Parergon - Iconic Architectures by Babak Golkar

Photo above: Babak Golkar, Untitled (Blue Mosque) 2011, 145x190x11.5cm.Section. Image courtesy of The Third Line

Babak Golkar, Untitled (Blue Mosque) 2011, 145x190x11.5cm. Image courtesy of The Third Line

Parergon, Babak Golkar’s exhibition at The Third Line, brings unique series comprised of objects that resemble interrupted or deformed frames. As the frames are not closed, the viewer is able to view the cross sections and explore the distinctive forms that they represent. The section cuts reveal identifiable architectural silhouettes of well-known structures, such as the Blue Mosque and the Taj Mahal.

Babak Golkar, Untitled (Umayyad Mosque), 2011, Acrylic sheets and expandable poly foam, 203 x 162 x 7.5 cm. Image courtesy of The Third Line

The title of the exhibition comes from the studies of French philosopher Jacques Derrida (1930-2004) who developed the theory of ‘deconstruction’. When viewing a work, whether a photograph, drawing or any framed two-dimensional piece, the habitual practice is to take the frame to be part of the wall, yet when we look at the wall, the frame is taken to be part of the painting. Derrida describes it as, “the parergonal frame stands out against two grounds, but with respect to each of these two grounds, it merges into the other.” The function of the parergon, the frame, then, is to create a framework that contextualizes (and re-contextualizes) what is being framed.

Babak Golkar, Untitled (Taj Mahal), 2011, 178x112x15 cm. Image courtesy of The Third Line

Babak Golkar, Untitled (The Great Mosque of Samarah) 2011, 285x137x10 cm, Section. Image courtesy of The Third Line

Babak Golkar

Born in California and raised in Tehran, Golkar has been living in Vancouver since 1996. He has been actively participating in exhibitions in North America, Europe and Asia. He has exhibited throughout Canada and has participated in shows in Vienna, Kuwait, Berlin and London, and most recently at the Sanitorium Project in Istanbul, Turkey and Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art, Thessaloniki, Greece, and was shortlisted as one of the finalists for the 2011 Jameel Art Prize. Golkar’s practice spreads across diverse medium, ranging from drawing, video, performance, sculpture and site-specific installation; nonetheless, his interests in subjects and issues surrounding his practice remain constant. He currently lives and works in Vancouver, Canada.

http://www.thethirdline.com