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Thanks to: Simon Max Bannister and his family : Adam, Paul and Alison Bannister, Kate Grogh, Tasha Weddapohl ...
Journey across South Africa: The Sprit of Rocks and Water
Simon Max Bannister Says: The journey has been a success in all. Ahmad’s mission to spread his fish around the four corners of the Earth is complete. He has left many an everlasting moment in his works around South Africa. I feel he has seen both sides of the communities, from the rich to the poor, city to wilderness, from the ugly to the beautiful. We have touched many people’s lives too and left a strong positive message along the way. Ahmad has been a complete inspiration; I have a resurgence of energy to focus supremely on my art and its message. He has shown me focus and a daring determination in what is his passion and life.
Works in Rock Creek River- Washington DC
Red People - Kansas City Missouri
Journey across South Africa: The Sprit of Rocks and Water
Carved Stones in Santa Fe (New Mexico)
Holiness of Image Hidden Treasure in Santa Fe (New Mexico)
Environmental Works by Ahmad Nadalian in UK
Prehistoric Fish Found in Central Park Thursday, May 24, 2007 Abigail Doan A week or so ago my Iranian artist friend, Dr. Ahmad Nadalian, visited New York City and several other US cities on an official invite for a sponsored exhibition that he was having in Washington, D.C. I met him on a bright, sunny morning in the northern woods of Central Park where he was carving several of his 'prehistoric' river art fishes. Dr. Nadalian has a long tradition of submerging his carved rocks in rivers and bodies of water where they might forever add to the spirit and environmental protection of the place. The artist also views the fish symbol as being emblematic of the human soul.
http://abigaildoan.blogspot.com
Persian Gulf Environmental Art Festival Second section
Environmental Art Festival on the Persian Gulf
Reaction to ignoring historic site
New Print on Sand in the Coast of Persian Gulf
Journey across South Africa: The Sprit of Rocks and Water
New Carved Rocks in Hormoz Island (Persian Gulf) March 2007
New works by Nadalian in “Verdearte” 2006: Italy
Print on Sand in the Coast of Persian Gulf Works By Ahmad Nadalian
Click Here to Download larger size Images
Utne Magazine May-June 2006 USA
Ahmad Nadalian
Nadalian: River Art An interview by John K. GRANDE Nadalian is an Iranian sculptor whose life's work involves engendering respect for living creatures and the natural environment. To achieve this, besides living with nature himself, he established sculpture grounds in a peaceful environment in natural surroundings. Water is a living element that contributes to his sculptures, and many of the symbols he engraves and sculpts are derived from ancient mythology and the rituals of pre-Islamic civilizations. more
By carving simple fish shapes and other forms onto small stones and river rocks, artist Ahmad Nadalian seeks to repopulate the spirit of neglected streams and rivers in his native Iran and around the world and share these treasures with future generations. more
Persian Gulf Environmental Art Festival Second section
Environmental Art Festival on the Persian Gulf
Reaction to ignoring historic site
New Print on Sand in the Coast of Persian Gulf
New Carved Rocks in Hormoz Island (Persian Gulf) March 2007
New works by Nadalian in “Verdearte” 2006: Italy
Works in Rock Creek River- Washington DC
Red People - Kansas City Missouri
Carved Stones in Santa Fe (New Mexico)
Works in Rock Creek River- Washington DC
Red People - Kansas City Missouri
Carved Stones in Santa Fe (New Mexico)
Holiness of Image Hidden Treasure in Santa Fe (New Mexico)
Environmental Works by Ahmad Nadalian in UK
Works in Rock Creek River- Washington DC
Red People - Kansas City Missouri
Carved Stones in Santa Fe (New Mexico)
Environmental Works by Ahmad Nadalian in UK
Journey across South Africa: The Sprit of Rocks and Water
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Rock and River Spirit journey - Calendar of our journey
For this report, which describes our trip in more detail, I used Max’s calendar of our journey. I arrived in Johannesburg on September 9. In the airport I saw Max who depicted fish on a black board and welcomed me. I stayed in Max's family house and we had a wonderful dinner with his family, Adam, Paul and Alison Bannister. After resting for the night, on September 10 we visited, Johannesburg City: we walk alongside a local market in Alexander Township. I noticed that they sold pieces of earth. I discovered that women, who are pregnant, traditionally eat these pieces of earth. This indicated a link between being a mother and earth.
