1- Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran. , azin_eslami@art.uk.ac.ir
2- Department of Painting, Saba Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.
2- Department of Painting, Saba Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.
Abstract: (8 Views)
This study conducts a comparative examination of the artistic approaches of Abbas Kiarostami, a contemporary Iranian filmmaker, and Edward Hopper, a twentieth-century American painter, in their engagement with everyday life. Two of Kiarostami’s films Close-Up and The Wind Will Carry Us and two of Hopper’s paintings Soir Bleu and Gas are analyzed from structural, formalistic, and conceptual perspectives. The study aims to investigate the philosophical foundations of everydayness and explore the visual, technical, and aesthetic similarities in the two artists’ approaches to the modern human experience, particularly in their engagement with time, space, and the cyclical nature of daily life based on Henri Lefebvre’s Critique of Everyday Life. The main research questions are: Are the depicted humans merely symbols of monotonous existence? How do these works reflect everyday life as a meaningful experience? Which formal, spatial, and narrative components contribute to revealing the hidden layers of everyday life? The research employs descriptive, analytical, and comparative methods, focusing on shared elements such as urban and rural spatial settings, the use of emptiness as an expressive element, and an emphasis on static moments. It demonstrates how imagery across different media and contexts can provide a universal language for representing lived human experience within modernity. By comparatively examining four works by Kiarostami and Hopper, the study shows that everyday life in their works transcends mere repetitive routine, being represented as a multilayered and meaningful experience. Kiarostami, through open-ended narratives and prolonged silences, uncovers the hidden layers of individual and social life, while Hopper, through precise lighting and tightly framed compositions, highlights the psychological and emotional dimensions of modern humans. Contrary to the prevalent global view that associates everyday life with banality, these works present it as a means of recreating meaning in contemporary art. This comparison offers a multidimensional perspective on daily life, revealing not only shared human experiences but also the cultural differences.
Article number: 8
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Visual Arts
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