Blood Most Precious is Shahryar Nashat’s first major solo show in Rome. In his practice, the artist often deals with the representation of bodies. Light falls filtered into the rooms of Istituto Svizzero, where Shahryar Nashat continues his research with new and existing works: he develops visual and conceptual connections between the significance of blood in Christian theology (the precious blood!) and the fragmented or abstracted representation of bodies with blood and flesh and saliva, of desirable bodies, digitally present on the glossy surface of our smartphones. At the same time, Blood Most Precious is also a reflection on desire and disgust or on cycles – of (body) fluids, but also of life and death.
Shahryar Nashat is a visual artist. He has had solo shows at MASI Lugano (2024); The Art Institute of Chicago (2023); The Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago with Bruce Hainley (2023); Museum of Modern Art, New York (2020); Swiss Institute, New York (2019); Kunsthalle Basel (2017); Portikus, Frankfurt (2016); Schinkel Pavillon, Berlin (with Adam Linder, 2016). He shows with Rodeo Gallery, (London/Piraeus), David Kordansky Gallery, (Los Angeles/New York) and Gladstone Gallery, (New York/Brussels).
Courtesy of Gladstone Gallery, New York/Brussels/Seoul; Sylvia Kouvali, London/Piraeus and David Kordansky Gallery, Los Angeles/New York © Ela Bialkowska, OKNO studio
