Navid Nuur's Alchemical Exhibition at Galerie Max Hetzler Explores Time and Transformation

Navid Nuur's exhibition 'Apart from the secret that it holds' at Galerie Max Hetzler in London from April 12-28, 2021 presents works exploring material transformation over time. The Iranian-born artist's practice involves alchemical processes using unconventional materials like home-brewed ink, 'artist bath water,' crushed vitamin D tablets, and serpentine rock imprinted with gold leaf. Key works include 'In Your Face' (2007-08), a non-reversed mirror revealing facial asymmetry, and 'The Tuners' (2005-20), a massive linen canvas featuring appropriated pen-testing doodles from stationery stores. Another significant piece, 'Hope' (2012-20), consists of dark blocks with gold leaf that may reference ancient Persian lion and sun imagery. The exhibition includes archaeological-style displays like ' ' (Archean - 2020), featuring vases with arranged fragments described with materials listed as 'heat, time, minerals, patience, luck.' Nuur's neon work 'Mindmap' (2013) presents a Venn diagram with intersecting words 'power,' 'future,' 'spirit,' and 'world.' The show concludes with 'Untitled' (1976-13), a penny press that transforms coins into artifacts bearing the artist's fingerprint. Throughout the exhibition, Nuur explores themes of geological time, light, and mark-making while referencing artistic traditions from Abstract Expressionism to Persian symbolism.