Environmental art

2012 Calendar

Contemporary art in the natural world 

Environmental Art celebrates our connection to the natural world through beauty, science, metaphor and ecological restoration. It encompasses a surprising landscape of approaches from ephemeral "art in nature" sculpture designed to last only a few hours before returning to the earth, to community-based "eco-art" installations that clean up polluted watershed and promote public understanding of local and global environmental issues. The fifteen projects featured in this calendar provide a sampling of some of the latest developments in this field to stimulate the imagination and promote the role of art in the creation of a more sustainable world culture.

Pleasures of New Life

Ahmad Nadalian, carved stone, Iran,2006

"For the past decade, as a ritual, I have dropped my carved stones into rivers, canals, reservoirs and seas," explains Iranian sculptor Ahmad Nadalian.  As each stone meets its new home with a splash, it creates a temporary "water sculpture" before sinking out of sight.

Nadalian dedicates his carved gifts to neglected places on every continent, including his homeland of Polur, Iran.

The rivers of Polur were once filled with fish, but as they became polluted, the fish disappeared. For the artist, walking along a riverbank, washing and carving smooth stones "is not only a performance, but also a prayer, a form of worship, an invocation." Many of his carvings are of fish or snakes which, in northern Iran, are believed to indicate treasure, blessings and fertilely. Through these artworks, Nadalian shows us that the river still has life, even if only carved images remain. Friends often help him distribute these stones, marking their locations with wet handprints and footprints on nearby boulders, then watching them evaporate.

Some of the stones' drop locations are documented on a map on Nadalinan's website but, like ancient artifacts, the carvings may disappears or remain hidden for generations. The artist's motivation is the concern "that humanity, at present or in the future, may be less in harmony with the past, and with the earth and heavens." His river stones help us to renew those connections and remind us of how the ripple of culture form the heart of our relationship with the natural world.

 http://www.riverart.net/notes/calender2/index.htm

Global Need:  The Thirty First Environmental Art Festival in Hormoz Island- Winter 2011

The Thirty First Environmental Arts Festival in Hormoz organized by the Paradise Artist Residency and International Environmental Art Center.  This festival is held during the months of January, February and March 2011. Paradise artist residency in Hormoz Island, which is part of Paradise International Center for Environmental Arts, was the host of environmental artists.  

During the festival artists painted more walls in the Paradise of Hormoz

The Development of Paradise Art Center in Hormoz

Works by Mojtaba Ramzi and his friends

Work by Mohsen Gholami & Mithra Arbab Saljoughi - Photo by Atefeh Motehayer

Paradise in Hormoz

http://www.riverart.net/hormoz/festivals/31/index.htm 

Playing With Water:  Journeys across Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and Turkey

Ahmad Nadalian

More:  http://www.riverart.net/hungary  

My fish love playing with water

Every time I leave for a journey, my mother pours water behind me as the symbol of lympidity

[In Iranian culture, the path of the passenger is sprinkled with water for his health and quick return.]

My Hungarian friend István ERŐSS told me that his father pours some of his water on earth before drinking it. He offers some to the mother goddess.

One of Hungary’s ancient rituals is that on Easter Monday, some boys and single young men get up early and start visiting houses where there are girls and they sprinkle them with water. They knock on the houses and ask for permission by reciting special rhymes. At some places they just pour water on unknown girls.

In Hungary I saw a competition that was taken place in water

I saw horses in water

***

The main motivation of my journey to Hungary was to participate in an art project in Northern Hungary.I joined a team of eight international artists where they performed their art for 21 days. We intended to highlight the value of historical monuments as sources of tourist attraction. The Aggtelek National Park Directorate, in cooperation with the Hungarian Nature Art Association invited me to attend the event called, Value Preserving Granaries (VPG). This event took place on July 18^th until August 8^th 2011 in the new building of the Aggtelek National Park Directorate in Bódvaszilas, Hungary. The ceremony was part of the project called Value Preserving Granaries Historical Monuments as Tourism Destinations

The invited artists for this event included:   Imre BUKTA (Hungary),  István ERŐSS (Hungary), Anke MELLIN (Germany), Ahmad NADALIAN (Iran), Péter PÁL (Romania), Liu PO-CHUN (Taiwan), Ko SEUNG-HYUN (Korea), Alan SONFIST (USA) and art critic John K. GRANDE (Canada)

 I left Tehran on Monday July 18^th

Above the clouds, I had a good time to have vision the imaginary world of sky and to think about the necessity of my journey. It is in the journey that we can sort our experiences.

