مقالات رزومه دکتر علیرضا مهدی زاده

Like other artistic contents such as poetry, painting and film, the product of photographic action, i.e. photo (Image), is exposed to all kinds of questions when entering into a communicational process. This kind of action is called " Image reading". Critics usually look at the photos in various ways and approaches based on different philosophical and aesthetic definitions and theories, and thus read, interpret and elaborate it and share their opinions with others. In general, the act of reading literal and artistic artworks is related to the ontological, epistemological and methodological encounter with them in order to understand, interpret, and analyze their different aspects and layers. From this perspective, reading of artworks, including photographs, is a kind of action that can be compared with the action and encounter of scientists and thinkers toward the world and objects in order to gain knowledge and insight. If scientists seek to understand the world and explain its phenomena in many different manners, the goal and intention of critics is the recognition and explanation of art works and sharing of their interpretations with others. Hence, science and art can beperceied in the same manner, and sometimes by similar methods, therefore by using some theories and models in the field of science and technology one can reflect on and contemplate how to encounter and read artworks.In this regard, the purpose of this research is to analyze the process of image reading and its constructionism. Therefore, identification of the main factors and elements involving image reading and the relation between them, has been attempted. The research method is descriptive, analytical and comparative, and the used approach is the theory of Bruno Latour. He has provided a different and interesting theory about the encounter of scientists to the world and objects and also the construction of all kinds of scientific and technical innovations which the investigational and analytical power to study all types of networks and their construction methods are among its characteristic feature. Based on his theory, Actor–network theory (ANT), Latour believes that everything is the output of relating human and non-human actors, including all living creatures, objects and artifacts, and so it is the way that all kind of structures such as scientific reality, buildings, government, parties, books and films are made.Latour looks at the universe regardless of common categorizations  such as subject-object, real- unreal, natural- artificial and based on the Actor–network theory (ANT), he believes that the universe is composed of a heterogeneous interrelation betwen human and non-human (creatures, objects, artifacts), observable and unobservable (virus, microbes and electrons) actors that unite together to achieve their goals, and that is how scientific, technical, legal, political, cultural, and artistic structures form a scientific reality a political party, or government, buildings, cars, books and stories. Actor–network is a concert concept that shows two sides of one phenomenon; network is made of the connections among actors, and any entity that owns action and can cause change is considered as an actor. Therefore, there is no difference between a human actor and other non-human ones such as stones, birds, words, books, etc. Thus the nature, role, power and the functionality of each actor is determined within the network and relationships and connections that it has with other actors.Basically, in isolation and without any connection with other human and non-human actors, no actor can make a change or create an action.  For example, driving takes place in network consisting of driver, car, road, weather, traffic rules, traffic signs, police, etc. that each of these actors influences the other and they define, interpret and adjusts the goals and strengths of one another. Speed, does not depend only on the driver's will, but it is determined and adjusted by other actors like car, weather, road, and the police. In other words, the driver here decides and acts as a network actor and has functionality but he is not a separate actor.Since the basis of this theory is according to the way that actors are connected within each network, so if we want to study actions in the field of science, technology, religion, law and art law and investigate a product like law, government, book, movie or reading, first we have to identify the actors involved in the creation of the product and then reconstruct and analyze their interaction and negotiation within the network. In fact, instead of studying a product, the process of making it is considered here.Activist-network theory is ontological and a general method that is not allocated just to science and technology, as we can study scientific and methodological approaches with reference to this theory, as well as religion, politics,culture, and art. Therefore, by reconstructing this theory ontologically and psychologically and borrowing some generalizable concepts of Latour's theory, explaining and interpreting them, we can use it to present the formation and construction the process of image reading and trace the main actors and involvers in the process to clarify how they interact with each other through conflict, negotiation and interpretation, define and redefine change and adjust one another in order a reading to be created.The main concern of this theory is the study of the nature of union, relation, connection and interaction of different human and non-human actors with each other within any network and how an output or structure is made. From this aspect, all types of image readings can be considered as a structure or product, in which many elements and actors have role and influence. Critics usually do the image reading with a certain method and approach and place their emphasis and orientation towards the artwork, artist, audience or a combination of them, but in this article, instead of describing the methods and approaches of image reading, we study and analyze the constructionism of the process itself. Therefore, these questions are raised, how is the process of image reading formed and finally made? Who are its main actors? What is the way of connection, communication and interaction of the actors involved in image reading with each other? Regardless of the creation of identity and definite homogenization between scientific and artistic theories, one can increase their understanding and analytical power in relation to artworks and photographs through such studies. Also, due to the lack of such attitudes and researches in the field of photography, by conducting and expanding such approaches new horizons and frameworks for interpretation of photography, and photography itself will be opened.Finally, this research comes to the conclusion that image reading forms in the first step from the vision exposure and its union with human activism, i.e. the image critic, and then through blending, interaction, confrontation and negotiation of all actors involved in the network- from the title and statement of the photo up to the perspective and intention of the photographer- the branch and category of the photos and aesthetics theories and art criticism are made. In fact, the critic's action is not independent and depends on the acting of other network actors. In this way each of the actors makes or breaks relationships and links and defines and redefines each other's nature and change and adjust each other's actions to create a reading. In fact, due to the connection and interaction of visible and invisible actors, image reading goes through the process of change and transformation. Also, emerging different types of readings arises from the way of connection, negotiation and conflict between the actors. On the other hand, if any kind of reading is noticed, approved and confirmed by other critics, acts as a new actor and can cause change and transformation in the whole network of image reading. In this way the network of reading expands and changes. At the end, it is suggested the how-ness of reading different artworks to be investigated and analyzed by experts from Actor–network theory (ANT) point of view.

