Bahram Berj Kafai

Press- 2023, The Signal NewsSCV artists express ‘Wishful Thinking’ in new gallery

Santa Clarita Artists Association in Newhall, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023.Trevor Morgan/The Signal

As Bahram Berj Kafai leaned on his cane with his right hand, he used his left to explain the meaning behind his paintings — the two largest displayed at the Santa Clarita Artists Association’s “Wishful Thinking” exhibit on Saturday — through his thick Iranian accent.  

“This is one of the villages in Iran,” said Kafai during the artists’ reception on Saturday. Kafai was describing his impressionist-style oil on canvas painting titled “Woman in the Window,” which showed a young woman sitting in a windowsill, wearing a hijab and knitting from a ball of yarn hanging from the top of the sill. He painted it in 2004, but feels it’s especially relevant today — as Iran is currently engulfed in protests following the killing of a 22-year-old woman in September after she was detained for not complying with the country’s strict morality laws.  

Kafai and his peers all contributed to an exhibit titled “Wishful Thinking,” which was expressed in a variety of ways. Some were timely or topical, such as Kafai’s works, while others were more literal, such as Laurie Morgan’s piece of a snowy day in Santa Clarita.  

However, there was one in particular that didn’t individually fit the theme, but organizers realized it could be used to express it in concert with another. 

“I have the woman there, ‘If the Shoe Fits,’” said Mardi Georgio, referencing her painting and its title. “So she was actually a friend of mine who was trying on my shoes for an event she was going to and she just was so beautiful, with the dress and with her hair up and I was like, ‘Don’t move, I have to take a photo.’ Because she just looked so gorgeous and sometimes something like that just inspires me.” 

The painting, of an elegant woman in a beautiful dress, with her hair and shoulders exposed, was just below, and being looked upon, by Kafai’s woman in the window — a wishful thought separated by borders and a wall. The placement, as is with all the paintings in the gallery, is intentional. 

“It’s the juxtaposition of cultures,” said Gallery Chair Lynda Frautnick. “Both women are looking down, they’re facing down, their eyes are down and they could be thinking the exact same thought. But the beauty of the two different cultures just side-by-side — that’s what blew me away.”

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WALK INTO THE WOODS 

Step Into Nature at the New Valencia Library Art Exhibit.

Walk into the woods at the city of Santa Clarita’s new art exhibit located above the Children’s Area at the Valencia Branch of the Santa Clarita Public Library. This art exhibit will be on display for an entire year, from March 2022 through March 2023.

Five artists were selected to create original artwork inspired by woods and nature on a five-foot by five-foot canvas. The selected artists are Bahram Kafai, Diana Klauss, Megan Andersen, Mosa Tanksley and Sharon Lee. Each work displays the unique and creative artistic interpretation of woodland nature, ranging from a “Mushroom Forest” by Kafai to “Forest Friends” by Lee, or even recognizing a few friendly faces from Anderson’s piece, “When You Were Little.” The exhibit hopes to bring color, art and imagination to the children and community.

2021 Arts in Santa Clarita Valley

Newhall Community Centers

New Exhibit! "Around the World Holiday Traditions" is now up for viewing at Newhall Community Center or virtually (link in bio). Holidays and traditions artistically depicted are the following: Las Posadas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas (Santa), Lunar New Year, Día de los Muertos, and Ramadan. This exhibit is in conjunction with Newhall Community Center's holiday programming. ⁠⁠On exhibit from November 1 - January 7 during NCC's business hours.⁠⁠"Celebration Dance" by Bahram Kafai⁠

1976 Fresno Bee

Couverture Presse de David Hale, Journaliste à Bee Arts, 1976 Oxygen

« Le centre d’Art Fresno a dévoilé sa première compétition d’artistes.

Il s’agit d’une exposition nous montrant beaucoup de choses intéressantes, un travail parfois déjà connu émanant d’artistes reconnus, et pourtant, un nombre impressionnant de choses d’Artistes moins connus.

Des travaux assez conservateurs, quelques rares pièces traitant des préocupations du moment comme de nouveaux concepts et de nouveaux matéria

ux. Beaucoup de ces Artistes sont créatifs et certains travaux sont très individuels. Le 

rendu dans l’ensemble dégage une impression assez élégante.

Et évidemment sur 148 pièces pour presque autant d’Artistes , on pouvait s’attendre à une multitude de choses à voir. Heureusement, il y a suffisamment de matière et de beauté pour remplir une exposition, et de temps pour y retourner !

Il y a encore du temps, la fin de l’expo est le 23 juillet et nous ne sommes que le 4.

Le jury, composé de Frank Laury, Professeur d’Art à FSU, Robert Marcellus Professeur d’Art au Collège Sequoia qui est aussi le coordinateur de la Foire d’Art de l’Etat de Californie et Randrew Maas, directeur exécutif du Centre d’Art. Il leur a fallu choisir parmi 250 oeuvres pour aboutir à cette sélection.

