The internet classics archive the epic of kings by ferdowsi. After 911 neshat s ideas about being a political artist changed, even equating the artists address of political issues as a moral responsibility. I was really immersed in the arab spring and have even done a piece of work called the book of kings, which was about. The epic of kings shahnameh by hakim ferdousi internet archive.
Written as an epic poem by the poet ferdowsi in the 10th century, it is one of the great classics of persian literature. From the wicked zahnak who feeds the brains of his victims to his snakes to the seven trials of the famous hero rustam, these tales are full of kings and princesses, magical animals and demons and together form a great classic of persian literature. Metropolitan museum of art, 1972 reference 199 pages. The shahnameh, the seminal persian literary work, is based primarily on a prose translation of an earlier pahlavi work, known as the xvataynamak book of kings, from the preislamic sassanid era 224651. The persian book of kings penguin classics deluxe by abolqasem ferdowsi isbn.
Shirin neshats solo show the book of kings at faurschou foundation in beijing, china features a new body of. Shirin neshat is an iranian artist based in new york. View the book of kings series by shirin neshat on artnet. Mar 29, 2006 new translation of persian book of kings just in time for the persian new year, theres a new english translation of the shahnameh the epic persian book of kings written over the course of. What does the persian poet say about the first man to seek the crown of world sovereignty. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Its written all over their faces the washington post. Rebellious silence from woman of allah series by shirin. Exiled iranian artist shirin neshat looks at the egyptian. Here, selections from the epic poem are illustrated and retold for children to enjoy.
Divided into three groupsthe masses, the patriots, and the villainsneshats portraits of iranian and arab youth comprise black and white photographs with. Internationally acclaimed artist shirin neshat takes on loaded themes in photography, film, and video works that delve into issues of gender, identity, and politics in muslim countries, and the relationship between the personal and political. The book of kings series shirin neshat s large photo series the book of kings is inspired by the 60,000verse poem shahnameh the book of kings from the eleventh century by the persian poet ferdowsi, today still the great narrative of persian history up to the islamic conquest of persia in the seventh century. Shahnameh baysonqori is a copy of shahnameh book of kings composed by the highly revered iranian poet abu alqasim firdawsi 9401020. The exhibition features a new body of photography works and a video.
But study of firdawsis great, and immensely long, persian classic in the west has accelerated in an extraordinary way during the past two decades or so. The italian translator of the shahnameh, italopizzi rendered the entire book in eight volumes sorkhabi, 2011. Video 2 ferdowsis shahnameh the shahnameh translated as the. Shirin neshat, panteha masses, from the book of kings series, 2012. Ferdowsis classic shahnameh, or book of kings, is a literary masterpiece and remains popular centuries after it was written. The exhibit, the book of kings, was inspired by the wave of political uprisings throughout the arab world last year, and according to the gallery, explores the underlying conditions. Shirin neshat s solo show the book of kings at faurschou foundation in beijing, china features a new body of photography works and. Jan 31, 2012 throughout the space, dozens of iranian and arab youth with engaging, thoughtful expressions stare out from blackandwhite photographs by shirin neshat.
Browse more artworks shirin neshat from leila heller gallery. The importance of shahnameh in the persianspeaking world is comparable that of homers epics in the west. Incorporating archival material to contextualize her practice, the show confronts. Thepersian book of kings, the national epic of persia. Five photographs, including one from neshats women of allah series 1993 97, and four from the book of kings 2012 are included in.
What noldeke called the iranische nationalepos the iranian national epic, ferdowsis shahnameh kingbook is the basis of iranian identity. While i dislike the childish style of the artwork, it has a certain charm and the vibrant colours make it appealing. May 11, 2015 shirin neshat is an iranian artist based in new york. The book of kings marks neshat s return to blackandwhite photography. Shirin neshat speaks about her retrospective at the. Thepersian book of kings, the national epic of persia this prodigious narrative, composed by the poet ferdowsi between the years 980 and 1010, tells the story of pre islamic iran, beginning in the mythic time of creation and continuing forward to the arab invasion in the seventh. The exhibition features a new body of photography works and a video installation by the internationally acclaimed iranian artist. It tells the history of old persia before the arab conquest of the region.
