The Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington is pleased to present Be Flat, a major solo exhibition by pioneering artist Tala Madani (b.1981, Tehran, Iran). This comprehensive show features newly commissioned and recent works that expand Madani’s exploration of how symbols, language
and mark-making affect power dynamics and individual agency.
Known for paintings and installations that reflect life’s complexities and contradictions, the artist often depicts human figures at their most vulnerable, violent and perplexed, blending ribald humor with dead-serious critical insight. Her characters, along with the detailed cinematic spaces and architectures they inhabit, evoke a haunting sensation as if they have emerged from the unconscious realm of dreams and fantasies. Madani’s skill with the medium of paint allows her to play games with the idea of painting itself. Her brush is as quick as her cutting wit, and the facility of her hand belies the vast knowledge that is embedded in every stroke. Ultimately, Madani’s work is that of a storyteller, shining a light (however murky) on our assumptions of gender,narrative logic, ideology and much in between.
At the Henry, Madani takes the next step in her practice, deepening her explorations through new suites of blackboard paintings and film strips, along with a selection of animations presented in intimate architectural structures.
The exhibition also introduces a new series of satirical depictions of father figures engaged in sports-related activities—domains typically linked to male dominance and strength, but here expressed with naked absurdity and vulnerability. Through her signature style of humor and critique, Madani challenges conventional notions of masculinity and power, revealing the contradictions embedded in familial and social relationships. Be flat invites visitors to a multi-sensory experience, encountering and re-encountering Madani’s fantastical characters and the uncanny aspects of her imagery while questioning the artifice inherent in presentation.
Press release from Henry Art Gallery
Image: Tala Madani. Squeegee Men 3. 2024. Oil on linen. Image courtesy of the artist
