*Notes to the Readers

Required Equipment: To read this thesis, a DVD player is needed, and an access to the internet is an advantage.

I have classified my thesis in three volumes.

Volume One: This volume consists of Map of My Metaphisical Journey, A Scholary Overview, an overall “Introduction” to my thesis and the details of “Methodology”.

Volume Two: This volume consists of a series of practice as research work. This includes texts and DVDs which are the end results of a process of a series of thoughts and experiences at the time of making. The texts in this volume, often, duplicate what is said on DVDs.

Volume Three: This volume, “Another Birth”, although not the final stage of my PhD project, is a finalized piece of work which demonstrates the heart of “Translating the Lines”.

This consists of a DVD and an art book of three sections; images and calligraphy, an intuitive analysis of the poem which has provoked the artistic aspect of this work, and a visual literature review.

Literature Review: At the present time, the “Literature Review” is integrated within the body of the work in Volumes Two and Three both, in form of texts and DVDs. It is, however, likely, that a part of the “Literature Review” would form an independent chapter in the future.

The DVDs: consist of expressive writing, photography, videography, performance, and in some cases commentaries and debates which are made on the bases of personal observations, life experiences and academic research.

Website and Weblogs: all relevant links are provided throughout the thesis, and my academic page; http://parvanehfarid-academicprojects.blogspot.com/ provides the reader with a comprehensive online source to this thesis and the relevant pages.

*Table of Contents to Volume One

The University of Winchester
March 2009
Volume One
“Translating the Lines”

V. 1. Chapter I

• Introduction
  

· Who is Parvaneh Farid?
· What is her project about?
· Why is she doing this project?

V. 1. Chapter II

• Map of My Methaphisical Journey

• Scholarly Overview

V. 1. Chapter III

• Methodology: "Introduction"
• Methodology: "Practic as Research"
• Methodology: "Planning"
• Methodology: "Making"
• Methodology: "Reflection"
• Methodology: "Conclusion"

Vol. 1. Ch. I: Introduction to the Thesis

Theme: "Translating the Lines" is a “Practice as Research” project of visual and performing arts which observes, debates and documents some aspects of the journey of my life and the process of my work over a number of years, which has begun before this thesis and will carry on after.

In doing this, I use more than one medium, and I try to identify the commonality of the visible and invisible lines which appear in my work, during the process of making. This will be dealt with more in my PhD work.

Format: The conventional academic style in presenting a thesis, which consists of texts and diagrams, has been adapted into a format which is intentionally designed and heavily relies on the use of IT and DVD making.

Sections: The introduction consists of three sections;
· Who is Parvaneh Farid? – p. 4,
....also click here
· What is her project about? – p. 7
· Why is she doing this project? – p. 10

Website: To get a more comprehensive understanding of the wide ranging nature of my artwork, please refer to my website; L'Atelier Papillon http://www.latelierpapillon.co.uk/ .
.

"-There is an alleyway in whichthose boys who were in love with me,
with the same untidy hair,thin necks and twig like legs…
- …are dreaming still, of the innocent smiles of a girl

who one night has gone...with the wind..."
(Farrokhzad 1989-92, Farid 2003-08)
.

In writing about myself, here, I use the term “She” instead of “I”. This is because I rather to stand outside of my own life and look at it objectively. Doing that helps me to be more sincere in my understanding and more able to describe the situations and my feelings which form the platform of my practice as research work.

Vol. 1, Ch. I: Who is Parvaneh Farid?

“I do not remember a time that I did not do artistic work,
I just didn’t know there was a name for what I was doing”
(Farid 2008)

“Parvaneh Farid has a distinctive presence expressed both through her movement and her voice in performance.
It reflects the depth of the experiences that she has encountered in her complex life story.
Her sound is rich, velvety and warm, merging a variety of styles and experiences within its particular timbre.
She always performs with passion and commitment
and her voice is an instrument well suited
for carrying these powerful emotions.”
(Boyce-Tillman 2007) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_Boyce-Tillman

Parvaneh Farid http://www.latelierpapillon.co.uk/About-Page.html is a multimedia artist, singer, dancer and performer, who produces art films (Farid 1995, 2003-08), music albums & audio book (Farid 1998-2006).
http://www.latelierpapillon.co.uk/Performance-Parvaneh-Farid.htm
http://www.latelierpapillon.co.uk/audioalbumspage.html http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=ParvanehFarid&view=videos

This wide range of media has provided her with an interdisciplinary insight, confidence and ability to choose the most suitable medium that could be the best to express a given theme at any time.

Parvaneh left her mother country; at age of 17 to seek higher education, as she was deprived from that in her mother country as a member of the Bahá’í faith. http://pfarid.blogspot.com/
http://www.bahai.org/
http://search.bahai.org/main/?query=iran+students&x=9&y=8

Her asylum application was accepted by the British Government on ground of “Political and Religious Intolerance at her own Country”. She is now a British subject who has not visited her country since she left, and she is not intending to visit at the present time.

Related work: “I Mask, Therefore, I Am” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi12O0gAe9s

“I may wish to go back home one day,
when my country would allow me to contribute to her
as a Bahá’í, as a woman and as a non confirmative individual that I am”
(Farid 2008)

Parvaneh initially managed to survive in the west, living and working as an au-pair, looking after children and elderly. She then trained as a general nurse at West Suffolk Hospital School of Nursing, and now she is an RGN (registered general nurse).

