1907 (Palimpsest #9)

Kamrooz Aram Iranian-American
2013
Not on view
In "Palimpsest #9," Aram conflates his experience of urban architecture with his interest in Islamic ornament. The densely layered paint and loose brushwork resemble graffiti, which Aram has observed throughout cities of the Middle East and the United States. Meanwhile, the underlying structure of the painting is based on floral decoration seen in Persian carpets. His abstract mark-making covers up the formal pattern, which, in a sense, negates it. Yet the painting also relies on this pattern as a point of reference, compositionally and historically.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: 1907 (Palimpsest #9)
  • Artist: Kamrooz Aram (Iranian, born Shiraz, 1978)
  • Date: 2013
  • Geography: Made in United States
  • Medium: Oil, oil pastel, and wax pencil on canvas
  • Dimensions: Unframed:
    H. 60 in. (152.4 cm)
    W. 54 in. (137.2 cm)
    D. 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Purchase, 2012 NoRuz at The Met Benefit, 2014
  • Object Number: 2014.201
  • Rights and Reproduction: © Kamrooz Aram
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

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