It Was Not a Tree, It Was Memory
«Today, I am your tree, lean on me. Tomorrow, your
boat. The day after, firewood for your cold days.»
Plants, in the general sense of the word, and trees, in
its specific sense, have been sacred to humans since
the dawn of history. The Tree of Life has always held a
special place among ancient Iranians. Mircea Eliade,
for instance, considers the Tree of Life to be the center
of the world and the axis of existence.
In contemporary Iranian painting, from Sohrab
(Sepehri) to Parviz (Moazzez), many artists have used
the theme of the tree as the subject matter for their
creations, depicting it in a distinctive way that aligns
with their inner needs and particular approach.
Parviz Moazzez began this period of his work in the
winter of 2023 with a «sacred doubt,» and pursued this
entire path with utter hesitation. The fear that «what if it
doesn›t work out» was with him throughout the journey.
I believe that a significant part of the allure of his
works is indebted to that very hesitation, a doubt that
remains with him still.
Rezvaneh Sadeghzadeh
