Saed Meshki
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In Iran, the pomegranate is a symbol of life.
Within an ancient house along the edges of Iran’s desert, in a place where the pomegranate tree grows due to the winter’s penetrating cold and the summer’s blazing heat, there was a small octagon shaped pool in a yard. It had a ratio of 2 to 3 and in its four corners were planted four pomegranate trees. Their picturesque reflection in the water, with the clear blue desert sky during the day, and the star-filled sky during the night, was a magnificent sight to behold. After the birth of a baby, a pomegranate was hung by a string from the tree and would be cut down to fall into the water, marking the beginning of one’s life in this world.
The pomegranate tree has a red, odourless flower, which, along with the tree itself, is an element highly used in many Iranian paintings. Xenophon, the Greek historian, has written that during the reign of Cyrus, Iran’s King (500 b.c.), in various celebrations, Cyrus would hold a pomegranate in his hand. Other references have also been made in Zoroastrian practices where a number of branches from the pomegranate tree (called Barsam) would be held by Mobadan (Zoroastrian priests).
In this poster I use this familiar Iranian symbol along with traditional motifs. During these difficult times and in the currently oppressive environment of Iran, I am still hopeful and I continue to live.
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Born in 1964 in Iran, Saed Meshki started his artistic activities at the age of twenty four and began his studies of graphic design at the Faculty of Fine Arts at Tehran University. Highly involved in the community, Saed is a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI), an active member of the Iranian Graphic Design Society (IGDS) and a cofounder of Neshan (Graphic Design magazine of Iran). In 2001, he and three artists of his generation founded the 5th Color Group with an objective to create a link between graphic design in Iran and the rest of the world. The group has organized several exhibitions both in Iran and abroad.
In the past few years, Saed has focused his efforts on book design. Currently he is an Art Director and Graphic Designer of several publication houses, and in 2003, he founded the Meshki publication house.
Saed has won numerous awards and prizes both nationally and internationally, and his artworks have been published in many books including “Area” (selected by Anthon Beeke), World Graphic Design and several other magazines.
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This poster is sold out.
