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Lot Essay
“Entering a room hosting Timo Nasseri’s works is to encounter a fusion of these two histories; dazzling mathematical abstractions meet the eye-line of Western perspective.” (Riffing on Mathematics – Rebecca Partridge, online article). Exploring shapes, studying perspective, and working on the forces of physics, Nasseri began his career as a commercial photographer for fashion and advertising campaigns until his interest in art grew after travelling through Iran in the early 2000’s. ‘From his experience with photography, destined for short-term use, he developed an artistic oeuvre that builds up slowly and with endless precision on the foundations of mathematics and suspended the separation between abstraction and ornamentation.’ (In conversation with B. Schmitz, 2012)
His choice of material ranges from stainless steel to mirrors to wood. The artist draws inspiration from ideas such as the notion of parallel universes from the world of quantum physics, texts by Jorge Luis Borges, or conceptions of geometry and visual culture from the Islamic context. However, his main source of inspiration derives from Persian architectural ornamental vaulting from the 10th century called muqarnas, as well as decorative mosque entrances. “I had seen images of muqarnas before at my father’s house […] I knew that I had to build one to understand how they were constructed.”
Thus, he usually inserts his realisations in the wall to keep the traditional aspect. However, with this impressive work, Parsec #11, finalized in 2010, Timo Nasseri showed an original way of exhibition and a new description of mathematical infinities. The Parsec series, produced from 2009 to 2011, reveals a new vision of the artist who decided to retain the volume of the sculpture. Christie’s is honoured to present an exceptional piece which is a sculpture in the round, independent from any original context and any mural support to which his sculptures are used to being hung in.
Here, the sculptor particularly chose to include the space that he considers to be important to the extent that all angles of view are adopted. The artist aims to convey a universal language: the visual language. The present work takes triangular shapes of the muqarnas –- which form the surface of a brightening diamond. This luminosity is magnificently returned with the technique of polishing stainless the steel. “In Arab culture, geometry is referred to as light architecture, and in the Arabic visual language there is a geometry of light,” said the artist in conversation with Britta Schmitz in his studio in 2012. Producing reflections and multiplication of endless lines, this technique gives the impression of infinity which is a recurrent theme in his oeuvre. The previous work comes under one of a real scientist: first, he designs a triangular figure; he then, adds parabolas with straight lines to finish with a 3D computer programme.
There is a particular paradox that Nasseri embodies in his work. This extraordinary piece, Parsec #11, presents that paradox through an ingenious marriage of mathematics, aesthetics and tradition that he has perfectly composed. He focuses on the volumes that such a construction shows in order make it monumental. Besides, he tried hard to interpret the idea that space and time are connected, in the contemplation of a work of art.
“In the mirror sculptures like Parsec (2009–2011), I tried to retain the volumes of the sculpture, in the new ones it is very much about a permeable physicality of sculpture. The Constructivist idea of space and time in sculpture is something quite close to me. But I see the meaning of the line a bit differently than Naum Gabo or Antoine Pevsner. For me, it’s all line, and therefore everything is infinite, since the line is mathematic, regardless of how long it is or how many points it consists of.” (In conversation with B. Schmitz, 2012)
His choice of material ranges from stainless steel to mirrors to wood. The artist draws inspiration from ideas such as the notion of parallel universes from the world of quantum physics, texts by Jorge Luis Borges, or conceptions of geometry and visual culture from the Islamic context. However, his main source of inspiration derives from Persian architectural ornamental vaulting from the 10th century called muqarnas, as well as decorative mosque entrances. “I had seen images of muqarnas before at my father’s house […] I knew that I had to build one to understand how they were constructed.”
Thus, he usually inserts his realisations in the wall to keep the traditional aspect. However, with this impressive work, Parsec #11, finalized in 2010, Timo Nasseri showed an original way of exhibition and a new description of mathematical infinities. The Parsec series, produced from 2009 to 2011, reveals a new vision of the artist who decided to retain the volume of the sculpture. Christie’s is honoured to present an exceptional piece which is a sculpture in the round, independent from any original context and any mural support to which his sculptures are used to being hung in.
Here, the sculptor particularly chose to include the space that he considers to be important to the extent that all angles of view are adopted. The artist aims to convey a universal language: the visual language. The present work takes triangular shapes of the muqarnas –- which form the surface of a brightening diamond. This luminosity is magnificently returned with the technique of polishing stainless the steel. “In Arab culture, geometry is referred to as light architecture, and in the Arabic visual language there is a geometry of light,” said the artist in conversation with Britta Schmitz in his studio in 2012. Producing reflections and multiplication of endless lines, this technique gives the impression of infinity which is a recurrent theme in his oeuvre. The previous work comes under one of a real scientist: first, he designs a triangular figure; he then, adds parabolas with straight lines to finish with a 3D computer programme.
There is a particular paradox that Nasseri embodies in his work. This extraordinary piece, Parsec #11, presents that paradox through an ingenious marriage of mathematics, aesthetics and tradition that he has perfectly composed. He focuses on the volumes that such a construction shows in order make it monumental. Besides, he tried hard to interpret the idea that space and time are connected, in the contemplation of a work of art.
“In the mirror sculptures like Parsec (2009–2011), I tried to retain the volumes of the sculpture, in the new ones it is very much about a permeable physicality of sculpture. The Constructivist idea of space and time in sculpture is something quite close to me. But I see the meaning of the line a bit differently than Naum Gabo or Antoine Pevsner. For me, it’s all line, and therefore everything is infinite, since the line is mathematic, regardless of how long it is or how many points it consists of.” (In conversation with B. Schmitz, 2012)