Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian: Third Family, 2011

Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian’s Third Family (2011) is a progression of eight geometric mirror-works, in which cut polygonal fragments of reverse-painted glass are arranged into kaleidoscopic compositions grounded on principles of Islamic geometry. Blending influence from Sufi architecture, Western minimalism, and classical Persian decoration, the work begins with the sacred fundamental form of the triangle and progresses through the remaining seven regular polygons in Euclidean geometry. Here, rigorous structure and repetition are the foundations of invention and limitless variation: each sculpture is anchored by central, multi-sided linear shapes whose features define an infinitely outward-spanning tessellation of form.

“‘There is symbolism in the hexagon, and the infinity of a circle. The triangle is human consciousness; the square is north, south, west and east; the pentagon is the five senses: hearing, smelling, seeing, taste and touch.’”

“Mirrors are a reflection of anything and everything. You become part of that mirror… It is communication—the mirror and yourself, the piece of art and yourself.”

EXHIBITON HISTORY

Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian: Infinite Possibility. Mirror Works and Drawings, 1974-2014, Guggenheim Museum, New York, NY, March 13 - June 3, 2015

Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian: Infinite Possibility. Mirror Works and Drawings, 1974-2014, Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA, March 16 - July 30, 2017

PUBLICATION HISTORY

Cotter, Suzanne, Media Farzin and Shiva Balaghi (Eds.), Monir Sharoudy Farmanfarmaian: Infinite Possibility. Mirror Works And Drawings 1974-2014, Serralves, 2014, p. 97-104.