TEHRAN – A week after the end of the 12-day war between Iran and Israel, graffiti artist, painter and journalist Alimirfatta, 58, has released a new collection of stencil art paintings depicting the attacks of Zionist regime martyrs on Iran.
The image adorned the walls of several busy streets in the capital after the artist received permission from the Tehran glorification organization.
Born in Tehran, he studied painting academically. He is a well-known Iranian researcher, critic and journalist and is actively involved in graphic design.
Talking to the Tehran Times, the artist explained how the idea of drawing images of martyrs on Tehran walls came to life. “The title of this collection is “The Immortal Name of Hometown.” Sometimes they feel useless and helpless. At certain points in life, everything we know is useless. On the morning of June 13th, Israelis suddenly attacked those who attacked the Army and IRGC Army and IRGC people, attacking medical services and firefighters. Painting? ‘That helplessness caused disappointment in it. I then recall painting martyrs, Imam Khomeini and the commander on city walls during the eight years of Iran-Iraq War.
Regarding the number of works completed, the challenges they face along the way, and the ultimate goals of the project, he added: “So far, 17 images of martial artists have been painted on the walls. One of my challenges is that I don’t have a complete image of martial artists.
“It was decided that in collaboration with the Tehran glorifying organisation, images of all martyrs will be painted and one wall of the city will be dedicated to the “immortal name of his hometown” that will remain as a monument.
Regarding the selection of locations where Martyrs images have been drawn so far, Mirfattah said: “One of the walls was the wall at the University of Tehran. The funeral of the martial artist was being held there, so we drew full-length images of the two marthred commanders in columns at the two entrances of the university. The martial artist numbers depict life-size figures with minimal colours and no symbols, so when citizens walk down the sidewalk and see them, they feel like they are looking at another citizen, someone like them, equal, on their level.
Talking about the techniques used and the time required to complete each task, Mirfatta said: “After the (Islamic) revolution (in 1979), I used stencils. At the time, I created images with a razor blade with discarded X-ray film. I apply the stencils, paint and wait for them to dry. It won’t take long.”
Regarding expanding this work to other cities, he said: “Once we finish these stencils, we plan to share them with artists who are interested in them outside of Tehran.
In response to questions about people’s reactions to the work, the artist stated: “Some of the feedback has shown a lot of kindness on social media. Interestingly, both people with different life paths and people with international hobbies, Iranians with international pride and love for their hometowns, have a love for their hometown. I especially respect the martians. Some of the families who happened to see this work saw that fellow citizens portrayed the image of other citizens.
Mirfatta said of the influence of murals on the aesthetics of urban architecture in murals: “I have a background in journalism and have been working specifically on Tehran, so I can say that there are some serious issues in Tehran, including architecture. Art is not the right place for the city.
“I’ve done some of them before and haven’t had a positive effect, so I don’t mean that I should go for an exaggerated mural. I acted too advertised in the mural. The symbols and excessive repeated use took away the meaning. He insisted.
He pointed to examples from around the world where murals hold special value, including Paris, New York, Mexico City and various cities in South America. “We have world-class artists who are internationally recognized, and it is great to provide the conditions for turning many important subjects into artwork, not just war.
When asked about the new generation of artists, their concerns and differences with past generations, Mirfatta said: “Every generation shows their abilities and talent when tested. The generation has become honorable from this event.”
“It’s true that if a new generation is given the right opportunity, they step up and produce more valuable pieces. The problem is that we don’t have the opportunity to present ourselves. It means all our differences, from our clothes to our beliefs.
Milfata is known primarily for his work in the field of journalism. He began his career as a journalist at Soureh Weekly. He worked as the editor of the magazine and as other magazines such as Mehr, Negah, Kargadan, Roozegar, and Etemad Dailies.
In addition to journalism, he has written several books and works as a screenwriter. As an artist, he has many experience in the field of graphic design, including poster design for several Iranian films.
SS/SAB