Drawing on the visual construction of Shiite Imams in Iranian sectarian paintings, Cut Outs uses repetiton and alteration of details—hair, beard, clothing, and accessories—to challenge long-held assumptions about belief, imagery, and authority.
The work consists of eleven cut-out elements, each laser-cut from 1 mm stainless steel and mounted with magnets so they sit lightly on the wall, resembling paper fragments despite their material weight. The twelfth position remains intentionally empty, marked only by its absence. This missing space refers to Imam Mahdi, who, according to Shiite belief, is concealed and yet to appear—his absence functioning as a suspended promise rather than a visible image.
Sourced entirely from low-resolution images found online, the cut-outs retain the degraded quality of their circulation.
Printed stainless steel, magnet-mounted
Details:
- Eleven Inkjet prints on metal
- 1 mm stainless steel cut outs
- Magnets to attach on the wall
- Masking tape: 142 × 170 cm
- Dim.: Cut Outs vary