Bruno Latour, the contemporary Philosopher and Anthropologist in the era of science and technology based on the actant-network theory with network-based approach looks at the creatures of the world and the existent relationships among them. In a way that world regardless of any prevalent categorizations and distinctions as real-unreal and natural-artificial is full of human and non-human activists and actant s that they are making new nexuses and networks in order to reach to their goals. All of the creatures either human or small and large creatures, technological artifacts and tools function as an actor in this world and in the networks they entered. In this way, the nature of each actant in within network and in relation and proportion with the other actors is changed and made. The concern of this theory is the study of the way of uniting different actors in within network. The theory of actant -network is one of the most important contemporary thought circles in studies of science (technologies, religion, anthropology, law) and technologies that is generalizable to art field especially, photography. Accordingly the photography production can be considered as a network actor and the product of uniting three factors of camera, photographer and the world that the way of uniting this factor with each other led to creating multifarious photos. Therefore, the aim of this study is examination and analyzing photography action based on the actant network theory, Bruno Latour. Consequently this essay is focused on the descriptive-analytic and adaptive method to answer this question that what the place and role of each of the main actants is in photographic practice means camera, photographer and the world in the process of photography production? The results demonstrated that in photography action, three factors as camera (as technological medium with multiple facilities), photographer (in position of human action with especial goals) and the world (as non-human action) are to synthesize and regardless of dominant look, each of them links with the other factors with different ways in the network and influences on the other actors and finally by interaction of them, one photo with especial and distinct features can be made. When each photo exposes to attention after production and supply in photography society can start role playing in within photography network as a new actor and led to create new nexuses and actions. From the beginning, that camera and its components have developed over time until now which digital technology have had a significant effect on photography; definition, nature, role and place of photographer and the world have changed in photography network. The shift from analog and green photography to digital and pixel element had not been merely a change in photography technologies and tools. But it made a revolution in the whole of network and the involved actors in photography field and paved the way for appearance of different orientations within photography network. Photography network is still changing as it affected by new actors arrival. Actant-network theory can be used for photo critique.

