展览预告（东京）丨沙珀尔•珀扬个展—独眼巨人疑云障目，眼察西方

沙珀尔•珀扬的陶瓷作品延续了这一丰富的历史脉络，它们是“思想的雕塑”。在本次展览展出的作品中，以《十字迷宫(Cross Maze)》和《迷宫塔(Maze Tower)》为例，艺术家从一个疑问出发：“光线如何在建筑的内部空间中穿梭？”，并将对这个问题的探索逐渐延伸为对“后真相时代“的反思。珀扬在建筑形制的雕塑内部嵌入了一座迷宫，在建筑表面仅留下一扇小窗。在艺术家的设想中，外部光线从窗户进入，在隐藏的迷宫中穿行，最终不可避免的消失在“黑盒子”之中，就如同真相消失在层层叠叠的谎言之中。展览标题中的库克洛普斯是古希腊神话中的独眼巨人。在艺术家看来，雕塑复杂的内部结构和小窗就如同一尊独眼巨人，在重重疑云之中，始终窥视着外面的世界。

除陶瓷雕塑外，展览还将展出一幅 “被抹去” 的绘画。这幅绘画细致的再现了伊朗一处著名的岩刻遗迹。岩刻建造于1800年前，刻画了数位当时功勋卓著的国王与政治家的形象。艺术家耗费了数月完成这幅绘画，却在完成后用橡皮将岩刻形象抹去，就如同那些一度辉煌的政治人物，即便永久地篆刻下了自己的样貌，他们的声名和影响在历史庞大的尺度中来看也不过转瞬即逝，仅留下难以察觉的痕迹。

作为沙珀尔•珀扬在日本的首展，此次展览还将呈现艺术家其他系列的陶瓷雕塑与绘画作品。届时将会在现场提供更多作品相关信息。11月18日（周六），艺术家将在画廊一起揭开本次展览的帷幕，我们诚挚期待您的光临。

Tokyo Gallery + BTAP is delighted to present the Iranian artist Shahpour Pouyan's inaugural solo exhibition in Japan. An esteemed multimedia artist, Pouyan's work has been featured in a distinguished array of museum exhibitions and art festivals worldwide, such as the Jeddah Biennale in Jeddah (2023), Hayward Gallery in London (2022), Victoria & Albert Museum in London (2021), Pera Museum in Istanbul (2020), Rubin Museum in New York (2020), The British Museum in London (2017), among others. The exhibition "Cyclopses in Doubt, Observing the West" will open to public on the 18th of November and runs until December 23rd.

Born in Isfahan in 1979, Shahpour Pouyan lives and works between London and Tehran. Adept in painting, sculpting, and ceramics, his oeuvre invites audiences to delve into themes of history, power dynamics, and the looming specter of war, while also spotlighting urgent global issues. In this exhibition, Pouyan presents us with a new series of ceramic sculptures. For the first time in his ceramic sculpture, he features themes of depth, invisibility, and the hidden facets of architectural form, thereby introducing a nuanced play of perceptions, leaving us not with definitive answers but with an array of thought-provoking questions.

Clay serves as more than just a medium for crafting utilitarian or decorative items. From the intricate designs of Jōmon pottery to cuneiform tablets loaded with knowledge and information, clay transcends mere functionality. It is a vessel for capturing human thought, creativity, and innovation. Deeply intertwined with both life and death, its significance is cross-cultural and historical. More importantly, clay allows the creators to materialize their thinking, lending tangible form to thoughts. In this vein, ceramics could be considered a genuine manifestation of mind.

Continuing in this rich vein, Shahpour Pouyan's ceramic pieces function as "sculptures of thoughts." Among the works showcased in this exhibition, pieces like "Cross Maze" and "Maze Tower" delve into the intriguing question of how light navigates internal space. With deft craftsmanship, Pouyan has ingeniously incorporated a concealed maze structure within the architectural form. In the artist's envisioned scenario, external light enters through a small window and embarks on a journey through this hidden labyrinth. As a metaphor of the post-truth age, Pouyan sees how light disappears in the “black box” just like how reality is lost in the labyrinth of politics. Cyclopes are one-eyed giants from ancient Greek mythology. Pouyan's new series, which features a small window, represents a cyclops to him: observing the outer world yet lost in doubts.

It's worth noting that, for the first time, Pouyan integrates mirrors and custom-built plinths into his sculptures. The mirror serves a multifaceted role: it offers viewers a glimpse into the concealed maze while amplifying the sense of depth and illusion. Complemented by unique plinths tailored for each individual work, the sculptures defy their role as mere pieces on a conventional stand. They actively interact with the surrounding space, transforming our perception of the space.

Beyond the intellectual depth of his pieces, Pouyan's work is notable for its virtuosity and innovative use of ceramics. His meticulous craftsmanship, the result of extensive experimentation and in-depth research on material, form, and color, makes each piece a visual delight. Pouyan seeks to breathe new life into historic elements within the contemporary ceramic world. For example, the glazed drips and stains featured in his work are inspired by techniques and styles prevalent in 12th-century Kashan, Iran.

In contrast to the artist’s main works, which often engage with political issues, “The First Brick” stands out as an inviting piece, full of latent possibilities. Architectural elements are the central visual motif and language in Pouyan’s work, given their intersection with history, society, power, culture and solid factors. The humble brick or the simple clay structure was commonly used for the first man-built home in different civilizations. It is in fact the foundation of relationships and societal frameworks. Shapour Pouyan recalls this historical meaning of clay by creating “The First Brick” and inviting collectors to request extensions to this initial piece.

In addition to the ceramic sculptures, the exhibition also features an 'erased' painting that depicts a historical rock carving in Iran, representing a potent king and politicians from 1,800 years ago. Meticulously detailed, the drawing was deliberately erased upon completion. This act highlights the transient nature of political authority and fleeting human impact, leaving only faint traces on the blank paper.

Marking Shahpour Pouyan's debut exhibition in Japan, this show will also feature selections of the artist's ceramics and paintings from other ongoing series. Additional information will be available on-site. We are looking forward to your visit.

艺术家简介

沙珀尔•珀扬（Shahpour Pouyan） 1979 年出生于伊朗，在纽约普拉特学院获得综合实践与新形式专业硕士学位，并在德黑兰艺术大学获得绘画专业硕士学位。他曾在伊朗哲学学院学习新柏拉图哲学，并获得德黑兰 Elmieh 学校数学和物理学文凭。2007 年至 2009 年，他在德黑兰科学文化大学教授艺术史和波斯建筑史。他目前在纽约生活和工作。

沙珀尔•珀扬的作品是通过文化的力量对权力、统治和占有的评论。他的艺术作品试图将历史或政治问题转化为诗歌和视觉形式的纪念碑。错误和失误的重复是他主要关注的问题之一，他将历史美学和媒介带入当代艺术实践，例如，重塑链甲、头盔和波斯微型画，以此反映这一点。他的作品并不宣扬政治议程；相反，他利用政治世界和历史文献提供的材料进行创作；权力和人类状况的诗意特质激发了他的灵感。他最近的作品和项目受到了科学、考古学和建筑形式的诗意的影响，这些都是连接过去和现在的桥梁。

他曾参加巴基斯坦拉合尔双年展、北京中国美术馆、伦敦大英博物馆和高知岛 Kochi-Muziris 双年展。