1001 Plates Curated By
Azadeh Shooli

Among the variety and quantity of artistic events having the theme of current contemporary art in our society at the present time, which despite all their differences share a common front with tradition, the question may arise regarding the necessity and erection of an exhibit entitled "one-thousand-and-one under glazed plates." But from the vantage point of an ideologue, the presenter of this event as well as the writer of this discourse, such question is as much amenable as it is questioning. The answer becomes perceivable only when we thoughtfully look upon the quality of what is prevalent in today's contemporary art. In fact, what percentage of created works of art with numerous tendencies claimed as contemporary art, could portray a proper image of the life of an Iranian or display with minimal limits any kind of characteristic that a piece of art bears. With a general view and in line with this project's medium meaning ceramics, such question becomes more amenable. It even needs to be said that in this realm of artistic creation, namely contemporary ceramics, lack of understanding is higher than other areas of artistic media. Since such situation arises from the effects of foreign artistic thoughts and meanings in our country, we should pay attention to the areas of thought and practice outside of Iran in order to explore its origin. In fact, such disorder turns upside down the new concepts and definitions of art in contemporary times much more than it is inherent in the foundation and thought structure of modernism. This study's preamble encompasses the qualities and aesthetics that Kant enumerated to distinguish a piece of art, especially the necessity of non-utilitarian aspect of a beautiful work of art.