Documentary photography is one of the oldest and main branches of photography that Its purpose is to record and represent objects, events and various scenes around the world in a realistic, neutral and honest way. In fact, the main ability of documentary photography is its power of representation, descriptive and citation. Representation in documentary photography is a process that depends on the photographer's point of view, the elements of the outside world, the camera, and the definitions and requirements of documentary photography. However, documentary photography has a variety of representational and expressive capacities, and representation in documentary photography takes different forms and qualities. Because the documentary photographer is not necessarily the neutral and passive recorder of the scene in front of him. Anyway, since the documentary photographer is not a neutral and passive recorder of the elements and the scene in front of him, the documentary photo can also take on different functions and qualities. If we accept understanding each branch of photography depends on familiarity with the functions and constraints of that branch and a documentary photographer is subject to the accepted definitions and requirements of documentary photography; So, logically, the possibility of creating an artistic documentary photo should be extracted from the specific features of documentary photography itself. Therefore, According to purposes and different representational and expressional capabilities of photography, concepts such as representation, regeneration, explicitly, ambiguity, description and interpretation in relation with documentary photo have been investigated in the current study to explain creation methods of documentary artistic photo and its characteristics and also answer this question that because of what features a photo obtains artistic features and transforms into a documentary artistic photo. What are the differences between an art documentary and a documentary. What is the quality, quality and different features of an artistic documentary compared to a documentary. However, the concept of art itself has always been subject to change and ambiguity; But critics, through some concepts related to art and the general expectations we have of works of art, discuss the artistic aspects of a work. These concepts have always been of interest to art critics and theorists Given the various purposes and functions of documentary photography, it seems that with their help it is possible to examine documentary photographs and describe and analyze their various aspects, especially art. Due to the diversity of different branches of documentary photography, the topics and results of this research can be used to better understand the different aspects of this branch of photography and classification and analysis of documentary photographs. On the other hand, this research has a practical aspect and its topics and results can also be used for education. The study used descriptive-analytic and comparative research method and data has collected through library resources. In this study, based on the main and accepted characteristics and functions of documentary photography, the concepts of representation, transparency, clarity, ambiguity, description and interpretation have been tested in relation to documentary photographs. In this way, while describing the characteristics of documentary photographs, in contrast, the characteristics of artistic documentary photographs have been identified and explained. The findings showed that, In the documentary art documentary, instead of representing the real world in a straightforward and straightforward way, we are confronted with recreating a reality that is ambiguous; Because instead of merely describing a scene and event, it expresses the photographer's interpretation and brings him thoughts and views on a scene, event, or subject. In other words, documentary artistic photo is the result of photographer’s artistic action that is his new and different perspective towards real world. In fact, instead of merely transcending external reality, the photographer recreates new reality by deliberately and creatively representing the scene in front of him. Its elements and components are selected and combined in such a way that they express the photographer's interpretation and surround her opinion and point of view. In this way, the audience, in the face of the world of photography, is forced to make inferences and speculations about the presented subject and to think and imagine. Thus, in documentary artistic photo we are faced with the dominance of compilation, commentary and aesthetic aspects. In fact, in an artistic documentary, the photographer's share of the role of the playwright is more than the tools and the subject matter. Because a photographer recreates a new reality through creative representation of real affairs instead of reality and makes the audience to think and imagine about the represented topic. It seems that the concepts mentioned in this article can be discussed in other branches of photography as well and achieved useful and instructive results for recognizing their various aspects and test the artistic aspects of each branch of photography in this way.