“A ladder has a modest height for my ascension”
(Farrokhzad 1989 & 92)

Parvaneh has studied Jo Estill’s singing methods http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jo_Estill (Estill 1996) and vocal techniques for a period of over three years with Gillyanne Kayes http://www.vocalprocess.co.uk/who_are_we.htm (Kayes 2000). She also has been couched by Geraldine Hacked- Jones and Hilary Parfit.

Parvaneh has worked with a master of Persian traditional music, Dr Djalal Akhbari (Karimi 1978), (Davami 2000). She has also worked and performed with Persian composers whose styles are regarded as a bridge between eastern and western music; Mr Farrokh Moghaddam, Mr Farid Omran and Mr Iman Bashari.

She taught herself clay modelling, sculpting, painting and fashion design, prior to receiving her first honour degree in sculpture from Winchester School of Arts, and later, a master degree in graphic fine art from KIAD (Kent Institute of Art & Design), a post graduate certificate in women’s studies from Anglia University and a PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) from the University of Cambridge. Currently, she is doing a PhD in performing arts at the University of Winchester.

“Ever since I remember, I have been doing painting, drawing, http://www.latelierpapillon.co.uk/paintindrawingpage.html
Dressmaking, Sculpting http://www.latelierpapillon.co.uk/sculpturepage.html ,
Calligraphy http://www.latelierpapillon.co.uk/calligraphypage.html
Photography, http://www.latelierpapillon.co.uk/photographypage.html
Expressive writing, http://parvaneh-farid.blogspot.com/
Singing and dancing, http://parvaneh-farid.blogspot.com/ , http://www.latelierpapillon.co.uk/audioinformation.htm , http://www.latelierpapillon.co.uk/Performance-Parvaneh-Farid.htm , http://www.latelierpapillon.co.uk/gallerypage.html
I used to make my parents anxious, they wanted me to become an architect,
but I was too abstract minded to be able to see
the artistic elements in something which has practical use”
(Farid 2008)

In doing calligraphy, Parvaneh has managed to create her own original Persian fonts and style, and her designed calligraphy work plays an important role in some of her work.
http://www.latelierpapillon.co.uk/calligraphypage.html

Parvaneh expresses herself in form of writings, both in English and Persian, and she uses this form of expression in her visual and performing arts. http://parvaneh-farid.blogspot.com/

In photography, Parvaneh has won a number of prizes; “Clyde Hopkins Awards for Valorous Art”, “Linda Granade Memorial Trust Prize” and “CPL Sculptural Photography Prize”. Parvaneh has used her photography and photomontage skills in her video making and installation work. She has also organised exhibitions of her work.
· Totton College, June 2003
· Southampton City Art Gallery, Feb-March 2007
· Turner Sims, University of Southampton, May 2008
· Art House, Southampton, July-September 2008
· The Link Gallery, the University of Winchester, Sept-October 2008
· There is a plan to exhibit this work at the Persian Library, in London in a near future.

http://www.latelierpapillon.co.uk/Performance-Parvaneh-Farid.htm
http://www.latelierpapillon.co.uk/photographypage.html

Parvaneh’s Other Qualifications, Trainings and Skills include; Undergraduate Certificate in Music Composition, Eurythmy, Dance, Photography and Videography, IT visual art (Photoshop, Illustrator, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Premier Pro, Pinnacle), IT Audio Recording & Editing (Cubase SX) Calligraphy and Expressive Writing.

Vol. 1, Ch. I: What is her project about?

“The art of Parvaneh Farid celebrates the unity of religion as expressed by Bahá’u’lláh, the all-embr-acing religion... This notion of the unity of religion finds expression
in the unifying elements of her work in both a formal
and spiritual sense.In a formal sense, creativity ignores boundaries.
Thus photography, music, dance, performance,
together with any material that can be usefully employed, are all used as one to make powerful art
not easily forgotten.The belief in the unity of religion grows,
of course, out of a belief in the unity of God
and extend in a notion of the unity of mankind
in all its diversity.The spiritual content in Parvaneh Farid’s work
is universal, yet it finds its home
and, in deed, ruthless suppression
in Parvaneh’s native Iran...Parvaneh Farid’s recent statements are an impassioned and articulate rebuke ... in the form of eloquent and original works of art."
(Grylls 1997)

Project Title: The title of Parvaneh’s Project for PhD is “Translating the Lines”, which is an ongoing artistic documentation and analysis of self observation within the context of some aspects of the journey of her life.

“…I congratulate you on having invented a very distinctive new form
for presenting your research in an exciting and stimulating way
that captures the nature of your thinking beautifully"(Boyce-Tillman 2008)

