Kamran Diba

Condition: This work is in very good condition. There is a very minor white spot on top left corner inherent of the artist's working process.
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

inscription:

The word al Haya

In this new series of works Global Newspaper and Front Page inspired by newspapers and current affairs, Kamran Diba is responding to the impact of modernity and globalisation, most importantly addressing issues of communication at an international level. He is attempting to address and go beyond the limitations of language, a medium which is perceived by the artist as a potentially divisive instrument that encourages segregation.

The edited sources of news and images are lifted from a host of multi-lingual daily newspapers, being actual copies of pictures and articles in the international press. Diba painstakingly recreates the news in a collage of visuals and colours, that transcend the barriers of language and race. By abstracting and reducing the information to colours symbolising each news topic, the newspaper which normally has a short life-span, is given a visual permanence.

Rendering the black and white illustrations from newspapers, Diba creates compositions with hard edged abstraction and photo realism which endeavour to contrast the figurative with non-figurative imagery.

Indebted to the Japanese artist On Kawara, Diba is inspired by Kawara's use of archiving global events in a succinct and abstract manner. Diba embraces his skill of using colour to further enhance the coding of the various topics.

This work departs from the rest of the series in that it is not so much a commentary on the divisiveness of language and cultural barrier, but more a homage to the al-Thani family, whose vision for culture, education and society is deeply admired by the artist. Visually organising his canvas into the form of a broadsheet, Doha Edition depicts symbols of the city and the legacy of the ruling family in a stimulating graphic narrative that portrays his respect for their vision.