Water is purified if it flows

A transplanted tree produce better crop

The child who has the blood of two races can be cleverer

I love the kind of art that reduces the distances:

The distance between far past and the future

The distance between the public and intellectual

The distance between permanence and temporal

The distance between reality and virtual

The art that I love is related the rivers

It is connected to the Earth

I explore the colors and patterns on the Earth’s canvas

I love the canvas as big as the Earth that I live in

On the day of my arrival, István Eross welcome me at Budapest’s airport

In the first two days of my stay I freed the fish in Danube River

Back in 2007 my fish already had tasted the water of Danube river in Serbia

I share these moments with you

On the first day of our visit, all of the artists gathered at István ERŐSS’s house.

More:  http://www.riverart.net/hungary  

The day after I explored Budapest

There I saw sky and earth

After two days, we went to Bódvaszilas in Northern Hungary

Aggtelek National Park is home to the largest stalactite cave of Europe and is the attractions of this region.  The subterranean natural treasures, named the caves of the Aggtelek Karst and the Slovak Karst were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995.

In the old time, this building, which is located in Bódvaszilas, was a place for storing corn but it is now designated to host of the permanent collection of the Granary Nature Art Center.

I had a good view from the third floor of the building

The weather was mostly cloudy and it rained sometimes.

Besides me, Ank  Mellin from Germany,  Ko Seung- Hyun from Korea, Alan Sonfist  from USA, stayed in this house.

During my stay in Bódvaszilas, I was mostly with John K. Grande and I learned a lot from him.

A few years ago, John had introduced me to his book, Dialogue in Diversity. But this was the first time that we met in Hungry.

John is a happy man

One day we went to Eger city.

Talking to these people was very interesting.

These participated artists asked to realize a significant artwork for the VPG–Nature Art Center which will become the propriety of the Aggtelek National Park Directorate, and compose the basis of the permanent collection of the Granary Nature Art Center.

In the first day of my journey I saw some footprints on sand in the edge of Danube River

I also saw these footprints in Bódvaszilas

It already was there and decided about what I wanted to do,

For my installation, I decided to create a collection of cylinder seals to prints

In the ruin of a building, I found a broken column.

Column is a symbol of civilization and broken column can be a sign of demolition

I named my work Shadow of Civilization. On the shadow of this column, I presented the image of grow and life.

The environment of Hungary inspired my cylinder seals

I also collected some tubes and used them for cylinder seal

My aim was to recycle some of this waste

One of the art students, Barbara assisted me to make the cylinders

More:  http://www.riverart.net/hungary  

I ask Barbara to draw the tree

My installation included a collection of cylinders and prints on sand

One of the cylinders showed Samandra

When I was there, I noticed that at night little animal passed on the sand and I thought of a new sand print.

I always welcome such accidents that inspire me for further works for future project

I was ask to review my artworks

One of the art students Sogór Ákos helped me to realize another project

We made twelve baptisms

I install my fish in baptism before dropping them into river

Baptism or hollow stone can be found in temple, church and mosque. Water purifies us.

We carved twelve zodiacal signs on twelve stones

I used my bicycle when I was in Bódvaszilas

I installed my fish and crab in different rivers

I also dropped some of my fish in the river. These are part of a project named New Life

Playing With Water

I carve this fish in Hungary. I dropped it into river and took some photos

Finally I took this fish to Iran

I am a fisherman who catches his own fish

In Hungary I saw that they arrange competition in water

It is believed that people of Hungary originally come from central Asia or north Caspian Sea

The race of their horse are similar to those who survived by the Caspian Sea

When I was in Hungary I had the chance to ride a horse

In the mountain region I carved the horseshoes’ traces on a rock

I was attracted to the colorful mountain of Hungary

These fruits can all be found in Paradise

Where is Paradise ? 