This project has two aspect or wings; the First Wing is the format of the Artistic Language which is employed as means of expression and the Second Wing is the Theme of the content of the project.
.
First Wing – using an Artistic Language: A stylish and metaphoric language is applied, in order to express the theme of the project. This method of expression pays attention to the interdisciplinary features of the organic nature, appearance, and the style of progression of the visible and invisible lines across the axis of time (dance and music) and space (dance and visual art) in Persian art media, such as calligraphy, painting, architecture, artefacts, music, dance and poetry.
Various conventional techniques will be explored and examined, as well as newly developed IT, to highlight the visible and invisible lines of various applied media which are used to express the theme of the project.
.
Second Wing - The Theme; “Licensed to Live”. This project is a “Practice as Research” (Trimingham 2000) attempt in rewriting oneself, using “Autoethnography” (Tieney 1977) as a strategy. In doing that the life experiences and experiments, “Genetic Epistemology” (Jean Piaget 1968), are understood and interpreted, "Interpretive Interactionism” (Denzin 1989), within the “Hegelian Dialectic” framework of “Thesis”, “Antithesis” and “Synthesis”, while the findings are heavily relying on epistemology of the “Subjugated Ways of Knowing” (Boyce-Tillman 2005) using “Qualitative Image-Based” (Prosser 1998) techniques. The stages of this journey towards its final mystical destination, however, are directed according to the roadmap which is laid out in “The Seven Valleys” (Bahá’u’lláh 1986).

This Project looks into the development of one’s “Physical”, “Cognitive” and “Spiritual” identity, as if it is approached via three parallel avenues throughout the journey of life, while looking at contributing factors to these developments and manifestations in the Persian culture particularly in the area of gender and identity.
The wayfarer is required to travel through all these three avenues of existence spontaneously, though not necessarily with a constant rate or the same degree of enthusiasm. One aspect of development does not end its progress before the next one begins, and these avenues do not always remain in parallel with each other, as many junctions and joint roads are on the way, which on one hand could cause collisions and on the other could augment the speed of the journey in one or all avenues.
The wayfarer could also perform several u-turns on her/his way and/or decide to remain stationary in one place for a while. S/he may even travel the same part of the same avenue several times over. At the end the pattern of her/his journey will forms her/his travel history or in other words her/his portfolio of life experiences, hence her/his authentic identity. That notion suggests as if the entire journey of one’s life is the intended destination, rather than the final valley.
On the basis of this argument, one could understand that a restricted pigeonhole system to study the “Physical”, “Cognitive” and “Spiritual” aspects of one’s identity is not a realistic approach, however, for the sake of practicality, a schema is needed; hence looking at these parallel aspects of developments as three separate entities at times. As result, different aspects of this project may develop in isolation, before they eventually come together to form the pattern of a single tapestry of one’s identity.

Vol. 1, Ch. I: Why is she doing this project?

“… having seen Parvaneh Photomontage art work
I wanted to comment on the degree of professionalism
that her work embodies.
I think that it is important to stress that aesthetics aside,
it is refreshing to see sublime work presented
as practice as research.
This is important, particularly as she is using
the presentation of 'harmony' in an Aristotelian way
to reveal her transcultural struggle underpinned
by her religious and philosophical belief.
Not to have this as an example of good practice from a different, as she put it 'illegitimate cultural' perspective, would be a great shame.”
(Taiwo 2008)

An Illegitimate Cultural Perspective: Parvaneh’s work demonstrates elements of her rich Persian heritage within the perspective of the western culture. Although as a Bahá’í she has been brought up with the notion of one world citizenship, but she finds herself struggling with having to be accepted by the measurements which is expected from her in the west, on one hand and those which are expected from her by the eastern artistic norms and the Islamic regime of Iran on the others.

“Although the event of my birth has provided me
with a natural Licence to Live, I do not seem to fit in to the cultural norms and I tend to resist to confirm with them.
My PhD. project is an attempt to recognise the person I am and to identify the reasons and factors
which have contributed to the way I am.
The outcomes of this process, would hopefully, provide me with a systematic and therapeutic agenda
which would help me to accept myself as I am
and indicate a progressive path into my future.”
(Farid 2008)

Parvaneh’s project seems to be building a bridge between two cultures, the east and the west, while continuing referencing to newly developed school of thought with a global vision; the Bahá’í faith. The story of her journey may benefit those who wish to study the life of a woman who was not accepted by her own culture neither was she by the culture of the country she took refuge to. The outcomes of this study may be especially interesting, because she is being interviewed, analysed and interpreted by herself, looking at her own body, mind and spirit within the contexts of these conflicting cultures.


Why the use of Internet Technology:

“A mechanism of world inter-communication
will be devised embracing the whole planet,
freed from national hinderances and restrictions,
and functioning with marvellous swiftness and perfect regularity.
(Rabbani 1978)

"I am now convinced, that the use of the website
is an appropriate format to deliver your project…”
(Boyce-Tillman 2008)

The other beneficiary aspect of Parvaneh’s project is her interest in the use of innovative artistic method of expression and the use of new technology which has not been experimented much within academic arena. The modern inter-global technology is here to stay and sooner or later its capabilities for being used as a format to submit academic thesis will be established.

Public Art: Parvaneh has also a great interest in sharing her findings with the general public and believes that the internet technology can facilitate her with the most effective means to share her work with the people across the globe. Hence she maintains a rather extended webside of her work; http://www.latelierpapillon.co.uk/ .

“The art within the walls of an exhibition is as alive as fish is inside a can.
I believe that the arts should be where people are,
and not in possession of a few privileged members of the society.
The real public art can only be found in the graffiti around the cities
and on the websites and weblogs of the unknown artists.
The graffiti and websites are free from the influence of the marked
and the censorship of kinds.
Hence, I use the internet technology
to communicate my art work to the people.”
(Farid 2008)

*Map of My "Methaphisical Journey"

*A Scholarly Overview

Introduction
The below poster is an artistic “Map of My Metaphysical Journey” demonstrating the path of the creation of the lines which my mind has taken up to the present time.

