Images(5)

Reflection Five

Object NameWall Panel

Artist Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian (Iranian/Persian, 1922-2019)

Made FromGlass, Plaster, Wood

Date2010

Place MadeIran, Tehran

TechniqueMirror painted, reverse-glass painted, assembled

SizeVariable; One Iteration H: 151 cm, W: 151 cm; Vertical Iteration H: 261.6 cm, W: 83.8 cm

Accession Number2021.3.8

Curatorial Area(s)

Postwar and Contemporary

Exhibitions

Recent Works

Mirror-works and Drawings (2004–2016)

On ViewContemporary Art + Design, Porch

Interpretive Notes

Web Text

Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, popularly known as Monir, was an Iranian contemporary artist celebrated for her mirrored mosaics that blend Persian art forms and Islamic designs. Monir explored “families” of Islamic geometry and being a native of Iran, she felt a strong personal connection to its architecture. Her direct encounter with the mirrored shrine of Shah Cheragh in Isfahan was deeply personal, and observing others’ reactions further enhanced her appreciation for the profound bodily and spiritual impact that illuminated spaces can evoke. The sculpture features a central red rhombus with 37 mirrored hexagons, each with a six-pointed star. Each section of the sculpture is crafted from mirror and reverse glass painting on wood and can be arranged in various patterns, reflecting the infinite possibilities within Islamic geometric design. The four squares can be displayed linearly, as shown on the wall, or they can surround the red rhombus, symbolizing North, South, East, and West. Monir’s intricate cut glass mosaics showcase her mastery in creating complex, reflective surfaces that draw viewers into a meditative experience.

Physical DescriptionWall Panel, "Reflection Five". Mirror and reverse-glass painting on plaster and wood. Wall-based cut glass mosaic sculpture inlaid in plaster. Sculpture consists of one central rhombus and four identical square-shaped forms which, in the Islamic tradition, symbolize North, South, West, and East. The central rhombus consists of 37 mirrored hexagons, each containing a 6-pointed star, set within a hexagonal matrix of five-sided red polygons; two equilateral triangles with pyramidal mirror mosaics flank the red hexagon, creating the central rhombus shape. Four identical square-shaped forms made of similar pyramidal mirrored glass may be arranged around the central rhombus in different patterns, as defined by the artist. In one iteration of the sculpture, each of the square shapes share one side with the central rhombus, creating a quatrefoil form; in this configuration, the edges of the central hexagon extend outwards, through the four square-shaped forms, creating a transverse line pattern throughout the sculpture. In another iteration, the square-shaped forms are joined in pairs, producing rectangles; these rectangles are attached to the top and bottom of the central rhombus, creating a vertical form.
Provenance

Source James Cohan Gallery - 2010-2021-09-30
This work is owned by the artist’s family and has not been owned by anyone else since it’s making.