More:  http://www.riverart.net/hungary  

Several Journeys to Slovakia

Ahmad Nadalian

More  http://www.riverart.net/slovakia  

During my stay in the north Hungary, I had several journey to Slovakia.

Traveling to Slovakia was the cheapest trip in my life

I was by myself on my first journey

The first view I saw was a bird and huge factory.

I offered my common gift to the small river

Once with a group of artists, we walk through the forest and passed the border of Slovakia

John K. Grande was also with us

In the border of Slovakia I had a good conversation with Johan K. Grande

We talk about environmental art

More  http://www.riverart.net/slovakia  

A Journeys to Austria

Ahmad Nadalian

More   http://www.riverart.net/austria     

During my stay in Hungary, I had the chance to travel to Austria.

Once again, I saw Danube River

The main issue of environment can be death and life

New life

I dropped some fish in this pool

I will free my fish for the rest of my life

More   http://www.riverart.net/austria     

Environmental Works  in Turkey

Ahmad Nadalian

More  http://www.riverart.net/turkey/      

In my past trips to Turkey, I have left my art works in the nature around Istanbul city.

Sea bird in Istanbul

I also saw painful dead birds

This was the reason I made this cylinder seal

More  http://www.riverart.net/turkey/      

On the beach of Istanbul we can find Jellyfish

My surrounding always inspires me

What I see may reflect in my art

More  http://www.riverart.net/turkey/      

Mithra & Anahita – Fire & Water: The 32^nd Environmental Art Festival - Sangsari- Golezard

Report by Ahmad Nadalian

The 32nd   Environmental Art Festival was held in June 2011  in Golezard -  summer residence of Sangsari nomad  near Polour and Paradise Garden located in Northern Iran.

Perstel   Munich  .  London .  New York  2011

www.prestel.com

ISBN 978-3-7913-7048-4

Dear Mr. Nadalian, Ahmad,

I´m very pleased an honored, that you like my book and will promote it on your website.

While researching for the book, I got to know the works of a lot of different Land Art and Nature Art artists. Reading about your works on your website, made a strong impression on me. I read and felt that you do not "make" art, but live art. It seems that you are engaged with nature as an artist, healer, "shaman", teacher,... 

We all need to be reminded constantly, that we are a part of nature, we cannot be separated. And all the harm we do to nature, we cause to ourselves aswell.   

While I worked on that book, my bonding with nature grew stronger. By beholding it through the eyes of various artist my connection became deeper and richer. More

http://www.riverart.net/notes/stieff/ 

The Development of Paradise Art Center in Hormoz

Ahmad Nadalian

The Paradise Art Center in Hormoz Island hosted many Iranian and international visitors this year.  

I was pleased with the outcome and decided to enhance the development of the artworks in Hormoz.  We repaired the walls and painted them with the colored soil

I usually explain the purpose of the project to all of the visitors

Many of them record it by their video camera or even their cell phones. After their visit, they usually post their photos and films on the virtual space of Internet.

As a result of this networking, more people come and visit our center

All visitors pay an entrance fee

The site is now a residential art center, museum and an art gallery. The visitors purchase the artworks made by local women.

More

http://www.riverart.net/hormoz/paradise/2010/

Death, Life and Love: Hormoz Island

َAhmad Nadalian

From October 2010 to April 2011 I lived in Hormoz Island. 

More

http://www.riverart.net/hormoz/notes/2010/

The first thing I saw was the pollution. The Persian Gulf was polluted and still remains polluted.

I swam as well

Not everything was black

The white goat loved the cat

Cats are fortunate in Hormoz Island

The kittens had found a mother that was more kind than their own

Can an ape play the role of a mother for a kitten?

It is better to leave this question for animals to answer

Color Gem Therapy

A child was sick

I saw a ritual for healing

I asked Lucian the use of these stones?

The white stone is for a child who has urination problem

Jade is for passion

The streaky stone is thought to defeat the spider

Gray stone is for the protection of fishermen

Evidence shows that gem therapy was practiced in all ancient cultures such as Chinese, Indian, Persian, Greek and Native American. Also in the writings by Aristotle, Avicenna, Abu Rayhan Biruni and Khajeh Nasir Tusi, all state the practice of gem therapy in the past.