In this map, the complexity of the journey is contained in the boxes, and although the lines which link the boxes look as if they are of unsubtle nature, my project, “Translating the Lines” is generally concern with more subtle and more organic lines.

Our living -box A- continuously creates -box C- “Invisible Lines” -box C1, C2 & C4- which are discovered and projected by the artists -box C3-, using various art forms -box C5-. Since the origin of all these lines is the same -box A- they can be translated across one art form to another, and that is the area of my interest -box C5 & E2-.

Studying the Language of the Lines in Art
In my project, I examine how the human being’s movements produce a series of “Invisible Lines” -box C,C1,C2&C4- which forms the basis of the Arts -box C3&C5-. Philosophically I see the invisible lines as an expressive symbol of human existence and as a central aspect of his life.

This notion has come across my mind not only as a result of a personal intuition throughout my life -box D 1-, but as result of my observations on the works of artist such as Constantin Brâncuşi, Oskar Schlemmer and also some aspects of Eastern arts which manifest itself in the painting and calligraphy of that heritage -box D & C1…5-. The following is an examination of such influences on my project.

Movement: The “Invisible Lines” -box C2- come to existence through the movement of a “Dot” which is the “Starting Point” of the creation of a line -box C-. This “Dot” then moves towards a “Target Point” via a certain “Direction” -box C1-. The trace of the journey of this “Dot” is the “Line”, which is “Invisible” -box C2-. What could be “Visible” is only the imprint of the “Invisible Lines” on the environment -box C4-.

To recognise the motive behind human being’s movement -box C&D-, therefore the emergence of the “Invisible Lines” -box C2-, I look at his basic instinct for survival. I call this prime instinct “To Be” -box A-. It appears as if “Movement” -box C- is a recognised characteristic for human which is related to this prime instinct.

Simplification: By simplifying a given phenomenon -box C3- and searching for its inner essence of existence, the artist identifies the “Invisible Lines” -box C2- of that phenomenon which have formed its foundation (thesis).

Stylisation: S/he then internalises this foundation of “Invisible Lines” and according to her/his personal and cultural makeup allows them to “Move” and behave in a stylised manner -box C3- and become a set of “Stylised Invisible Lines” (antithesis). These newly born “Stylised Invisible Lines” then form the skeleton of the artist’s new project -box C5.

Manifestation: From here, the artist endeavours to make the “Stylised Invisible Lines” manifest and express a certain theme -box E1- to the onlookers via an “Art Form” such as painting, performance, music, and poetry etc. (synthesis) -box C5,E1&E2.

Art Form: is a verbal or nonverbal language which is stylised, complex and more expressive than the everyday language -box C5,E1&E2-. The art forms can individually named as painting, sculpture, calligraphy, photography, video making, installation, music, poetry, performance, etc. Each art form has its own method of production and grammatical makeup.

Theme: -box E1- is an internal or external phenomenon which engages the artist and makes her/him to begin the dialectic process of “Identification of the Invisible Lines” -box C2- and ”Stylisation” -box C3- in order to inform the onlookers of the way s/he has been affected by that phenomenon -box E2-.

It seems as if although this productive process begins with simplification of a phenomenon, it ends in a rather complex final product of an artwork -box C5- which could be original in its expression. Therefore I tend to agree with Oskar Schlemmer (Kuuchling 1971) who believes that simplicity by itself provides opportunity for innovation, hence creation new artwork:

“We can always being over again with A, B, C,
we can always reconsider the elements of art,
because in simplicity there is a strength
in which every true innovation is rooted…”
(Kuuchling 1971)
and also with Constantin Brâncuşi’s (Shanes 1989) who says:

“Simplicity in its essence is complicity”
(Shanes 1989)

To trace this process in practice, I would like to look at Constantin Brâncuşi’s (Shanes 1989) approach to sculpture and also Oskar Schlemmer’s (Schlemmer 1986) and Joanna Jayne Bucknall approaches to performance and poetry, in connection with my work.

Constantin Brâncuşi
“The natural element in sculpture means allegorical thinking,
symbolic, sacredness or the search for essences hidden in the material
and not the photographic reproduction of external appearances.
The sculpture is a thinker and not a photographer of ridiculous,
multiform and contradictory appearances.”
(Shanes 1989 – p. 18)

Looking at 1909 version of “The Kiss”, one of Brâncuşi’s sculptures http://www.emuseumstore.com/product/2340/119 (Museum Store February 2010) and compare it with one of Rodin’s sculptures on the same theme, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kiss_(Rodin_sculpture) (Wikipedia February 2010) or
even with one of Brâncuşi’s his own earlier version of “The Kiss” which was carved in 1907, gives us some understanding about what Brâncuşi tries to discover -box C2- and convey in his art -box E2-. That is to distance from what he calls “the photographic reproduction of external appearances” in favour of a “search for essences hidden in the material” -box C2&C3-.

“The Kiss” (1907-08) & “The Kiss” (1918) by Constantin Brâncusi

“The Kiss Gate” (1937-38) by Brâncuşi & “The Kiss” (1889) by Rodin

This comparison does not aim at undermining Rodin’s skills in seeing and using the “Invisible Lines”. In fact I believe that he has a great level of understanding for the “Invisible Lines” -box C2- and he creates such an acrobatic dialogue between them which is both clever and pleasing -box C5&E2-. He, however, unlike Brâncuşi, disguises the “Invisible Lines” with realistic looking volume and photographic sculptural appearance.

