Reclaiming the 'Orient'
Mahsa Alafar + Michael Powell
2023handmade domestic alder window frame (in place of 'oriental alder'), persian rug, orosi transparent vinyl, js & html5, qr code v.3
Mahsa Alafar + Michael Powell
2023handmade domestic alder window frame (in place of 'oriental alder'), persian rug, orosi transparent vinyl, js & html5, qr code v.3
There is a connection between digital architecture and the architecture of ancient Persia. Both are cultural undercurrents hiding in plain sight and let us access a higher order of living and being. By pixelating this modern Gereh-Chini* lattice window and embedding it into interactive code, we are not referencing divine inspiration so much as we emphasize the human ingenuity of science and aesthetics to persist through changes in power.
*Gereh-Chini (arrangement of knots in wood) is an early form of parametric design - a repeating pattern based on the number of folds in the initial geometry. The Gereh technique originated before Islam but is best known for ornamenting Islamic architecture and has been a dying art form since its height in the Qajar dynasty (1789-1925). Coincidentally, this period is also known for the European fascination with the Arts, women and resources of the Near East (Orientalism). This artwork attempts to reclaim and safeguard traditional craftwork by concealing what would have originally been star-like tessellations using digital tools.