Ambleside today was sunny and looked very inviting to head out for a walk along the seawall. Before reaching the seaway, is the Ferry Building where they often display various artist’s work. Today, I decided to go in and have a look and I’m so glad that I did.
I met a very nice man, a multi-talented artist, Ali Shahidi, with many credentials to his name, such as a master’s degree in Architectural Engineering, also a masters degree in Art and Architecture. Diplomas in Ceramic and Sculpture from Montreal. He’s designed many “Radio & TV” centers, commercial and residential buildings , some palaces, and very unique buildings in different countries.
He has 26 years of of research and study about art, culture and civilization. In this regard he started to re-produce some very unique pieces of art, each representing an important period in history.
His goal is to have a World United Culture Center with independent representatives from all nations and countries around the world.
As on his poster above, which I hope you can read, I like his opening statement.
Today we miss yesterday and tomorrow we will lose today. War, violence and drugs are taking over the world. We are damaging the environment and destroying our beautiful planet. Politicians are busy solving political and economic issues. Who will protect the worlds cultures? We need a voice and a vehicle to bring our cultural issues to the forefront.
I was lucky today to view some of his many pieces of art in Architecture, Sculpture, Ceramics and Pottery, Paintings and Inlays and to spend a little time with him, as with much passion and enthusiasm, he explained to me some of the meaning and history of his art. I was writing furiously as he talked, and may have some things mixed up for which I apologize for.
See the beautiful gold drinking cup. Absolutely beautiful. Read about it below!
Imagine 1000 BC, Persians were using the sunflower motif as a symbol of light and God. In 500 BC they produced the same motif with 12 lines in a clock on the outside of buildings by relief and as the sun shone it showed the time.
Amazing isn’t it!!
Above, is a hand-written, 13 century writing of The Koran!
Now, wait until you see the next picture of Ali Shahidi beautiful painting of how it would have looked like back then!
Ali’s paintings are so vivid and lively in colour they almost jump out at you as if they where 3D. Wonderful paintings!
This is Ali Shahidi, the artist I was in awe of meeting. This painting below was done to scale of the columns around the buildings. You can’t see it in the picture here but around the outside are the measurements and painted exactly to scale..AMAZING!
I 
I have a problem placing the different size pictures on the page and having them turn out right and when I publish them, it will turn out different again, so I’m sorry about skipping here and there with blank spaces on the page. If I knew HTML language it would be different….but I don’t! The above right painting is of a Persian king, but. Beautiful colours, that with my flash kept bouncing back at me, not showing how beautiful the painting really is on here. Ali, told me he was a BAD king in history.
The picture below is a re-creation of a Mystical Divine Bird of Birth, who was the intermediate between Earth, Air, and Water. This bird was said to have seeds of all plants around the world.
Art by Ali Shahidi, of Persian writing from the fifth century!!
Bowl with
Comb (description below)
Look how the vase and I think are coins, in this painting stands out like you could touch it….more of Mr.Shahidi art! So colorful and very beautiful!
The same Vase he had painted (not sure if it’s a vase, but a liquid for maybe water or perhaps oils.) I should have listened more closely, but I was learning so much, very fast! The little blue figurine is a candle holder…I remember him telling me that, and I’m sure there is a story to it, but some of my pictures didn’t turn out that well with the glare from the window and the glass these items enclosed in.
More depictions of the Mystical Bird, which also takes on the form of a horse with wings.
A first edition by Omar Khayyam poetry and original from the 18th century!! Translated by Edward Fitzgerald.
Little interesting fact, that Mr. Shahidi told me is that TOMORROW, March 31st is Edward Fitzgeralds birthday, born in 1809
It was an interesting and if anyone in the Vancouver area should get a chance to see this beautiful work, then head to the Ferry Building in Ambleside, on until April 8/09 to see many, many more fascinating art work by Ali Shahidi.
8,000 Years of Persian Art, Culture and Civilization.
Thank you Mr. Shahidi for taking the time in explaining and allowing me to take these pictures.
Note: Since this posting, Mr Shahidi has contacted me with a few corrections. I apologize for any of my wrong facts. I hope I have them corrected properly! Mr Shahadi is also going to send me some of his poetry and I'll also put a link to his site on here as well, with an interview he has done about his work. Stay tuned!
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