Analyzing the Crisis of Modernist Art in Iran: A Critical Reading of The Birth of Iranian Modernism

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate of Analytic and Comparative History of Islamic Art, Faculty of Art, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Faculty of Art, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Since the 1950s (1330s SH), Iranian art has undergone a series of transformations, the most salient of which has been a growing engagement with fundamental developments in Western art—particularly artistic modernism—and a conscious effort to align with these developments. This process unfolded concurrently with an inclination toward the preservation of national and traditional frameworks, alongside attempts to reinterpret and transform them. Collectively, these tendencies culminated in the emergence of a movement that critics and scholars have designated as Iranian modernist art. One of the defining characteristics of Western artistic modernism lies in its reliance on relatively coherent and well-articulated epistemological foundations and theoretical discourses. These theoretical frameworks have played a decisive role in sustaining, legitimizing, and continually regenerating modern art practices in Western contexts. The central problem addressed in the present study concerns how and to what extent these theoretical foundations and discourses were transferred from the West to Iran, as well as the nature of their impact on the formation and development of Iranian modernist art. The book The Birth of Iranian Modernism consists of a collection of essays and analytical discussions devoted to Iranian modernist art. Owing to its relative comprehensiveness in addressing a significant number of artists associated with this movement, the book constitutes a focused and representative case study. Moreover, the author introduces and elaborates on concepts such as indigenous modernism, national modernism, and Iranian modernism within the framework of these discussions. In the present research, these concepts are also subjected to critical examination. Accordingly, the primary focus of this article is a critical reading of The Birth of Iranian Modernism, which, from the authors’ perspective, reflects notable aspects of the theoretical disarray that characterizes discourses surrounding Iranian modernist art. The theoretical framework of this study is grounded in Edward Said’s concept of traveling theories, which addresses the movement of theories from their original contexts to new destinations and the transformations they undergo in the process. Drawing on this framework, the authors analyze the relationship between Western modernism and Iranian modernist art as a form of cultural and theoretical journey, with particular emphasis on the theoretical dimension of this transfer. The necessity and significance of the present study stem from the fact that the theoretical dimensions of Iranian modernist art have, thus far, received insufficient critical attention. Addressing these theoretical issues and rendering them explicit through a critical reading of key texts can contribute to strengthening the analytical and critical foundations of this movement. Such an approach may contribute to identifying and addressing certain conceptual errors and structural deficiencies that continue to influence contemporary artistic practices.
Purposes & Questions: The primary objective of this research is to address an analytical and critical gap and thereby facilitate a transition from the current state of theoretical ambiguity toward conditions more conducive to artistic production and creative practice. The research questions of this study are as follows: to what extent were the theoretical foundations of modernism transmitted to Iran, and were they sufficiently debated and internalized to exert a meaningful influence on the formation of Iranian modernist art? What kinds of misreadings or interpretive errors occurred in the reception of these theoretical foundations, and how have such errors contributed to the ambiguities surrounding theoretical discourses on Iranian modernist art?
Methods: The present study is classified as fundamental theoretical research and adopts a descriptive–analytical methodology. Data were collected through library-based documentary sources. The research corpus consists of the book The Birth of Iranian Modernism, which was purposefully selected as a case study. The research process involves detailed description of selected passages from the selected text, followed by the categorization, analysis, and qualitative interpretation of the extracted material. Through this process, the study seeks to examine the relationship between theoretical discourses on Iranian modernist art and the theoretical foundations of Western artistic modernism, in accordance with Edward Said’s model of traveling theories. Finally, the relationship between these discourses at both the point of origin and the destination of this theoretical journey is subjected to critical evaluation.
Findings & Results: The findings indicate that the theoretical foundations of modernism were transferred in an incomplete and fragmented transfer, accompanied by a lack of vitality, particularly in critical discourse, within the destination context. Moreover, numerous instances of misinterpretation, conceptual error, and theoretical inconsistency can be identified in the analyses produced in Iran. The errors identified within the examined case study can be classified into four broad categories: (1) methodological neglect of conceptual rigor and disregard for the social and historical contexts in which Western modern art movements emerged; (2) the pursuit of a purely formalist conception of modernism; (3) anachronistic interpretations of modernist principles; and (4) attempts to construct local, indigenous, or national forms of modernism through an overemphasis on past-oriented and revivalist approaches. Taken together, these errors account for a significant portion of the theoretical confusion that continues to dominate the field.

Keywords

References

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Negareh Journal
Volume 20, Issue 76
January 2026
Pages 182-203

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History

  • Receive Date: 09 July 2025
  • Revise Date: 24 October 2025
  • Accept Date: 10 November 2025

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