Born in Tehran and based in Vancouver, Parviz Tanavoli is one of the most well-known Iranian artists working today. Widely recognized as the only artist to fully capture the interplay of the countrys pre-Islamic and Islamic identities, Tanavoli draws on traditional motifs and iconography from Iranian history, creating a new visual symbology through his groundbreaking sculptures.

Parviz Tanavoli: Poets, Locks, Cagesexamines the layering of sacred and secular histories in Tanavolis work, an integration that is crucial to understanding the development of modern sculpture in Iran. Offering fresh perspectives on Tanavolis artistic practice, the catalog gathers contributors from diverse backgrounds to examine his work through a range of research interests and perspectives. Produced to accompany a 2023 exhibit of the same name at the Vancouver Art Gallerythe first major Canadian exhibition of the artists workthe book examines the breadth of Tanavolis interdisciplinary practice, from painting and printmaking to ceramics and mixed-media assemblages.

Contributions by Pantea Haghighi, V. Porter, L. Gumpert, F. Daftari, C. Browne

208 pages
9.25 x 10.5 inches
150 colored illustrations
ISBN 9783777441597
Hardcover
Hirmer Publishers
2023