His art is initially striking for its visual richness: bright colors, familiar symbols, pop references... but behind this first seductive layer, Guive Khosravi shakes things up. Between chaos, irony, and introspection, he creates multidimensional works, where Snoopy can rub shoulders with the absurd, and where tenderness flirts with darkness.
We wanted to dive into his world — and into the paradoxes he manipulates with disconcerting accuracy.
Your art is full of symbols and striking visual contrasts. How do you choose these symbols and what do you hope they reveal to the audience?
I choose symbols based on their ability to evoke universal emotions and ideas. Each symbol carries a personal or cultural meaning that, when viewed in conjunction with other visual elements, creates a dialogue. My goal is to encourage the audience to reflect on and interpret these contrasts, revealing layers of meaning that transcend the work itself. I hope to spark an emotional connection and encourage a deeper exploration of the themes at hand.
You often use pop culture references to critique society. Why is popular culture a relevant tool for you in this approach?
Pop culture is a mirror of our society, reflecting its values, contradictions, and issues. By using it, I can reach a wider audience and engage in discussions on important topics in an accessible way. These references create an immediate connection, allowing established norms to be questioned and critical thinking to be encouraged. It's a powerful way to initiate a dialogue about contemporary realities while remaining grounded in a language that many understand.
There's often a tension in your work between entertaining elements and dark realities. What appeals to you about this opposition?
This tension between entertaining elements and dark realities creates a striking contrast that captures attention. It allows for the exploration of complex themes in nuanced ways, revealing the duality of the human experience. By blending the pleasant with the disturbing, I hope to provoke reflection on how we perceive and react to life's challenges. It also underscores the idea that beauty and pain coexist, inviting the audience to contemplate this complexity.
Your works exude a certain chaos. Is this a way for you to reflect the complexity and contradictions of today's world?
Yes, the chaos in my work is a deliberate representation of the complexity and contradictions of today's world. It reflects the uncertainty, tensions, and emotions that characterize our reality. By creating a chaotic atmosphere, I seek to capture the dynamics of the internal and external conflicts we experience, while inviting the audience to navigate this chaos. This can offer an opportunity to find meaning or beauty in the unpredictable.
In Sweet , you use familiar characters like Snoopy to reveal themes of superficiality and despair. Can you explain this contrast between joyful symbols and deeper messages?
In Sweet , I use familiar characters like Snoopy to create a stark contrast between the cheerful exterior and the darker realities. This choice highlights the superficiality of the images we consume in pop culture. By incorporating these symbols of innocence, I reveal how they can mask feelings of despair and emptiness. This invites the audience to reflect on the dissonance between the image we project and the inner struggles we experience. This contrast makes the message more impactful, challenging our perceptions of joy and happiness.
In Love , you juxtapose everyday scenes with absurd and grotesque elements. What are you trying to express through these unexpected combinations?
In Love , the juxtaposition of everyday scenes with absurd and grotesque elements aims to highlight the irony and paradoxes of modern life. This approach creates a destabilizing effect that encourages reflection on the banality of existence and human behavior. By confronting the ordinary with the absurd, I hope to provoke questions about the nature of love and relationships, while highlighting the tensions between our aspirations and reality. It also serves to reveal the beauty and absurdity that coexist in our everyday experiences.
You like to disguise critical messages under colorful and seductive appearances. Why do you choose this visual approach to convey more serious ideas?
I choose to use colorful and alluring appearances to create a striking contrast with the critical messages I wish to convey. This visual approach draws the eye and engages the audience, making more serious ideas seem accessible and less intimidating. By concealing profound thoughts beneath an attractive aesthetic, I can encourage viewers to reflect more deeply once they are captivated. It also serves to challenge our perceptions of beauty and superficiality, revealing that what appears light can carry significant emotional and social weight.
Some of your characters or scenes can be shocking due to their grotesque nature. How does this aesthetic serve your artistic discourse?
The grotesque aesthetic in my characters and scenes serves to provoke a strong emotional response and challenge established norms. By using shock, I can address difficult subjects in a more impactful way, provoking reflection on themes such as absurdity, despair, or superficiality. This aesthetic creates a shift that pushes the audience to confront their own perceptions and explore the shadowy areas of the human experience. By making the grotesque visible, I hope to reveal often-ignored truths and encourage a dialogue about the hidden realities of our society.
Your work combines several mediums such as painting, sculpture, and photography. What does this multidisciplinary approach bring to the expression of your ideas?
This multidisciplinary approach allows me to explore and develop my ideas from different perspectives, enriching my artistic expression. Each medium has its own characteristics and ability to evoke emotions, allowing me to vary sensory experiences. For example, painting can convey immediate visual emotions, while sculpture adds a tactile and spatial dimension. By combining these mediums, I can create dialogues between them, intensifying the message and engaging the audience in a more immersive and complex way. This also opens the door to experimentation and surprises, making each work unique and multidimensional.
Can you tell us about your artistic journey? What have been the most significant milestones for you?
My artistic journey has been marked by several significant milestones. I began by experimenting with various mediums, which allowed me to explore my interests and develop a multidisciplinary approach.
A key milestone was my first exhibition, which gave me a platform to share my ideas and interact with the public. It gave me confidence and refined my artistic voice.
Subsequently, artist residencies were decisive, allowing me to immerse myself in experimental projects without constraints. These experiences encouraged me to approach social and cultural themes in a more daring manner.
Finally, collaborations with other artists and companies have enriched my perspective and opened me to new influences, thus strengthening my practice. Each of these steps has helped shape my artistic identity and deepened my commitment to the messages I wish to convey.
What is the most important advice you would give to a young artist starting out today?
The most important piece of advice I would give a young artist is to experiment fearlessly. Explore different mediums, techniques, and themes, even if they seem far removed from your current style. Don't be discouraged by criticism or the fear of failure. Every experience, whether successful or not, helps you grow and refine your artistic voice. Also, seek out connections with other artists and engage in discussions, as these exchanges can enrich your vision and open up new perspectives. Stay curious and authentic in your approach.
Is there a fun or surprising fact about you that not many people know?
A surprising fact about me is that I have a secret passion for collecting everyday objects that I find at flea markets or markets. These often ordinary objects inspire me and fuel my creativity as I reinterpret them in my works. This habit allows me to see beauty in the mundane and to integrate personal and historical narratives into my work. It's a little secret that nourishes my artistic practice in unexpected ways.
What motivated you to join the Moga platform?
What motivated me to join the Moga platform was the opportunity to share my work with an engaged and passionate community. Moga provides a space to interact with other artists and art lovers, which enriches my practice and opens up opportunities for collaboration. Furthermore, the platform allows me to reach a wider audience, which is essential for exchanging ideas and generating critical reflection on themes that are important to me. It's a chance to be part of a dynamic and stimulating artistic dialogue.
If you had to convince another artist to join Moga, what arguments would you put forward?
Moga is the perfect place to meet other artists, give visibility to your work, work together on projects, benefit from useful resources, and above all, exchange ideas about topics that really matter.
These elements make Moga a stimulating environment for any artist wishing to grow and engage with the art world.