Zawyeh Gallery in Dubai is hosting Whispers of Legends, a solo show by talented Iranian artist Leila Eskandari. This showcase of her latest series of artworks takes viewers on a journey through her imagination and explores the power of storytelling to traverse temporal, geographical, and cultural boundaries. The exhibition will be open to the public until the 28th of July, 2024.
Eskandari’s colourful paintings portray a fantastical, dream-like realm filled with patterns and inhabited by mythological beings. Drawing from folklore, her dynamic compositions reflect on her personal memories and broader human experience. The artist’s newest series of works is inspired by the Shahnameh (the Book of Kings), an ancient epic poem by Persian writer Abolqasem Ferdowsi written at the beginning of the 11th century. This extensive literary masterpiece, with over 50,000 couplets, is a collection of Iranian myths, legends, and historical episodes. These stories have captivated Eskandari since childhood and profoundly influenced her worldview.
Exploring the Shahnameh, the artist focuses on universal themes of love, heroism, and the never-ending struggle between light and darkness. In her paintings, she merges myth and reality through a vivid colour palette and flowing lines. Some works portray surreal landscapes where natural elements (mountains, trees, and the sky) melt together. Meanwhile, concrete details like electric pylons and fences suggest the encroachment of the real world. The other paintings feature hybrid figures and demon-like creatures in domestic settings, such as a room with a silver disco ball. Overall, the exhibited artworks can be called collages of references comprising literary pieces, current events, and Eskandari’s memories and emotional experiences.
Through her art, Eskandari creates a modern compilation of myths transporting viewers through space and time. The otherworldly fluid forms and rich colour palette she employs invite us into an imaginative realm where we can craft our own stories.
About the artist
Leila Eskandari (b. 1987, Tehran, Iran) lives and works in her hometown. She obtained a BA in IT from Payame Noor University (Tehran) in 2011 and an MFA in Painting from Alzahra University (Tehran) in 2018. The artist, who takes cues from her cultural heritage, namely the mythological Iranian love stories, has participated in two collective exhibitions held by Mohsen Gallery (Tehran): Episode 08 (2021) and Episode 06 (2020).
To get more information about Whispers of Legends, please visit the official web page of the show.
In addition, you might be interested in exploring Golden Spider Silk, an exhibition which is currently on display at the Museum of Islamic Art.