The World Upside Down is American artist Ali Banisadr’s firs solo presentation in Germany showcasing twelve paintings on canvas and twelve works on paper at Blain Southern Gallery, Berlin. Banisadr’s new body of work demonstrates a change of direction for the artist, showing a looser, freer depiction of space in the paintings, as well as a shift in palette and tone.

The new work exhibits a perspective that is more intimate and direct, yet with greater freedom and openness in his brushwork. The result is a more evocative sense of narrative compared to much of his earlier work, where Banisadr painted from a broad, bird’s-eye perspective, suggesting a relatively detached view of his subjects.

In paintings such as Language of the Birds or Riders on the Storm (both 2018), Banisadr composes his visual drama like a theatre director or musical conductor orchestrates the interweaving voices or the stage scenery, yet the depiction of the forms and figures remains ambiguous.

‘In theatre, or opera,’ comments the artist, ‘you are presented with figures in costume and automatically you know that this one is the authority figure, that one is the jester, and so on. I like the duality between looking at the “real” figure and their costumed “role.” I’ve always liked not knowing which is which.’

The title of the exhibition resonates with a multitude of ideas. In many of the artists’ work the landscape looks like a world upside down, conjuring a great sense of bewilderment. The seeming chaos depicted in his work also allows the artist to reflect on the frail rigidity of social classes.

The absurdity of life and the strange and artificial construct called “society” which is divided up in classes is a theme that is core to the artists reflections: ’The world is a carnivalesque stage, we’re all actors of one sort or another. We’re all implicated. Caught up in our own madness.’ says Banisadr. The title also refers to the Russian philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin’s concept of the ‘carnivalesque’, a force that inverts social norms and structures is one of his inspirations.

In the publication that accompanies the exhibition, the art historian David Anfam writes that ‘the carnivalesque pivots upon ambiguity, reversals, excess, revelation and concealment – thereby striking to the heart of Banisadr’s pictorial universe.’ The simultaneity of events is another element in Banisadrs work and can also be seen in Pieter Bruegels work “The Netherlandish Proverbs” which carries The World Upside Down as a subtitle.

Images: Installation view, Ali Banisadr, The World Upside Down, courtesy Blain Southern Gallery, Berlin.

The World Upside Down
Ali Banisadr
Blain Southern Gallery
Berlin
Through 17 November 2018
blainsouthern.com

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