But I did not know that people still use it in contemporary life.

I did not know these various illnesses and treatments. .

I have always collected strange stones ever since I was a child. Now they all have profound meaning and are significant to me.

These are turquoise of Nishabour, lapis of Afghanistan, stones from Tajikistan, China and United States and of course coloured stones of Hormoz Island.

More

http://www.riverart.net/hormoz/notes/2010/

A Journey to South Korea with the Bicycle of Peace

Ahmad Nadalian

More     http://www.riverart.net/south_korea/index.htm 

The Persian Gulf’s peace bicycle was eventually published in South Korea. Its publication was an excuse for me to write a complete report of my trip to South Korea.

In the spring of 2010, I received a letter from Arco’s museum in Seoul and was invited to participate in an environmental exhibition.

This exhibition was planned at the same time as the meeting of economic and finance ministers of twenty leading countries called G20. One of their main discussions was an everlasting environment and therefore their meeting was organized at the same time as an environmental art exhibition. Although my country Iran is not a member of these countries, it was an honor for me to be one of the ten selected artists from all over the world to participate in this exhibition.

This exhibition was capable of reminding the politicians of the environmental dangers and threats of today’s’ world.          

I left toward Seoul on Monday November 1st. On my way to one of the eastern countries of the world, I observed the rivers.

I arrived in Seoul on an autumn day.

The first person that I met was Miss Youngsil Lim who genuinely welcomed me. Throughout the six months, more than hundreds of emails were exchanged to manage the arrangement of my exhibition and installations of my works. I finally arrived to the center and the Museum of Arco.  

The Museum Exhibition Center of Arco is the host of these artists, which usually exhibits the official exhibitions of the country of South Korea in the realm of contemporary art. Then I met Mr. Kim Chan Dong and Mrs. Se-Won Oh, who were directors and had selected the artists.

In the Center of Arco, Jackie Lim introduced herself to me and said that in her study and research of environmental art, she has come across my work and has introduced it to the exhibition.

Sang-Gweon Park who was a friend of Jackie and was an art students of Ms. Se-Won Oh, took me out to nature, and this gave me the ability to do art in nature.

In the first invitation letter that was sent to me, the jurors of the exhibition paid special attention to The Dream of Peace in the Persian Gulf. They wanted to exhibit that piece in the exhibition and to show its peaceful message. I welcomed their offer too.

After a few days the pictures were printed and lots of sand was transported to the location of the exhibit.

In addition to the bicycle of peace, I submitted a collection of photographs and installations to the exhibition.  

The environmental exhibition of Greeting Green opened on Tuesday, November 9^th; along with the presence of professors, cultural staff and Korean artists in the city of Seoul. This exhibition continued until November 28^th.  There was a collection of twelve photographs of the Persian Gulf bicycle and Mr. Seyfollah Samadian prepares one of those photographs.

In addition to the photographs of the Bicycle of Peace in the Persian Gulf, two rubber wheels were prepared. During the days of the exhibition, by pedaling in the gallery space we printed new writings on the sand. On one of the wheels of this bicycle writings about war opposition, terror, and bombings had been installed. On the other wheel there was writings that insisted on a clean environment and freedom, and printed the www.riverart.net website.

On the day after the opening, they discussed my environmental works in a meeting and it ended after a session of question and answer.  

In a session with the media from different media channels, I explained the inspiration of this bicycle this way.

It has been more than three decades that the people of Iran and neighboring countries suffer from the disaster of war. War and terror is now a worldwide threat, and is possible everywhere in the world. As an artist, I pay attention to environmental issues, not only these situations are connected to the environment, but as a result they harm our culture.

Images of the bicycle had a good reflection in the media and art magazines of South Korea.

Printed images by the bicycle, in the exhibition

More     http://www.riverart.net/south_korea/index.htm 

During the time I was in Seoul, I carved many fish and a released them in side rivers near the streets.

One day one of the artists, Se-Won Oh joined me and I gave some of my pieces to the forests near Seoul.

On the way back I saw Mount Damavand again, where at the beginning of my childhood fish were born in its rivers. 

More     http://www.riverart.net/south_korea/index.htm