Brâncuşi made several versions of “The Kiss” throughout his almost 30 year’s carrier, each version simpler than the one before -box C3-. He carried out this project until in his later attempts, such as “The Gate of Kiss”, one can only see an inter-positioned pair of semi circles, representing the eyes of the kissers -box C3&C4-. In this version of his work, Brâncuşi claims that the most essential part of the anatomy which is most significantly involved in such human behaviour is the eyes and not the lips, hence that is all he applies to his work in order to convey the theme; “The Kiss” -box C1&E2-.

This idea of distancing from reality and emphasising on what matters most could be seen on Indian Miniature and some narrative art in Western culture, as well as some digital drawing of mine -box C2…C5&E2-.

As seen on the following examples; ‘Bani thani’ 18th century school of the Rajasthani style of Indian painting and also on the chosen Indian contemporary painting, not only no attempt is made to make the portraits look real, the “Invisible Lines” are recognised -box C2-, stylised -box C3- and made visible -box C4-. The important parts of the faces, like eyes, are also portrayed larger to be more expressive -box E2-. Similar treatment is also seen in some western narrative arts such as the portrait of Jesus by J. Yoswa (Graham 2009), despite the introduction of some halftone effect.

L: ‘Bani thani’ 18th century school of the Rajasthani style of Indian painting.

M: an Indian Contemporary Painting, R: a portrait of Jesus by J. Yoswa (Graham 2009)

L: “Untitled” (Farid 2005), M: “Mlle. Pogany version II” (Brâncuşi 1919)
R: "Portrait of Dora Maar Seated" (Picasso)

In my digital drawing, pictured above, similarly the lines are very much visible and descriptive -box C4-. Furthermore, not only they are stylised -box C3-, priority is given to their smooth and organic flow, even though the direction of the flow may seem odd. This makes the face somehow look distorted like what we see in "Portrait of Dora Maar Seated" by Picasso -box C3-, although Picasso’s work from the viewpoint of the fluency of the line is very different -box E2-.

Some elements of romantic features are also seen in this work of mine which is drawing on the romantic treatment which is given to “Mlle. Pogany” (version II 1919) by Brâncuşi, which choreographs a dance like dialogue between the “Invisible Lines” which are made “Visible” -box B2&C3-.

Another series of Brâncuşi’s sculptural work which could be looked at here is his “Fish”. Like in his other project, Brâncuşi makes several versions of this subject matter -box E1-, striving to discover and demonstrate the characteristics of a fish -box C2- rather than producing what he calls a “photographic reproduction of external appearances” of it -box E2-.

Brâncuşi argues that when one looks at a fish, s/he does not see the eyes or the tale, nor the wings, but the movement and the reflection of an aerodynamic volume in the water, and that is what he tries to capture and reflect -box E1&E2-.

“Fish” (1922) & “Fish” (1930) by Constantin Brâncuşi

The first fish, made in 1922, is in marble and mounted on a mirror to introduce appropriate associations of the reflectivity of water. In grey marble one, 1930’s version, he took advantage of the horizontal striations of the stone to suggest the levels and waves of water -box C2&C4-. The later version is mounted in such way which can rotate 360 degree on its base to emphasis fish’s rapid movements in different directions -box E1&E2-. All versions of “Fish” have very smooth and abstracting appearances which only refer to an abstracting contour of a real fish -box B2,C3,E1&E2-.

Oskar Schlemmer
Another artist who is interested in looking at the essence of the subject matters -box D,C2,C3&E1- is Oskar Schlemmer (1888-1943)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oskar_Schlemmer

“Man and Mask” -box E1-, is one of his works which consists of a series of performances in which a few performers take part. In this work Schlemmer tries to strip the performers of almost their entire cultural, sexual and individual characteristic -box C2&C3- which are visible or audible in order to reach the very essence of a human or his/her authentic being -box D&C2-.

To achieve that, Schlemmer puts the performers in some similar bodysuits which cover their heads and faces as well as the entire bodies -box C3,C6&C5- . These bodysuits are designed in such way that not only they deny the cultural appearance and the genetic make up of the performers, their gender and sexual characteristics are also neutralised -box B2-.

It, however, appears to me that Schlemmer has not managed fully to neutralise the gender of his performers here-box B2-, nor he has succeeded completely to deny all of their cultural references -box C2&C3-, as their glottal noises and laughter sound masculine, and some tendency towards Mediterranean masculine gestures is also recognisable in their behaviours.

“Man and Mask” Oskar Schlemmer (1888-1943)

“… when they knock at the door and we ask,
through the door, the door, the question, ‘Who’s there?’ answer…
‘It’s me’, and we recognise that ‘it is him’ or ‘her’
Louis Althusser (Butler 1993, p121)

To me, “Man and Mask” underlines the importance of gender in our daily encounters -box B1&B2-. To me, watching these ambiguous looking performers not only does not switch off my mind not to look for signs of gender identity, it brings the question of gender to the front of the mind. Here is a clear contrast with my work that gender identity is an important issue -box B2&B3- and plays for the role throughout. E.g. “I Mask, Therefore I Am” (Farid 1995), “Looking Like a God” (Farid 1995) and “Another Birth” (Farid 2007-8)

L: “I Mask therefore I Am” & R: “Looking Like a God” (Farid 1995)

“Another Birth” (Farid 2007-8)

Furthermore in one of my later works, “Zolf Ashofteh” (Farid 2009),
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJgsbsA8FFA&feature=channel (Feb 2010)
I played with the issue of gender -box B2- by giving the narrator a cross gender identity in order to reinforce the dark humour which runs throughout the piece -box C1-, to demonstrate women’s rebellious attitudes towards the depressive regime in Iran -box E1&E2-.

