From the time that Gustave Courbet promised the beginning of a new view in one of his first works “Good Morning Mr. Courbet” which was supposed to link history of western painting to the future, Realism with its own continuity until today, has shown different shapes and methods and vast potential : from Picasso’s cubistic realism to Gutusso’s stormy realism all are examples of tendencies trying to make a report of reality the way it is – and not the way we judge it- without the aid of sentimentalism. Despite the variety available in reflecting social realities, Courbet’s objective realism has preserved its credibility and even attractions to this very day.
Works of Masoumeh Mozaffari in her latest collection follow the same Courbet’s tradition. The presented portraits in this exhibition are those whom we see around every day ... we do see them if only we want to; and if we reflect over them carefully , we will sense that the heat in Iran is now far beyond their capacity.
The portraits which she presents to us this time make an unsentimental yet accurate report of people whose manner of looking and way of appearance reflect a historical reality, however it is not possible to perceive this situation only through establishing a mere emotional bond with these works.
Elimination of the emotional behavior of the painter in the finalized works, tells us that she does not want to let the common emotion shared by her and the viewer be used as the means of evaluation of her works. Instead she prefers her works to be analyzed by rational thought and criteria. If we – with such criterion in mind - stand in front of these works, we will surprisingly find ourselves in one of them.
That’s why Masoumeh Mozaffari’s realism does not suffice to reflecting appearance characteristics of people of the society only, the portraits she has depicted are an accurate report from the sameness of all humans who experience a similar situation; and that’s how she presents another aspect of realism.

Karim Nasr