A Note on “The Old Buttons” on Solo Exhibition of Nazly Abbasi at Sheydaei Gallery

Written by Sheyda Azizi

In an era where the pace of life, technology, and relentless speed constantly assault our minds and souls, viewing the works of Nazli Abbasi offers a refuge—a haven where one can pause, breathe, reflect, smile, weep, and ultimately find tranquility.

According to Abbasi, the source of inspiration for The Old Buttons lies in the interplay between human mortality and the enduring nature of objects left behind after death. These objects, like the buttons of an old garment, remain long after the garment has been torn or worn away. They serve as silent custodians of the stories of the garment, the life it witnessed, and its owner or owners.

Encountering the works of The Old Buttons collection swiftly transports viewers into the world of individuals who, at some point, consciously stood before a camera in the photography studios of their towns to preserve an image of themselves forever. These portraits capture them in their finest attire and most composed poses—women and men, perhaps affluent, who lived between 1925 and 1935. Their posture, the way they sit or embrace one another, and the angle of their gaze toward the lens convey a graceful modesty.

In this collection, we not only observe photographs that remain captivating nearly a century after their creation, but we also sense the absence of the individuals within them. Through Abbasi’s artistic and surrealistic vision, their presence continues to resonate.

Nazli Abbasi is an artist who entered the art world as a photographer. Over the years, she has developed a unique voice through her extensive participation in numerous artistic activities. Using collage techniques with buttons and thread (embroidery) on original old photographs or rephotographed images from her family’s vintage albums, she breathes new narratives into each piece. Abbasi’s deliberate interventions imbue these nostalgic photographs with fresh layers of meaning, drawing viewers deeper into their enigmatic charm.

She stitches buttons over faces and eyes, threads seams on hands and feet to intentionally obscure parts of the image, and embroiders abstract and botanical motifs on sections of the photographs. These artistic choices equip the viewer with a new lens to perceive the images. It seems Abbasi, by choosing humble objects such as old buttons and threads and sewing them onto keepsake photographs, amplifies the innocence and purity of these images, transforming fragmented elements into a unified whole.

Sometimes, she transforms these pieces into installations on gallery walls or suspends them from the ceiling, while at other times she skillfully attaches them to the photographs, delicately scattering her imagination onto them. Through crafting and weaving new stories into each work, she extracts another layer of narrative from within.

It appears that Nazli Abbasi’s mission is to awaken curiosity and a sense of exploration in the viewer, leading them to uncover what she has deliberately concealed—sometimes about a woman she doesn’t know, and at other times about a woman she knows intimately.

Sheida Azizi
January 2025