The Peak and Decline of Death-Contemplation in the Paintings of the Islamic Revolution of Iran (A Case Study of Works from the First Decade and the Recent Decade)

Abstract :

Objective: Based on the perspective of the Quran and religious interpretations, the researcher evaluates and interprets the extent to which the paintings created during and after the Revolution adhere to Islamic religious principles.

Research Methodology: The study is based on content analysis, and the data collection method is library-based and field-based.

Findings: The widespread promotion of Martyrdom concepts during the Islamic Revolution broadly reflected religious death-contemplation in the works of revolutionary painters. However, in later decades, the approach to death takes on a materialistic perspective, distancing itself from the ideological foundation of the Revolution and the Sacred Defense. Consequently, the awareness and depiction of the role of death as one of the most fundamental human issues have been neglected, leading to a semantic change and decline in its concepts. A content analysis was performed on 4 selected works from the two periods mentioned, focusing on the conceptual theme of death, chosen through purposive sampling until saturation was achieved.

Conclusion: Ideological insight, modernity and the effects of modern art and globalization, and social and cultural discourses significantly influence the perception of death and the output of works focused on death-contemplation in the art of painting.

Keywords : Death-Contemplation, Religion, Revolution Painting, Social Transformations, Contemporary Painting.