Shiite sect (Twelver Imams), through expression of certain beliefs and teachings, values and narratives dictates a special semantic system for the Shiites, and thus gives a special and different form to all their individual, social and ritual behaviors. Since art in traditional societies is not separated from other aspects of life, and every religion expresses itself in the minds of individuals in all aspects of their lives, it can be expected that Shiite figures, as all aspects of Shia lifestyle, to be influenced by the Shiite intellectual and ideological foundations and to have special and unique features. In other words, the Shia should be known as a territory of concepts, words, individuals, beliefs and stories of which its central core of intellectual and belief is the divine legitimacy of Imam Ali (PBUH) in the case of the succession of the holy Prophet Mohammad and the Muslim leadership. The legitimacy that was transferred to his great children from Fatimah’s (his wife) Generation. Overall, the divine legitimacy of Imam Ali (PBUH) in the case of the succession of the holy Prophet Mohammad, infallibility of the Shia Imams, munificence of Imams, judgment of the Imams in the day of resurrection, intercession of Imams and special stories about some events such as Ghadir, constitute the key and significant elements and concepts of the Shia religion, the elements and concepts of which they are beyond the time and space and represent themselves in all fields of the Shia’s life. These elements along with each other make a condensed structure and particular semantic system which gives a particular look and flaunt to all of the individual and plural behaviors of the Shia and the Shiites are distinguished from other religious tendencies, in this way. Since art works are recognizable by form, content and the way of express and converse by the visual language with us, therefore the main indicators of the Shia figuress should be explained and identified by their significant and principal aspects which are form (exterior and appearance), content (intent and backend),  the expressive method (applying visual elements) and narrative. What is the difference between the Shia figures and purely religious figures? Accordingly, Explaining the main forms and content based characteristics of the Shiite's figures based on Shi'a beliefs is the purpose of this study. For this purpose, in this study, firstly, in order to present a clear and precise picture of Shi'a sect, the principles and foundations of beliefs, elements and concepts constituting this sect are expressed. Then, the main and important aspects of the Shiite figures in terms of form and content, narrative and expression method are analyzed from the view of the Shiite beliefs. The proposed question is that by what indicators Shiite traits can be given to a figure? The research method is descriptive-analytic and data collection in done through library method. At the first step, it is defined based on research theoretical framework, the foundations of belief and intellectual. Then, in this regard, in order to determine the main indicators of shape and content of the Shia figures, some of these themed figures have been investigated and analyzed from the appearance and content, the expressive method and narrative viewpoints. The results of the research show that due to the only representation of a Shiite subject in a figure, it cannot be attributed to Shiite traits, but Shiite figure in aspect of form, content, expression method and narrative should be conforming basic principles of Shia. Through these indices, Shiite figures are recognizable and distinguishable from religious figures that only represent the Shia subject. According to the presented Image examples, it could be said that as the poet expresses the concept and meaning by using the words and literary devices such as likeness and metaphor, the painter also expresses his visual commentary by the help of visual elements, signs, symbols, visual and pictorial arrangements. The Shia painter can express the desired concepts of the Shia by using visual elements (line, shape, color, area, space and light), visual arrangements, signs, symbols and put the main aspects of the producer of his work (appearance and content, way of express and narrative) in line with Shia beliefs and then guide the audience to the conceptual and belief of the Shia. It seems that the results and conclusions of this study can be used to study about other forms of arts with the Shia theme and identify the indicators of each one and thereupon, providing the basis for studies for the conceptualization of the Shias principles. Hence, it is suggested that different types of art works which have the Shia content, should be investigate and analyzed based on the foundations of beliefs and thoughts.

With regard to representative characteristic and communicative nature of photograph, and on the other hand, expressive and esthetic capabilities of photography, it can be stated that as human being uses language in various ways and thus creates one of the linguistic types, i.e. prose, verse, and poem, the photographer is also able to create photos with functions and qualities similar to linguistic types by using his intellectual and emotional faculties and with the help of technical facilities and expressive capabilities of the camera and photo edit. In other words, photograph, just like language, can adopt the functions and roles of citation, communicative, soliloquist, and artistic. Therefore, the aim of this research is to compare photo with the linguistic types. Also, the raised research question is that by what factors a photographer can create photos similar to linguistic types? The method of this research is descriptive-analytic and comparative, and information collection is library-based. The results of the research indicate that some characteristics of linguistic types can be identified in photo; in the way that some photos have the functions of referential, reportorial, and citation just like prose and convey some information to the audience. Some other, similar to verse, give the audience a visual enjoyment due to their form, and another category like poetry has ambiguous quality and makes the audience to think and contemplate. Drawing on frame (horizontal or vertical), angle (up, low, left or right), as well as other expressive functions of camera (aperture, shutter speed ...) on the one hand, and different photo editing features (low or high contrast, color temperatures and …) on the other hand, the photographer can capture photos with various features and modes.

Although registering of the real-world elements has forged in the essence of photography, a photograph doesn’t provide a similar and as much as identical to the real world, and it has, besides of the openness character, an expressionistic capability as well. In fact, a photograph could be seen as a symbolic text which implies variably subject to an addressee’s interpretation and hermeneutics.Hence, Analyzing and reading a photograph on the basis of the analytical instruments of the semiotics approach and that is, extend the studies regarding criticism of photograph are purposes of this paper. Thus, in this paper, some of the analytical instruments of the semiotics approach, such as the principle of substitution and accompanying, transaction and conflict of symbols, implicit and explicit meaning, context or background and contextually, have been trialed in analysis and reading a photograph. The raised questions are: 1. what is the mechanism and factor of the analytical instruments in reading a photograph?
2. What is the significance of these instruments in analyzing-reading and criticism of a photogtaph? The methodology of research is descriptive-analytical.
The results indicate that by applying the instruments of the semiotics approach, in addition to systemic analyzing and reading of photos, various conceptual, visual and aesthetic manifestations would be revealed and a framework would be provided for aesthetic and qualitative evaluation. So that, according to the semiotics analytical tools, photographs is categorized in three general groups in respect of their importance: 1. Photographer-oriented, 2.

