THE Magazine - Los Angeles

Bay-Area artists of the same generation, Ala Ebtekar and Taravat Talepasand presented two different realities emerging from the complexity and chaos of Iranian-American identity. Talepasand's skillfully detailed works on paper depict veiled Iranian women of traditional backgrounds in domestic settings. In contrast to media images of the Islamic Revolution and its 30-year aftermath or Shirin Neshat's black-and-white photographs, all with the publicly-worn black chador as a dominant motif, Talepasand's representations of the veil have little to do with its religious and political symbolism. Her drawings open a small window into a world rarely revealed in public imagery. Red sneakers peer from under columns of gray floral chadors; tight jeans, or an alluring look, pair with a certain level of comfort in wearing the traditional cover. Talepasand's depictions point to an ongoing reconciliation of the modern and traditional, and of East and West.

Likewise, Ebtekar's work displays notable confidence in presenting a dual cultural identity. Whether he is fusing hip-hop with Iranian coffeehouse culture or the heroes of miniature paintings with modern battle gear, Ebtekar's connections are never forced or artificial. In contrast to Talepasand's look into the brick-laid backyards of traditional Tehran homes, Ebtekar depicts a public world of mythology, war, and religion. Typical is his large graphite drawing of ancient and contemporary soldiers, almost undetectable at first glance, pushing forth and receding back into time and space, disappearing under layers of history and war, victory and defeat. Many of Ebtekar's figures seem almost ghostly against their stark white backgrounds.

Tones of gray played an important role in Hampah, inferring the complexities of the Iranian state and Iranian identity that cannot be confined to black-and-white representations. This gray area remains to be explored by new generations of artists through intimate understanding and genuine investment.