Then we visited University of Witwatersrand- Origins Centre. In the museum I saw many example of South African prehistoric and primitive art. The Khoisan paintings and especially the symbolic carvings on riverbeds fascinated us. After that we visited Ingrid Gruin and Chatillon’ s house and garden- were told about spirit rocks by Credo Mutwa. Ingrid Gruin offered a gift to me. A book named Adam's Calendar.
After lunch we went to a river named Braamfontein Spruit. I carved my first fish by the river, which passes through the city.
Then we left Johannesburg and to Magaliesburg- the cradle of human kind- arriving in the afternoon we settled down and watched the stars…
Awoke with first light and packed up. Max and I then headed out towards the rocks! I made carvings on the rocks. They showed an animal totem, which is a solar symbol and an antelope.
Max started drawings in the sand. His works mostly show symbols related to life and eternity.
In Magaliesburg I also carved some fish along the river.
The last piece was a Goddess of fertility on a large scale laying down catching the sun with a fish on her head. The fish symbolize fertility, the Goddess, the virgin; waiting to become impregnated by the water and so would bring the coming of a new spiritual leader.
After that we drove over the Magalies pass and headed out to Parys- After a long drive with a beautiful sunset over the Klein Karoo, we arrived in the extremely quiet town of Philipolis. Kate Grogh greeted us warmly and gave us dinner, after which we found comfort in one of the Starry room houses and recharged...
After being introduced to the community by Kate Grogh of Future Nature we found a location to practice for a workshop. The workshop included the collection of waste items, taking them to the prepared location at the top of a nearby koppie. The Children were then asked to make music with what they had collected.
I chose some of them and painted their faces. In the meantime the rest were given chalk and asked to draw particular iconic shapes on the rocks around the location, such as snakes, suns and stars. This was then followed by the construction of a “rock snake”. Thereafter we made more music with more singing and dancing as the sun went down. After descending the koppie (top of hill) we made a fire, and made more music.
The day after we went to Hogsback. We arrived in at midday, and found the location at the bottom pool by the Mother and child waterfall.
Hogsback, mother and child waterfall
We both then got to work… I first carved a fish onto a rock, which I then threw into the pool. Then I chose a large rock facing the waterfall and carved a mother and child image, this was a “ mirror of a mirror”.
My fish at the Great fish river
Max drew on many of the rocks with charcoal and the local soft ochre rocks, he drew many symbols, a “flower of life”, a snake, a fish, and a flame on wood, bubbles and covered a rock with lines to signify “fences in nature”. We both then took many photographs of the work, the waterfall and a rainbow that caught the setting sun.
On the 14th of September we went to the Garden route- Nature’s Valley and were welcomed by Tasha Weddapohl of the Katumba community. The day after we got up early to catch sunrise on the beach. I use my cylinders seal and printed fish, starfish and a sign of recycle on the sand of the beach. More
We then walked to the river mouth along the cliffs, where we found a stranded dead whale shark that must have been trapped the night before.
I use colored earth and decided to create my own “mythological creature” and proceeded to paint a three-headed snake on the body of the shark.
Max drew on many rocks, using the natural patterns of shells as inspiration.
