Diagram of Alchemy

Location

Country: UK
City: England
Place: Manchester, DCMS Hub

In Parham Ghalamdar’s Diagram of Alchemy we are looking at what seems to be a stage set yet somewhat absurdly, the characters look more like props and are in the shape of two objects on spindly twigs, set in a desolate, yet green landscape. One looks like a piece of wood cut in the shape of a house with a cloud of smoke billowing from its ‘chimney’. It seems suspended from above by two cords. The other takes the form of a fire that we might see in the hearth of a home or, taking a cue from the title, the forge of an alchemist – its shadow visible on the ‘stage’ backdrop. To one side we glimpse a heavy curtain tied back, its flamboyant pink colour echoing with that of the ‘flame’ on the twig. This could be the stage curtain but its appearance also chimes with the heavy curtain found in plush interiors. Many of the artist Parham Ghalmandar’s works draw on experiences of uncertainty, often exploring ideas of displacement. He plays with these ideas often imbuing his works with the language of surrealism and the theatrical as he seeks to depict an attempt at realism – frequently using a colour palette that speaks to his involvement with graffiti in Tehran. He has spoken about the experience of viewing art works as a social collective way of practising imagination and his creation of unexpected scenarios such as this offer his viewers a unique or expanded view of what might otherwise have been a familiar scene.

Parham Ghalamdar was born in and grew up in Tehran, Iran, where he became a member of the graffiti collective ELF. He took asylum in the UK and now lives in Manchester. He received an MA in painting from the Manchester School of Art in 2021. Recent selected solo exhibitions include HOME, Manchester (2023); Granada Foundation Galleries, Manchester (2022); and Caustic Coastal, Manchester (2021). His work has been included in group exhibitions at venues including Castlefield Gallery, Manchester; The Whitaker Museum, Rosendale (both 2023); Bankley Gallery, Manchester; Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester and Manchester Art Gallery (all 2022).

Places

Subjects

Materials & Techniques

panel, oil, oil paint, oil painting

Artist

Parham Ghalamdar (1994 - )

Title

Diagram of Alchemy

Date

2020

Medium

oil on panel

Dimensions

height: 30.0 cm; width: 21.0 cm; depth: 2.0 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from Division of Labour, March 2022

Provenance

Division of Labour; from whom purchased by UK Government Art Collection, 21 March 2022

GAC number

19052