Golnaz Payani
The Portrait | 2023

In my new series, The Portraits, I delve deep into the essence of portraiture and its presentation. Within this collection, I’ve curated a diverse array of textile artworks, each thoughtfully framed in antique settings. I was born during the Iran–Iraq war, and I carry a memory of that time— especially of the years that followed. It is a memory shaped by the tension between absence and presence: when people disappeared, but also when they reappeared years later, returning from the war. I remember, too, the empty graves that marked the uncertainty of those who never came back. This series, The Absence and Presence of the Portrait, reflects on that fragile space between disappearance and return, between what is seen and what remains unseen. A distinctive element of this series is my exclusive use of Iranian fabrics known as ‘Termeh.’ Furthermore, the frames, though seemingly aged, bear the weight of a bygone era. One can almost envision the photos or paintings that once graced their confines. With this series, I aspire to breathe new life into their narratives. When it came to their display, I opted to suspend them on the wall, reminiscent of the cherished family portraits of the 19th century and the salon presentations of the 18th century, much like those favored by Madame Geoffrin. These installations were a canvas for portraying esteemed family members and eminent figures, including writers and ministers. In my work, the essence doesn’t lie in the prominence of the subject, but rather in the powerful absence of a person, which carries its own weight.