A part of the core concept of the Iranian images manuscript, particularly from the 10th century onwards are focused on representation of the themes of interest and emphasis to Shi’ism. In the meantime, Fālnāma-yi Tahmāsbī manuscript, which was produced during the dominance of Shi’ism discourse in the reign of Shah Tahmāsb, is a manuscript worth deliberation both in terms of theme and concept. It seems that the approach of the painters of this manuscript has been inclined toward representing the Islamic and Shi‘ī themes and contents based on the beliefs and traditions concerning Shi’ism discourse. Thus, this article is intended to thematically describe and analyze the images of this manuscript in line with the beliefs, traditions, and narrations of Shi’ism discourse. The findings of this research show that a selection of doctrines and important events of Islam and Shi’ism, the Qur’anic and religious stories that somehow represent the reality and righteousness of Shiism are illustrated in Fālnāma-yi Tahmāsbī manuscript. The important point is that there are some noteworthy signs, symbols, and pictorial preparations used in some of the images of this manuscript representing the beliefs and discourses of Shi’ism discourse that make it outstanding among religious manuscripts.

Imam Ali is one of the most frequent imagery themes reflected in the Iranian paintings. However, Imam Ali’s icon is not represented identical in the images belonging to different eras. Since Imam Ali is known with many desirable characteristics and traits, there are various traditions about his life and character especially in Islam and Shia sect (Twelver Shiism). The purpose of this paper was to study the iconography of Imam Ali in the Iranian paintings based on the traditions. For this purpose, some of the indicator paintings including the icon of Imam were described and analyzed from the form, content and manner of expression aspects, from the Ilkhanid to the Safavid periods. The results indicated that Imam Ali’s icon in the paintings of the Ilkhanid, the Timurid and the Turkmen eras were based on the historical, heroic and mythical traditions, while in the Safavid era, dominated by the Shiite jurisprudence, his icon was represented based on the Shiite traditions. 

Although recording facts and events of human society is one of the objectives of the social documentary photography, a social documentary photographer does not tend to provide merely an apparent picture from reality and a report-type factuality, but selects and composes varied elements and facts of human community to frame a piece of social reality in a given moment of time, to produce a photograph that invites addressee to watch, think, comprehend and judge. It can even stimulate addressee’s response to the subject. In fact, the social documentary photographs may variably influence on addressees because of their social nature, and they may like language, represent different functions as well. Thus, the objective of this paper is to examine and analyze the functions of such photographs on the basis of the linguistic functions of the Jacobson’s communicative theory. The question is what are the main elements of social documentary photographs that provide them with different functions? The methodology of the study is descriptive – analytical and comparative. The study results indicate that in every social documentary photograph, we would face one of the dominated functions: referring, emotional, encouraging and artistic. In other words, a social documentary photographer may provide only information around a subject (a referring function), express his insight and sense for an object (emotional function), urge one to react by stimulating one’s sensibility and thought (encouraging function), or else, create a visual passion in addressee by highlighting apparent construct of a photograph (artistic function). Nonetheless, frame and shooting moment remain as major elements for having these functions.

There are many images with the subject of The Miraj of Prophet Muhammad in Persian miniature painting but these works are different from each other in terms of stylistic features of Persian miniature painting, technique; quality and narration. They were also impressed by the intellectual situation of their era and the ideas of their patrons. In this regard, there are two prominent and famous miniature painting with remarkable and unique features from Safavid era which are The Miraj miniature paintings of the Khamseh of Nizami and the Falnameh of Tahmasebi referred as Aghamirak. In both of these miniatures the mystic journey of Prophet Muhammad are depicted at the middle of the journey while the angles came to welcome him but in each work, different visual elements and measures had been practiced so that each miniature present different art narration and quality. The main questions are that, in each miniature based on which narration the visual elements and measures were arranged and presented? And what did they transfer in terms of meaning and quality? In order to answer these questions, first visual elements of two miniatures are compared in detail and then the intellectual and artistic situations of their production time are studied. The research method is descriptive – analytical and comparative one and the data are collected by library-based technique.
The results show that the application of visual elements and measures led to the creation of a symbolic, mystic and Hermeneutics narration in Khamseh’s miniature and a Shia, propagandistic and explicit narration in Falnameh’s miniature. In these two cases, quality, narration, intellectual, religious, artistic and patronage situations had important and notable impacts on the production.