Where the issue of simplification and reaching the essential is concerned -box C2&C3-, Schlemmer also diverts from the realistic appearance of human to discover the spirit of man and its authentic reality -box D1-.

The bodysuits which he designed -box C6- suggest that Schlemmer has a different approach and intention from Brâncuşi and me where simplifying -box C3- the subject matter -box E1- is concerned. He simplifies the “Man” in order to demonstrate the unity of human race, and does not show any interest in romanticising or creating an object of beauty Similar to Brâncuşi -box B2-, hence, it looks as he is only after intellectual dialogue between forms, scale and the movements -box C,C1&E2-.

As mentioned earlier, in order to demonstrate the notion of unity of humankind -box E1&E2-, in “Man and Mask”, Schlemmer bypasses “Verbal Language” to avoid cultural differences which are manifested via the language. In “Man and Mask” the performers do not speak throughout the act, although every now and again they laugh and make kind of glottal noises which sound more masculine than feminine. Along the line of the same idea, the movements and the body language are choreographed in a way that does not reveal too many cultural or sexual clues to the onlookers.

A couple of my earlier performances;
“Tahereh” (Farid 1995) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZkuJZK-gTU
and “A Silence to be Heard” (Farid 1997) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7J1M7NdkR4
are made without the use of verbal language.

In “Tahereh”, a three minutes art video, I have reconstructed the essence of Tahereh’s historical act of publicly removing her veil in a Babi conference in Badasht, Iran, in 1850s (Vaseghi 2006 pp. 29-30) -box D1&B3- . In this work, I stylise the very essential nature of Tahereh’s action and reconstruct it without saying any words, however, a very limited amount of stylised sound effect is applied. The sound effect is synchronised with the movements, which somehow is similar to “Man and Mask”, where Schlemmer uses synchronised sound effect to the movements at times -box C5&C6-.

“Tahereh” (Farid 1995)

In this work, unlike Schlemmer’s, not only I do not disguise the gender and the cultural identity of the performer; I make sure that the issues of culture and gender are well established and presented to the onlooker -box B2-. The reason for this is that “Removal of the Veil” only has significance within a particular cultural and a single sex -box B1&D3-.

“A Silence to be Heard” is a complex performance/installation work in which although the performer is gagged, she communicates with the onlookers through a series of stylised gestures -box C3- which are drawn from English sign language -box C2-. In this way, she conveys some global values, such as unity in diversity as they are suggested in Bahá’í faith. (Abdol-Bahá’ 1972, pp. 163-167) -box D1,E1&E2-.

The gestures, here, are synchronised with a purposefully composed piece of music -box C2,C3&C4- which is drawn from the “Invisible Lines” -box C2-, created by the performer’s movements -box C1-. Through an innovative process, these “Invisible Lines”, are translated into lines of musical notations -box C4-. The performer, therefore, becomes the creator of the music here -box C5-, unlike, for example, “Space Dance”, one of “Man and Mask” performances by Schlemmer, in which the drumbeats dictate/lead the performers’ movements -box C6-.

In this work the female performer’s gender identity, unlike the performers in “Man and Mask”’, is not disguised -box B2-, although, the costume she wears is reduced to a long and loose black body-cover which is intended to minimises the cultural references -box C3-.

“A Silence to be Heard” (Farid 1997)

The space and lighting in this work, as in Schlemmer’s, play an important role -box C6-. Similar to “Man and Mask”, the space here is dark and lighting is intentionally planned. In “Metal Dance” another episode of “Man and Mask”, the source of the lighting is not visible and only bars of dim lights reflect from behind of a single performer. Here the light and the shadows of the performer began to create a visual kind of “call and response” dance -box C5&E2-.

“A Silence to be Heard” (Farid 1997)

In “A Silence to be Heard”, however, the sources of the light are part of the design of the space. The space is divided into a confined part and it’s outside surrounding area. The confined space is created by 12 long one-sided mirrors (one side mirror and the other side glass), suggesting a prison cell. The performer acts inside this confined space -box C6&E2-.

The lights, their reflections into the one-sided mirrors, together with performer’s movements and her shadows and reflections on the mirrors on one hand, and the reflections of the onlookers who gather around the confined space create an interesting moving image. This visual picture becomes even more interactive, when the lights are dimmed and brightened at time -box C1&C4-.

From aesthetic viewpoint, I find my work close to Brâncuşi’s. The proof of that could be found in my calligraphy -box C4-. From viewpoint of simplification -box C3-, however, I am also close to Schlemmer, because I am interested in demonstrating -box E2- that all art formats are in their essence one -box A-, as Schlemmer tries to reach the unity of humankind through simplifying the notion of “Man”.

