MehdiMoghimnejad

Verisimilitudes

Chapter Four:Found History (2013)

 

Statement of the catalogue:

The “found history” is closely associated with “found objects” (objet trouve), a rule which favors photographic act based on looking, finding and taking pictures. The same rules are at work in the present collection. Here the difference lies in that we observe this approach in the form of representamen not simulacrum.

The “found history” is not only closely associated with found objects but extends the structural rule of the latter to its subjects. The construct photographs included in this collection have been created by the juxtaposition of historical motifs and backgrounds seen and captured in various parts of this extensive land. Without the mediation of the photographer, these signs could not create the atmosphere which is displayed before our eyes here.

The “found history” is not the retrieved history. For the artist nostalgia and yearning for the past, a symbolic and metaphoric status accorded to these works, adopting a critical approach or any other possible interpretation are secondary and additional suppositions. The most favorable instance of communication is to engage the viewer in real moments and making him/her to experience the passion and amazement of what is going on in the images.

The fourth chapter of the Verisimilitudes Project has been titled the “found history” which is a non-historical dialogue with history, history as a persistent background of our today’s collective unconsciousness and what we unavoidably have to face, whether we opt to admire, leave, revive or even eliminate it!

 

I Run on a Blade between Reality and Surrealism

Mohammad Reza Shahrokhinejad interview with Mehdi Moghimnejad

 

You have delivered real elements to an imaginary world. All these elements do individually exist but the world represented in these photos lacks an objective reality.

These photos are constructions in the strict meaning of the word. I mean they are constructed photos. Although my experience in documentary photography enormously contributed to the creation of these photos, but the reality of the world did not satisfy me at all.

But historical memory warns us that a photo is definitely as same as a real thing.

Yes, it’s correct but these photos abuse the photographic historical memory and the documentary aspect of photos. As a matter of fact, the indexical aspect of photo has been abused numerous times. By using the word abuse I don’t mean a moral but an artistic abuse. There were many artists who played with this aspect in their works. These pictures impress the viewer because of their photographic aspect. They could have a different impression if they had been painted.

But a different impression from this one…

Yes, according to Chuck Close, the realities of paintings and photographs are not that much analogous. Although these photos were created in the medium of photography, they are constructed and make the illusion of reference to real things, an issue which extremely appeals to me.

We have observed such experiences in painting for example, in Diary of Destruction by Aydin Aqdashlou , but not in the medium of photography.

You are quite on the mark. I would say indeed that the hand-made image is intrinsically different from photographic image which creates some expectations. However, I would say that manipulation of photographs dates back to the early days of photography. So it’s not something new but instead the experiences of artists may be new. Perhaps it’s better to call these photos verisimilitudes and I have attempted to do my best to keep the final product photographic and not turn it into painting, graphic design or illustration. One can say that these photos are within the framework of digital images, but I have tried even in technical terms to return them to the world of photography.

Although this images are unrealistic but are not surrealistic as well…

Exactly…

While the paintings of Aqdashlou draw on real elements, such elements are represented in a way which become surrealistic.

For me the difficult task is running on the blade between realism and surrealism. But let’s see the issue from this view that in recent years drawing on historical elements in our contemporary art has turned into a genre. Regardless of using different mediums, the difference between these pictures with the works of Aqdashlou lies in different logics in employing these elements. In the works of Aqdashlou, they turned into symbols but it my photos they are tropes which draw on photographic logic. I have attempted to make the viewer perceive these photos as moments in reality.

In these constructed photos, you distort our historical memory of photography. You do exactly the same with motifs which you have already used, because the historical memory of Iranians turns these motifs into symbols.

Exactly! Each time I extend a principle in the history of photography to the subject I have selected. It means that the logic of this medium has extended to the subject of photos as well. We all know that reality of photography is not as same as the real world. Peirce refers to a very engaging point and says that realities are contested, and textual representations are thus sites of struggle. As our discussion is held in the framework of photography medium, we want to win acceptance for our views as painful experiences have been passed in the history of photography as well. We should also accept that during the last years, more progress has been made rather to directed photos than constructed photos.

Why?

Because photomontage works can easily turn into the works of entertainment. Examples are those photos which are uploaded in websites, which are constantly emailed and sometimes forged.

I suppose these types of photos must be whether extremely surrealistic or extremely realistic. If they are placed between these two realms they can easily turn into entertainment.

On the early days when I was working on this method, I had a technical obsession, but nowadays it has become a sort of worldwide view for me.

What was your stratagem for not to develop these motifs, metaphors or ironies into…

Satire…

Yes, satire and actually one of the figures of speech?

It was not that much intentional. Once a person is in the mood of satire, his writings develop into satire. Since I don’t observe my milieu like this, the works have not also approach such concepts. However, I agree that I dealt with a subject which is dangerous and during the last two decades has been a material for numerous works, which at times have pop artistic logic and sometimes are justified simply by the term, postmodern.

Aren’t they tragic?

Our discussion seems to become rather difficult! because they would have to explore the concept of tragedy. Don’t you think these are romantic?

I don’t think so. I really have no idea whether should be pleased with the collapse of this ancient civilization which has limited me, or be sad for my lost identity.

For me tragedy is an unavoidable destiny which people may do not deserve.

Have they deserved to experience such events?

I suppose it is related to the interpretative aspect of the works. These photos are the “found history”. The found history is not the retrieved history. I thought to myself that whether these motifs have recently come out of the soil or on the contrary are perishing. They look like the two sides of a coin.

But in these works the coin stands on its narrow edge.

Yes, but I don’t know whether these works represent the future of this land or its past…

But by using fog on surface, your photo has been more cleared up.

I did that to highlight the motifs.

Do you agree that compared with your earlier sets of works the iconic aspect of these photos are more highlighted?

Yes I do. In one of my earlier sets of works titled Cypresses I was going to create an imaginary paradise but the cypresses were exaggeratedly alone. As a matter of fact, the idea behind them was simply limited to them and no paradise could be created. But in my present set of works the photos are in a non-historical dialogue with history. I have always had a non-historical approach to history but at the end you will have a contemporary encounter with my works.

Why this collection was titled the found history?

Because it’s a history that I found. For taking these photos I embarked on a journey to the most remote places of of Iran for 10 years. I don’t have an admiring view to history but it cannot deny that these are a part of us and we cannot ignore the history. We can decide whether to admire history or not to like it, but we cannot exclude it. We are involved in history. This set of works is rather makes us encounter with history than suggesting an interpretation or anything else.