Nazgol Ansarinia
Rebel, Jester, Mystic, Poet: Contemporary Persians—The Mohammed Afkhami Collection
Installation view at Asia Society Museum, New York, 2021
Courtesy of Asia Society
Rebel, Jester, Mystic, Poet: Contemporary Persians illuminates the multifaceted histories and identities of Iranians today. Through works of art by Iranian-born artists across three generations, the exhibition sheds light on the rich heritage—as well as the trials and triumphs—of the Iranian people during a period of social and political unrest.
Drawing from the collection of financier and philanthropist Mohammed Afkhami, Rebel, Jester, Mystic, Poet highlights the unique evolution of contemporary art both in Iran and by Iranian artists who have left their native country. Paintings, sculptures, photographs, and videos by 23 artists express four interwoven themes that transcend standard chronologies.
This is the exhibition’s first presentation on the East Coast of the United States, following its premiere in 2017 at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada, and subsequent showing at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Presented by Asia Society Museum, Rebel, Jester, Mystic, Poet: Contemporary Persians—The Mohammed Afkhami Collection is an exhibition of works by more than 20 Iranian-born artists and one German-born artist, reflecting a dynamic and thriving contemporary arts scene.