Ce qui a été retenu est constitué en majorité de peintures, et malheureusement quelques rares pièces imprimés et sculptures.

Très vite l’œuvre la plus spectaculaire apparaît, il s’agit d’ une peinture à l’huile d’un artiste Iranien Bahram Kafai, simplement décrite comme « une vue de la terre d’un astronaute ».

Il y a du drame, de l’imaginaire, du réalisme romantique d’une intensité géniale dans ce voyage dans l’espace !

il montre des vues rapprochées des planètes, des d’étoiles et de mystérieuses et tourbillonnantes perturbations représentant des explosions dans l’espace.

La peinture est sur grand format (2,4m x 2,4m) au cadre concave, avec des constructions ajoutant encore de l’intensité et des illusions d’espace. Tout comme le réalisme que donne le rapprochement, on sent le vertige , le sens de la hauteur, comme si un nez était appuyé sur la fenêtre d’une capsule spatiale.

On nous a dit que ce n’est pas l’avis de l’artiste, mais c’est l’effet que cela produit. On nous a aussi annoncé que les visiteurs au vernissage aimaient « Oxygène » ou le détestait !

Kafai était parmis une demi-douzaine d’inconnus dont le travail exposé était impressionnant, les autre à un moindre niveau.

Roberto C.Salas montre une sculpture aux pièces multiples de talent de maturité où se se mélent déclaration sociale sur le monde matériel, les femmes et la beauté (interprétation précise ne m’appartenant pas).Elizabeth Geller’s “”Tremblements flambants” était une attirante aquarelle représentant un paysage aux traitements multiples.

John Y.Fortes a présenté une abstraction saisissante qui rappelle Richard Diebenkorn dans sa manière de traiter l’espace, dans sa structure et sa texture.

Dan Forbes a lui contribué grâce à une photo couleur d’un nu d’une beautée et d’un mystère extrêmement fort, et Vicki Brumberg’s “Rootabagga” avec une sculpture en forme de panier agréablement terreux, primitive et inventive. Joy Johnson a lui appliqué une approche conceptuelle avec une sculpture et produit une pièce que l’on pourrait qualifier d’avant-gardiste avec une structure conservative.

Carole Anderson a démontré un talent prometteur en réalisant quelque chose de visuellement intéressant avec l’économie de…

1976, Fresno Bee

By David Hale

Bees Arts Writer

"The Fresno Arts Center has mounted its first competition for member artists, resulting in an exhibition which balances off mostly good if sometimes familiar works by recognized artists with a number of impressive things by lesser-knowns.

It's pretty conservative stuff, really: only a handful at most deal with such concerns of the moment as concept-new materials-information art. But there are a number of inventive, individualistic works and taken altogether, the effect is pretty classy.

As might be expected in a show which offers 148 pieces by nearly as many artists, there is a bewildering variety of things to see.

Fortunately, there is enough substance and beauty--not exactly commonplace in these group grab-bags--to make a return visit worthwhile. There is still time; the season's finale, "Memberworks" will be on view through July 23 (though not today or July 4). The judges were Frank Laury, a professor of art at FSU; Robert Marcellus, an art instructor for College of Sequoias who is also coordinator of the California State Fair art show, and R. Andrew Maass, executive director of the Arts Center. They combed through about 250 works to choose the exhibition.

What’s remains is long on paintings, notably short on prints and sculptures.

Easily the most spectacular piece in the show is an oil painting by Iran-born Bahram Kafai most simply described as an astronaut’s view of Earth.

There is drama, fantasy and romantic realism of great intensity in the “space trip. It shows close-up views of planets, acres of “stars” and mysterious swirling disturbances presumably representing explosions in distant space.

The picture is set in a large (about eight feet by eight feet) concave frame, with the construction adding to the illusion of space. Such is the realism that up close it’s possible to experience a dizzying sense of height, as it one’s nose were pressed to the window of a space capsule.

We’re told that’s not the artist’s point, but that is the effect. We’re also told that viewers at the opening reception either loved “Oxygene” (taken from the pop album of the same name, presumably) or hated it.

Kafai was among perhaps a half dozen of “unknowns” whose work was impressive to this viewer, the others to a more moderate degree.

Roberto C. Salas shows a multi-piece sculpture conveying the impression of a mature talent grappling with a social statement in “Materials, Women and Beauty” (precise interpretation is beyond me).

Elizabeth Geller’s “Flaming Aspens” was notable as a watercolor landscape with a different treatment; John Y. Fortes is represented by a striking abstraction which suggests a Richard Diebenkorn landscape in its handling of space and structure and texture.

Dan Forbes contributed a color photograph of a nude that is strong in rhythmic beauty and mystery, and Vicki Brumberg’s “Rootabagga” is a contemporary basket sculpture that is pleasingly earthy, primitive and inventive.

Joy Johnson took a conceptual approach to sculpture and produced a piece which could qualify as vanguard in concept though conservative in structure. Carol Anderson demonstrates a promising talent, making something of visual interest with economy of…(See Arts Center Page G6)”