Reza Bangiz Transcript and Audio

Part 01

as far as I remember I grew up in a family facing many difficulties and shortages

We used to live downtown.

My brother and I never had a father and lived with our mom

Quite honestly, I have no idea how we managed to make it.

Lots of shortages indeed, especially food.

It was during the second world war and food was rationed and really scarce.

I can remember on Shapour street some of the hajies in Bazar

used to bring huge pots of Dampokhtak (kind of Iranian rice made with onions, beans, and turmeric.)

on back of trucks to our neighborhood and hand it out to people as charity

The kids would all run home to get a bowl from their moms to have some of it

I can distinctly remember these days because they gave me real hard time as a kid.

How I got to become interested in all this goes back to a trip .

I took years ago and it was something like “the reckoning moment” for me so to speak

I was taking the trip on a train through Golestan forest to Tehran

for a short period of time there as a guest.

I was looking at all the colorful leaves on those trees and

the ones on the ground during fall season

and seeing all those different colors, purple, green, blue and burgundy

with beams of sun light coming through the trees

I can remember I then started wondering if I could ever paint all this one day.

But I didn’t start doing anything about it until I was at high school

where I did my first drawings

And from then on I found myself really into it

something that has always been with me to this day.

It’s turning up really nicely, isn’t it?!

It has been about sixty five years, give or take

that I’ve been teaching and living in art!

I get energy from it!

I am not entirely sure, but I think most people my age walk around using canes.

I on the other hand go swimming and

also work out regularly and do my job as well

My first major break was in the second biannual held by the culture

and art center with Mr.Shahvagh, rest in peace, as the curator of the whole event.

There were also some judges present from Italy and France

who were all distinguished figures in the world of art back then.

And among the contestants I can remember

Sohrab Sepehri, Changiz Shahvagh, Zenderoudi, Pilaram, may god rest all their souls

They told me a week later after the biannual was over that

I had managed to win the gold medal in the competition!

That success, turned itself into the sort of drive I really needed

because I honestly had never expected to win anything there.

I can remember it even took some time before I could receive my gold medal

since they had to send it over to Italy to get crafted first.

We have rich customs and culture in Iran

and most my works revolve around these two in particular

I also picked some traditional street bards and entertainers like

Siah Bazi( a kind of street performed musical comedy) and Ru Hozi( a certain form of musical performance)

as my inspirations to create some of my works

which we used to really enjoy watching back in the days when we were kids.

I was also inspired by Moharam time Ghame Zani in Tabriz ( a mourning style in which mourners mutilate their own scalps using a large sharp blade called Ghame to show their sympathy towards their martyr Imam.)

And all the blood there, the sight of their white robes getting all covered in it red

as they gradually fainted themselves really frightened and inspired me all at the same time.

Parde Khani(another traditional street narrative performance) was also another inspiration.

I have always wanted and fortunately usually been able to bring all this right onto my canvas

like for example a narrator in a traditional tea house telling his tale to people

In a word most my works revolve around social events.

There could really be something waiting for me to work them anywhere,

in any corner or doorway there could be something for me to pick up and start working on.

Initially when I come across something I want to work on

I first start thinking about it for a few days and try putting its pieces together in mind first

so by the time I have actually started doing it I could directly start painting on

without the need for having to make a second sketch first.

The thing I like most about painting is its refreshing meditative influence

which keeps me lively and cheerful.

My mind is involved with fine arts, so I have no interest for things

like politics or other issues and the like.

I must say it is the thing I’ve found my peace in and have lived happily to cherish

Day dreaming and imagination are also two of my other favorite pass times

My mind takes me with it to all the bright and dark corners of life

which is both really productive and fearsome

And a few pieces of these imaginations would finally end up

finding their ways onto the painter’s canvas to work on.

It usually goes like this for me that I see something

and this thing causes for the inspiration, and then

I start imagining it all through the following night

Next morning I get up feeling like creating it, and that’s when I start painting it

It is actually how most my works come to being; from my imagination onto my canvas

The key to create a good artwork lies

in the artist’s profound understanding over the subjects they choose

I can compare this with works of a master chef

who should have this understanding over the amounts and certain portions to which different

ingredients and condiments combine to create this overall final pleasing taste

Such artworks would have the power to mesmerize the audience

It is as if the work itself cries out loud: “Hey! Come over here and take a look at me!

The most fundamental thing though is for the artists themselves

to actually like them in the first place

I like many artists, but the ones I like the most and get to really enjoy their works include

Kamalol Molk, Heydarian, Javadipour, master Hamidi, and also Sohrab Sepehri

I don’t know what is in particular special regarding Sohrab’s works in particular

because they have all got this profound sort of energy coming out from them

you know, like reflections of positive energy on canvas

Craftsmanship has got the artist’s feelings in it

For example in terms of painting, I could mention the artists’ hands and their trembling effects on the brush

What is more, it is also definitely the main reason why they keep

a small piece of work by Picasso for example, all lucked-up in a safe in the States

and treat it like a valid check,

only because of the fact that the artist’s feelings is in it and all that, you know.

Anyways…