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Iranian illustrators embracing western standards – Panelists lament
1389/03/02-08:30
Veteran Iranian illustrator, Muhammad-Ali Bani-Asadi, suggested in a panel discussion on "Iranian illustration in world" that a removal of domestic illustration festivals coupled with influence of related western festivals have altogether caused Iranian illustrators to adapt western styles, dealing a major blow to the Iranian art.
The panel discussion was staged on Tuesday, May 11 in the pavilion of House of Children and Youngsters Authors in the 23rd edition of Tehran International Book Fair and was joined by two experts in illustrations, namely Mohammad-Ali Bani-Asadi and Jamal al-Din Akrami, according to the House's press office.
Bani-Asadi for openers made the enquiry that why and how Iranian illustrators are awarded in international stages and how much their awarded publications are attuned to needs and requirements of Iranian children. By the enquiry, the distinguished personality implied that awarded works are not necessarily what the Iranian audience might expect or demand for.
The senior illustrator and university professor regretted that some debut illustrators in Iran consider international festivals as only path to fame, adding that the misperception might prove detrimental should it swallow their thought and mind and as a result prevent them from adapting to their indigenous situation.
Bani-Asadi then blamed a lack of domestic illustration festival for the shortfall. "In the past, works of children books illustrators were selected and awarded in (Tehran) book fair, press fair and Week of Book however the festivals no longer run," he said, adding that some festival was essential before authorities know the status and stand of Iranian illustration.
Bani-Asadi then outlined several shortfalls and challenges regarding the Iranian art. For one thing, he said, the art suffers poor identification of audience, children. "There are publications for children however few are effective in establishing contact with the audience," he lamented.
He said while there are books which rely on their fine illustration work and lure readership deep into pages, there are works where illustration follow no familiar or comprehensible style. He then suggested that an illustrator must study setting and situation of a work for six months before he or she could find an appropriate style or variation.
The professor observed that narrative ability of Iranian illustrators in animation, graphics and caricature was poor, adding that cheap works never produce desired effects.
The eminent illustration personality reckoned while related courses have been widening in universities, fewer opportunities have been made available in market or academy to absorb the graduates so that a growing number of graduates has increasingly found fewer available vacancies and subsequently tried to earn a reputation in western festivals leading to they eventually though gradually embrace western standards of illustrating.
He also chided a tendency to confine art of illustration to children and youngsters, arguing that an illustrator should be encouraged to extend the art to other domains of publication and that the onus should be put on publishers to apply for the attraction in other publications.
A next panelist to pick up the issue was Akrami, an illustrator, who tackled a major enquiry that how westerners might regard Iranian art of illustration. In response he said that while Iranians have been paid no major respect in west for their poetry, story writing, or analytical and historical criticism, the westerners have highly regard Iranian illustration, especially that of children and youngsters' publications.
Akrami singled out works by Farshid Mesqali as a first Iranian work to grab an Anderson Award in west in 1975, adding that the choice was meaningful in that Anderson jury mostly exercises an analytical approach in choosing a work.
He named Dadkhah and Nasrin Khosrawi as other Iranians to be designated for Anderson Award in 1979 and 2000 respectively, adding that as long as Khosrawi's works are concerned, Anderson Award's jury has apparently been attracted to her original technique and subsequent evolution from color pencil to oil.
Akrami however singled out Kalantari's works as most Iranian in nature, arguing that a traditional style of Iranian architecture, public baths and barber shops is apparent in his works.
He then called for an identification and promotion of standards of Iranian illustration, adding that a state failure to promote major Iranian illustrators might push them overseas subsequently leading to an adaptation of non-Iranian standards
