Asad Faulwell American, b. 1982
Ascension, 2025
Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
152.4 x 121.9 x 4 cm
60 x 48 x 1.5 in
60 x 48 x 1.5 in
Featuring Iranian mythological and historical archetypes such as kings, queens, and magi, these figures are embedded within complex patterns inspired by Persian rugs and Islamic textiles, and the work explores...
Featuring Iranian mythological and historical archetypes such as kings, queens, and magi, these figures are embedded within complex patterns inspired by Persian rugs and Islamic textiles, and the work explores themes of cultural identity and political upheaval related to Iran's history. The central figures in this series are often masked, anonymous, and serve as architectural structures to support narratives of identity and nationality.
Faulwell's style incorporates decorative motifs from Islamic art, architecture, and illuminated manuscripts, using acrylic paint, pins, string, and photo collage.
The small vignettes reference specific ancient and recent events in Iran, including the 1951 constitutional revolution and the 1953 CIA-backed coup - figures like Mossadegh and former royal family members.
Faulwell draws from Zoroastrian mythology, the pre-Islamic religion of Iran, including figures like the destructive spirit Angra Mainyu (Ahriman) and the goddess Anāhiti, and pre-Islamic dynasties such as Achaemenid, Parthians and Sassanians.
Faulwell's style incorporates decorative motifs from Islamic art, architecture, and illuminated manuscripts, using acrylic paint, pins, string, and photo collage.
The small vignettes reference specific ancient and recent events in Iran, including the 1951 constitutional revolution and the 1953 CIA-backed coup - figures like Mossadegh and former royal family members.
Faulwell draws from Zoroastrian mythology, the pre-Islamic religion of Iran, including figures like the destructive spirit Angra Mainyu (Ahriman) and the goddess Anāhiti, and pre-Islamic dynasties such as Achaemenid, Parthians and Sassanians.