A magical bird, an evil dragon, a clever princess, and a valiant hero bring to life ferdowsis. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The epic of shahnameh a thousand years of the persian book. Four distinct groups can be identified, with the two oldest groups dating from the 16th century. In her fifth solo exhibit at new yorks gladstone gallery, artist shirin neshat sets up her first ever photo installation. First published in 1923, kings of arabia examines the history of yemen from the 17th century to the aftermath of the first world war.
Facing history takes a sweeping look at her output and will present her iconic blackandwhite photographic portraitswhich she discusses belowas well as her nonnarrative videos and her recent forays into cinema. Find the hashemite kings 0571055850 by morris, james. Based on an older prose translation of an earlier middle persian kingbook but recomposed by ferdowsi into verse, the shahnameh in over 50,000 lines tells both the tale of the mythical past of iran and its preislamic history from alexander till the. Shahnameh by hakim ferdousi firdowsi, translated into english by helen zimmerman, uploaded for easy on line reading and retrieval for research purposes by muhammad umar chand in memory of ahmad shaikh of sindh printing press, zeb adabi markaz, and rahman book binding for his love to make booksavailable to the people of sindh. Her work interweaves an austere yet sensuous visual language with music. Several painters, working at different times, were involved in its illumination. Browse upcoming and past auction lots by shirin neshat. The exhibition consisted of a total of 56 black and white photos framed in unmated and black frames that were hung across the two galleries. Shirin neshat speechless women of allah series 1996. Neshat found inspiration in stories from participants in the arab spring in 2011 and protesters from the iranian green movement in 2009. Among the great works of world literature, perhaps one of the least familiar to english readers is the shahnameh.
Unique and lavish renditions of this story have been created for several centuries books were collected luxury items for the wealthy. The book of kings series by shirin neshat on artnet. Shirin neshat speaks about her retrospective at the hirshhorn. The gladstone gallery and the faurschou foundation in beijing, china are just some of the art spaces that have had the pleasure of exhibiting shirin neshat s the book of kings. Shirin neshats large photo series the book of kings is inspired by the 60,000 verse poem shahnameh the book of kings from the eleventh century by the.
The shahnama or book of kings is an epic poem written in 1010 and containing about 60,000 couplets. The exhibition, she explains in an interview with voa persian tvs behnam nateghi, is about power and peoples relationship to power, which she sees as the essence of firdowsis epic poem the book of kings. The stories of shahnameh, the persian book of kings is an audio book collection in english and persian languages created by afshin sepehri and nusha sepehri with the goal of introducing the beautiful stories of shahnameh, the masterpiece by iranian poet ferdowsi to both iranian and noniranian audience. Stories from shahnameh the persian book of kings retold by elizabeth laird and illustrated by shirin adl. View rebellious silence from woman of allah series by shirin neshat on artnet. Lieutenant colonel harold fenton jacob 18661936 was an officer in the british army who spent the majority of his time in service in yemen. Throughout the space, dozens of iranian and arab youth with engaging, thoughtful expressions stare out from blackandwhite photographs by shirin neshat. Shahnameh is an ancient persian poem comprising a collection of stories, myths and legends which have been retold for over a thousand years. The persian book of kings by firdausi, librarything. This manuscript containing 215 illustrations is one of the largest pictorial cycles of the shahnama, the persian book of kings. Translations of shahnameh of firdausi in the west 40 italian since 1873, after the translation of the golestan to italian, persian literature has come to the attention of the italians radfar, 1990. No one has any knowledge of those first days, unless he has heard. Shirin neshats book of kings captures the faces of the.
However, book of kings, far from being a commentary on the relations between the us and iran, does not take sidesexcept with the iranian people, who are ultimately caught between them. The shahnameh is a collection of stories and myths from ancient iran, filled with kings, heroes, princesses, magical animals and demons. The book recounts in verse the mythological history of ancient persia and tales of the famous heroes and personalities of iranian history, from. Neshats the book of kings is inspired by the epic poem shahnameh the book of kings, by the 11thcentury poet ferdowsi, which chronicled iran through the 7thcentury islamic conquest of persia. The stories are exciting and easy to read with little codas of rhyming verse which add to the epic nature of the stories. One portrait on view, ibrahim 2012, belongs to a part of the book of kings series neshat calls the patriots. A total of 56 black and white photographs, framed in black and unmatted, and hung in the main gallery space, the reception hallway, and a smaller side room. Ancient islamic and arabic handwritten documents these illuminated islamic folio pages were discovered in a cache of ancient islamic and persian documents in the middle east.