Khyber event has a dominant, important and symbolic position for the Shiites. The event is represented on the painting version of various eras in different ways. In this study, three paintings of the conquest of Khaybar were analyzed which were related to Timurid (historical sketch), Turkmen (KHAVARAN-NAME), and Safavi periods (Falname) based on Shiite discourses (Twelve Imams). Shiite discourse is a coherent body of concepts, beliefs, and traditions which has dominated thoughts, feelings, words and actions, and has shaped them, and reasonably it is expected that is realized in the Shiite-themed paintings. Hence, in the study of desired paintings, these questions are arisen, “which painting represents Shi’a discourse of conquest of Khaybar event? Does the mere representation and presence of Shiite personality in these paintings can be considered as the Shia paintings? Also, specifying the discourse represented in every painting and identifying the main characteristic of Shia paintings are considered as the objectives of this research. Therefore, the content and form of the paintings have been examined and visual elements and symbols used in each painting are described and analyzed in line with the Shiite discourse. The research method is comparative-analytical-descriptive, and information was collected by using the library method. It can be concluded that one of the important characteristics to identify and assess the main paintings of Shia is the representation of the themes based on of the Shia dialogue, which should be emerged in the content and form of works. Among the analyzed paintings, this important feature is emerged in the painting of conquest of Khaybar in the Safavid period (Falname), which for this purpose, specific painter, signs, symbols and measures are employed.

The traditional (Islamic) society is formed based on the human being’s special attitude toward the world and its components. The origin of this kind of attitude is the holy Quran and the prophet of Islam and Imams ‘words, deeds and utterances and the framework of human life are defined based on these origins. Tradition is visible in any dimensions of a traditional person’s life including his words, acts, custom and especially in his works of art; all of them together form a traditional (Islamic) culture and society. This paper studies the relation between culture and art in traditional thoughts and society. But what is the relation between culture and art in a traditional society? Since our society is formed based on the most perfect tradition(Islamic), the conclusions of this search can be helpful in cultural engineering discussions and some approaches for cultural and artistic program scan be presented based on these results especially in supportive matters. The conclusions show, traditional (Islamic) culture is manifested in artistic works in tangible and symbolic way. So traditional thoughts and culture spread and continue among the people. The reciprocal relationship between culture and art in traditional society ensures the preservation and survival of traditional culture.

Iranian painters have always used the high religious, mystical, literary and philosophical themes for creating their precious works. Imaging the wonderful travel of the Prophet in his Ascending is one of these themes. That wonderful and important event has attracted the imagination of Muslim painters and led to the production of different beautiful representations of that event. One of those prominent and attractive examples is the image used in Tahmasbi auspice book (about 957 AH), an image which has been dealt with less than other images of the Prophet’s Ascending. In the present article, the philosophy and the background of that image as well as the aesthetic features and the unique symbolic elements used there have been described and analyzed. The findings of this research show that the Ascending image of Tahmasbi auspice book – produced in the zenith of Shah Tahmasb’s religious leanings towards Shiism enjoys, in view of its aesthetic features and symbolic elements (such as the large size, and emphasizing ImamAli’s Imamate in a symbolic way), a unique and prominent feature in comparison to other works produced on the Prophet’s Ascending. It completely represents the effect of intellectual atmosphere of the society (the Shiite discourse) and the role of the insight of the patrons in producing those works and using symbolic elements in them.

Spirituality has been one of the undeniable characteristics of Iranian-Islamic (traditional) art. This specialty has resulted in many honored works which are among the most outstanding important masterpiece of humanity art. But unfortunately today this art due to keep aloof from spirituality and abandon the principles and its outmost truth have turned into a poor art which is only formic and lack of contents. Keeping aloof fromtraditional teaching methods has been turned into a factor of going away the original Iranian-Islamic art from an ideal and spiritual atmosphere. In this research the importance of spirituality in the art production and art teaching were studied. It is also emphasized that the only way to prevent Iranian-Islamic (traditional) art from affecting pathologies is to recognize and redefine the nature of art, its aim and application in the human life.