Lion and Line

Lion and Line is a work by Nasim Nasr that symbolically examines the relationship that Iranians continue to share with their ancient Persian history. Referencing a local Iranian coin game called Sheer o Khat or ‘Lion and Line’ – named after the two coins involved in the game, one of which depicts an image of the historical Persian Lion symbolising the kingdom of Persia, and the other a contemporary coin with a number underlined – the work depicts a hand individually tossing coins onto a mid-nineteenth century colonial map of Persia and its surrounding territories. The coins – spread against the antiquated topography of modern day Iran – open a dialogue between the past and present of a country whose people continue to identify themselves with the name of a country that no longer exists.

Production Stills

Installation View, CACSA Contemporary 2012: NEW SA ART

Installation View, Art Stage Singapore, 2013 with Greenaway Art Projects.