At the end of the day Max and Tash constructed an "anarchy pyramid" to celebrate the end of the day and for the coming storm. The day after on the16th September in the morning I painted Tash's face with red earth, and took photographs of her with a pineapple. We then headed to Knysna, went to the beach at the heads. I did fish carvings, while Max collected waste and focused on the “recreation” process. We after that, we drove to Eden Campus, Karatara, and were shown around the campus. We then drove to Willow point in Sedgefield to stay in a rondavel hut. On the 17th September we went to visit Eden Campus and I had a lecture and presented my article titled Art and Environment. On the 18th September from Willow point we drove to the beach near Witsand. We were met by rain, however went to the beach and saw three humpback whales. The day after, we went to the beach early to catch the sunrise. After waiting for the sun to come over a cloud, we were happy for its warmth as it lit the whole beach in yellow light. We then walked along the beach finding locations for artworks.
The tide was low and I found a beautiful pool by the beach, which I then proceeded to populate with my fish. I carved a snake, which Max coloured with bright red earth. Max drew on many stones, following natural shapes and contours. More
On the tides return we took photographs of our work being covered by the ocean. We then walked into the sand dunes to get a good perspective of the huge beach. More
I also hid one my fish in the sand near a tree and printed a snake on the sand.
On the 20th September we drove to the most Southern point in Africa at Cape Aghulus. We walked down to the furthest rocks and got to work.
We worked on many pieces, the highlight being the throwing of a fish into another rock-pool- we managed to catch the splash of the fish. After this we then decided to get to Cape Town.
We drove past Muizenburg beach and saw that the water was a brown colour. We presumed it was caused by some pollution.
We did some cylinder rolls that looked dramatic with the coloured water. Later that night we went to Cape Town to catch some nightlife, which we found on Long Street. A new band called “When John met Wendy” had their debut gig, which was nice different music and interesting crowd. In Cape Town one day we went for a walk up the mountain near Kalk Bay. What was interesting for me was the red colour of water caused by the mineral deposits of the local Fynbos. More
We explored a deep cave and we each made a carving by candlelight. We then descended just in time for nightfall.
On the 22nd September we went to University of Cape Town (UCT) looking for the art Faculty. We found that it was on a different campus in Cape Town itself. So we went and made an appointment to see Kurt Campbell the next day at UCT Michaelis School of fine art. Then we then met Max’s friend, Damon Cullinan and he took us to a stream flowing from Table Mountain and I carved two hands on the black slate rock.
In 24th September we then drove into the Redhill Settlement Village. We approached a group sitting round a fire. One of the women had orange ochre on her face, I questioned her what it was and they showed us the local clay rock. A man then decided to crush some with water and paint his face to demonstrate; he then painted my face too.
This was quite amusing for the people watching and so we seemed to be welcomed by the community. We then ventured deeper into the village, were welcomed to see inside some people’s shacks (houses). We met a young man by the name of Steven and asked if he would like to be part of the Zebra hand project. Max drew with charcoal and rock on some of the rusted corrugated iron, while I carved giraffes into a large rock.
On the way back I propose about establishing an environmental art center in South Africa. To transform waste to art, this has a strong message that speaks for the preservation of the environment. We also discussed how an art house/ gallery could be made in a local village and serve to uplift the community financially, mentally and environmentally. 25th September was the last day that I stayed in Cape Town. We went for a walk back up the mountain and found a stream with red water. We were both very interested in the water colour as it is very unusual and creates interesting settings for artworks. I took many photographs and did many fish rock water splashes. More
Max set about making a frog from waste that he collected on the walk. Once complete he set it in stream and took photographs. I then left one of my pre-carved fish in the stream.
I then carved two footraces on a red rock on the pathway. Then near the bottom of the trail I did another giraffe. He made a bird ...
Max fashioned a crow from the rest of the waste that he found. Throwing into into the sky, catching it “mid flight”.
We then went back to Simons Town where I placed his remaining carved fish in the stream of Max's parent’s garden. In the 26 September I flew back to Johannesburg and from there, to Dubai. I will then fly back to my home in the mountains of Tehran in Iran.
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