It appears as if Schlemmer’s method in using various media such as performance, sculpture/costume, dance/movement, installation, props, etc. -box C5- in “Man and Mask” is noting more than juxtaposing. It appears as my earlier work “Looking Like a God”, I am also following that method, however, in my more recent works such as “A Silence to be Heard” an interaction between the media starts to develop in which interdisciplinary dimensions could be recognised and the concept of line in a variety of media is explored.
In “A Silence to be Heard” I endeavour to find the common ground between the media which I use and then allow one medium grow new branches in the background of the other -box C5&E2-. In other words I try to translate a subject matter which is developed in one medium into another, or take a seed which is harvested in one medium and implement it in the soil of another medium, which is very different method from juxtaposition. The music composition for this work is an example of this interdisciplinary method.

The “Interdisciplinary” approach, makes my work different from Brâncuşi and Schlemmer, when it becomes complex, yet again, after the initial simplification. For example after I reach the essence and the “Invisible Lines” of a given theme which is choreographed as a dance, I then translate those “Invisible Lines” into, for example, work of calligraphy -box C2&C4-. That treatment, somehow introduces some elements of ambiguity to my work, while providing the onlookers with opportunity to see the unseen -box C1&E2-. An example of the use of that method could be “Another Birth” (Farid 2007-8) which is made of many layers of visible photographic images, calligraphy work as well as invisible poetic visions -box C5,C6-.

Here I would like to look at my calligraphy work and check it against the work of two other artists -box C4&C5-. This is an example of my calligraphy work which has been stylised to such an extent that it is not readable -box C3&C4-. However, aesthetically, it looks attractive and eye catching on its own, without having to know its meaning -box B2-. That is different to the way that Shirin Neshat, a Persian contemporary visual artist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirin_Neshat (viewed 10th March 2010) who uses calligraphy in her work.

“Rejoice” (Farid 2003)

Untitled (Mishkín-Qalam 1992)

Expressing the Inexpressible (Neshat 2000)

On this example of her work Neshat uses a piece of writing in its regular way without stylising the letters. From aesthetic view, this piece of writing would not catch many eyes, out of the context of the used photograph. Perhaps my calligraphy design is closer to work of Mishkín-Qalam http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mishk%C3%ADn-Qalam (Viewed 10th March 2010) (Mishkín-Qalam 1992) a 19-20 century calligraphy Persian artist who stylised and designed the words as seen in this example. His work, however, appears to be more geometric and controlled than my work which appears as a dancer is freely moving around and leaving the trace of her movement behind -box C,C4&C5-.

Joanna Jayne Bucknall
I am now moving to the concept of invisible lines in poetry -box C2&C4-. Here, I would like to look at Bucknall’s work; “Siren Song in 3 Parts” (Farid 2007)
http://parvanehfarid.blogspot.com/2007/11/on-siren-song-in-3-parts.html because this is a
performance by a Winchesters University’s research student who uses the poetry as a medium and my recent work is very much based on poetic performances -box C1,C5&E2-.

“She is a kind of woman…” -box B2&E1- is a haunting phrase that is imprinted on the mind of the audience -box C1-, not only because of the image of “a kind of a woman” that is presented by the text, but also due to the artistry of the performers on the one hand, and the professional structure and stage management skills of the creator of the piece, Joanna Bucknall, on the other -box E2&C5-.

Siren Song in 3 Parts by Joanna Jayne Bucknall (Farid 2007)

The performance took place inside an installation space, surrounded by black walls, floor and ceiling, lit by a dim light. This dominating dark atmosphere was interrupted by a single shade of red that painted a set of basic furniture and ornaments, required for a party as well as the evening dresses of two sleek female performers.

Siren Song in 3 Parts by Joanna Jayne Bucknall (Farid 2007)

As we entered the theatre, we were welcomed by the creator and the performers who were casually moving around the room and mingling with the audience throughout the course of the event.

The atmosphere and the installation promised an interesting performance of audience participatory nature -box C1-. What struck me, however, was the potency of the texts which were read from time to time by the cast who randomly interrupted the “party” and diverted the casual flow or “Line” of the show into a sophisticated, thought provoking and mental-image making exercise with multiple lines.

Siren Song in 3 Parts by Joanna Jayne Bucknall (Farid 2007)

The lines of the narrative are circling around the identity of a girl/woman who may live next door to you -box C1,C2& B2-. A woman whose image and lifestyle may engage you in using your imagination and make you listen to the neighbourhood’s gossips about who she is and what she does behind the closed doors of her house as well as within the cavity of her mind.
She is portrayed -box C1- as the kind of a woman that you might develop a love-hate relationship with. A woman that is to be ignored, and yet she can make the neighbours peep through their curtains when she comes and goes. She is the kind of woman that you wish to move away in your neighbourhood from and yet, if she does not make her colourful presences known in your life, her empty space is felt. The kind of woman that you wish to meet but not get close to, like a mystery that you wish to discover and yet fear its consequences. These are the types of feeling and the patterns of thought that you take away with you after becoming a part of the process of this performance. The lines of the performance form a complex web in the imagination of the perceiver.

Here, I would like to contrast the way I use poetry in my performances with that of Bucknall. Unlike Bucknall who uses the medium of live performance, in my poetic performances I use video making and the internet as media. Taking “Zolf Ashofteh” as an example, I use a female narrator who cross-dresses as a male Iranian Muslim clergy to narrate a love story. She appears in a stylised manner in which the lines of her femininity are not completely disguised.

