stipend), OSU, Columbus, OH 2015 Distinction in Printmaking and Sculpture, LACFA, Old Lyme, CT

Stephen & Lynne Wardlaw Prize for Excellence in Sculpture, LACFA, Old Lyme, CT

VACI Partners Award, Second Prize at the 58th Chautauqua Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Arts, Chautauqua, NY 2014–15 Chautauqua Institution Scholarship (residence tuition, room and board), Chautauqua, NY 2013 The Roger T. Williams Prize, First Prize at the Annual Figure Modeling Competition, National Sculpture Society (NSS), New York, NY

Krylon Clear Choice Art Scholarship (tuition support)

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2011–15 2011 2011–12 2010–11

Chandler Scholarship (tuition support), LACFA, Old Lyme, CT First Year Excellence Award, AAC, Cincinnati, OH National Sculpture Society Scholarship, New York, NY Merit Based Scholarship, AAC, Cincinnati, OH

RESIDENCIES 2018 International Print Center New York artist in residence, New York, NY 2014–15 Chautauqua Institution Summer Program, Chautauqua, NY TEACHING EXPERIENCE 2018 Drawing, Lecturer, Department of Art, OSU 2017 Introduction to Relief and Intaglio Printmaking, Instructor of Record, Graduate Teaching Associate, Department of Art at OSU 2016 Drawing, Instructor of Record, Graduate Teaching Associate, Department of Art at OSU GUEST LECTURES 2017-18 Introduction to Perspective, Invited Guest Lecture, Beginning Drawing, Department of Art, OSU 2017 Introduction to Still-Life, Invited Guest Lecture, Introduction to Painting, Department of Art, OSU COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS 2018 The Salt City Dozen 2018 Portfolio, Juried Portfolio Exchange, Syracuse University Printmaking Program, Portfolio of 14, Syracuse, NY 2017 The Big Ten Print Exchange, The 7th Annual Big Ten Print Exchange: 10 Selected MFA Candidates from 10 printmaking programs in the US, Portfolio of 17, Providence, RI 2016 MAPC 2016 - Conference Print Exchange, Portfolio of 13, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 2014 Body of Christ , Portfolio of 47, Corpus Christi, TX BIBLIOGRAPHY 2017 Jacqueline Bon, “The Morgan Presents Below the Surface, Intaglio Exhibition”, Can Journal, Fall 2017. http://canjournal.org/2017/08/morgan-presents-surface-intaglio-exhibition/ 2016 Helen Frederick, “Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here DC 2016”, Witness & Memory Magazine, Spring 2016. 6-26.

Maria Fernandez, “Graduate students display arc of hard work”, The Lantern, February 16, 2016. https://www.thelantern.com/2016/02/graduate-students-display-arc-of-hard-work/ 2015 Anthony Bannon, “Review: A national aesthetic: 58th Chautauqua Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Arts features ‘outrageous range’ of works”, The Chautauquan Daily, July 11, 2015 https://chqdaily.wordpress.com/2015/07/11/review-a- national-aesthetic-58th-chautauqua-annual-exhibition-of-contemporary-arts-features-outrageous-rangeof-works/

Sharma Piersall Howard, “2015 Senior Studio Exhibition,” Ink Magazine, May 2015, Vol. 11 - Issue 5, 2013

Jeffrey Carlson, “Stunning Portraits and a Steel Deer at the Bennington,” PleinAir Magazine

“2013 Figure Modeling Competition,” NSS News Bulletin, Jul/Aug 2013, Vol. 80 - Issue 4 2012 “Head First: Educating a New Generation of Figurative Sculptors,” Sculpture Review Magazine, Vol LXI No. 4, Winter 2012. 8.

COMPETITIONS 2013 Annual Figure Modeling Competition, National Sculpture Society (NSS), New York, NY 2011-12 Stewardson Competition, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA

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Ackn owle dge m en ts California State University, Stanislaus

Dr. Ellen Junn, President

Dr. Kimberly Greer, Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs

Dr. James A. Tuedio, Dean, College of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of Art

Dr. Carmen Robbin, Chair, Professor

Dean De Cocker, Professor

Martin Azevedo, Assistant Professor

James Deitz, Lecturer

Daniel Edwards, Associate Professor

Jessica Gomula-Kruzic, Professor

Chad Hunter, Lecturer

David Olivant, Professor

Ellen Roehne, Lecturer

Dr. Staci Scheiwiller, Associate Professor

Susan Stephenson, Assistant Professor

Jake Weigel, Assistant Professor

Meg Broderick, Administrative Support Assistant II

Andrew Cain, Instructional Technician I

Jon Kithcart, Equipment Technician II

University Art Gallery

Dean De Cocker, Director

School of the Arts

Brad Peatross, Graphic Specialist II

Special Thanks

The artist would like to thank:

Susan Stephenson, Stanislaus State Department of Art, and the University Art Gallery staff.

Morteza Khakshoor - F or ty-One Drawi ng s and Pr i nts 2016–18 August 27–October 12, 2018 | University Art Gallery California State University, Stanislaus | One University Circle, Turlock, CA 95382 300 copies printed. Copyright © 2018 California State University, Stanislaus • ISBN: 978-1-940753-36-2 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the publisher.

This exhibition and catalog have been funded by Associated Students Instructionally Related Activities, California State University, Stanislaus.

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