The poem which I have chosen for this work, “Zolf Ashofteh” (Hafez 1997), is a well known Persian poem by Hafez, describing a sensual scene, in which a man describes the occasion, when his lover comes to his chamber, offering him wine. Further he addresses a cleric, telling him with sarcasm; that he is not to obey his moral codes. The sarcasm acts as a line linking oppressor and the oppressed.

The use of a cross dressed narrator, together with the choice of love poem and political images forms a line which moves across the screen to create a social-political type of sarcasm and dark humour in my work; that is different from what Bucknall does, which has no political dimensions, but social.

In “Zolf Ashofteh” (2009) I decided to give the narrator a cross gender identity

Cross dressing, here, has different motive to what Butler (1993, p126) suggests regarding Julie Andrews in “Victor Victoria” (1982) who cross dresses to achieve a “high heterosexual entertainment” or “provides ritualistic release for a heterosexual economy that constantly police its own boundaries”. It seems that the motive in “Zolf Ashofteh” is closer to Barbra Streisand’s (1983) in Yentl, when she cross dresses to empower herself within the Jewish patriarchal society.

In fact in “Zolf Ashofteh”, beside the idea of sarcasm, as Marilyn Fyre and Janice Raymond (Butler 1993, p126) argue, through cross dressing, I am seeking empowerment through “ridicule and degradation”. This is a critique of a group of typical clergy in position of political power, such as Ayatollah Rajsanjani, who cannot grow a beard, a fundamental characteristic of Muslim clergy and Ahmadinejad, the president of an Islamic government who denies the existence of homosexuals in his country. The line from a cross-dressing woman stretches out to entangle the representatives of patriarchal power in her web.

The cross-dressing of the female narrator which is simply achieved by wearing a turban and is accompanied by her controlled lines of posture and her majestic body language enables her to achieve a position of power in a sarcastic way. Furthermore, the soft and romantic invisible lines of the poetry and the seductive and smooth vocal line of the narrative together with the visible lines of costume and the props make a contrast with the harsh and unpleasant political situation in a society where “Male” dominance plays a radical. Portraying this sarcasm and contrast gives an unexpected power to the female narrator in this piece, which is likened to the lines of politicians in their domineering character.

L: Ayatollah Rajsanjani, R: AhmadiNejad

Right from the beginning, the unrolling of the lines of this love poem together with the images which are referred to on the screen, creates a second line of political sarcasm in this piece. For example when the narrator recites this verse in a majestic tone; “Dishevelled hair, blushing face, smiling lips and ecstatic - singing a love song, dancing in a flimsy garment, raising her wine cup...” (Hafez 1997), some ridiculous photo images of the Iranian presidential candidates pass across the screen.

President AhmadiNejad and the First lady

Some Iranian Presidential Candidates (2009)

The double lines of sarcasm together with contrasting and unexpectedly shocking images manage to transfer the intended idea of this poem to a political one. This mode is maintained throughout the piece and finally ends with a sarcastic poster of a ballot box.

Poster by Parvaneh Farid

Here I am turning my attention to use of lines in the different media. My method of creating sarcasm is different from Bucknall’s. In her poem sarcasm is embedded in the lines of a poem whereas in “Zolf Ashofteh”, it is the combination of the lines of the poem, the line of the performance and the lines of the photographic images which is initiates a shock. In another word, the single lines themselves are not shocking; the crossing lines of sarcasm and contrast are.

A photograph of executions by the government of Iran

Summery
This thesis is an exploration of lines. In this scholarly overview I have linked the notion of simplification in the work of sculptors with the concept of invisible lines which run through and around their work. Doing that, I have been able to abstract the invisible lines of a few sculptures. I have then used this technique to analyse the work of a few visual artists with different cultural background and shown how although my style is related to them, the lines of my visual art are more visible and descriptive.

I have linked this with Schlemmer idea of essence which has raised the issue of gender neutrality. This has led to the role which gender identity plays in my own work, which I have examined in relation to the veil of the women. This has led to the notion of gesture as line and moved from static visual artistic products to performances.

My performances have drawn on notions of simplification found in both Brancusi and Schlemmer, and I have carried it forward by the use of calligraphy. I have shown how in “A Silence to be Heard” I have brought various media together to reveal the invisible lines, whereas in “Another Birth” I have used layers of photographic images as well as calligraphy. I have then looked at the work of other artists who have used photography and calligraphy in close association.

I have then looked at poetry as a source of invisible lines, concentrating on a performance with poetic elements in it. This deliberately engages with gender identity. I have contrasted this with my own poetic performances which are generally in the context of video making. I have looked at gender issues in my work, drawing from the work of Judith Butler.

The problem with gender identity has led me to an exploration of political sarcasm and its relation to the arts, particularly to photography. From there I have followed the line towards political sarcasm by implementing the lines of romantic poetry and performance in contrasting context of a political situation.

In this overview I have traced some of the lines on the front page map; our prime instinct is “To Be”; I have linked those lines to the urge for expressing our existence, desire to move and having a curious mind, which together lead to the creation of the lines, and there on to the notion of stylisation in art.

The exploration of design and technology in the service of communication - that is video making and internet communication - has led me to search for appropriate means for expressing the lines which is the central point of my thesis.