The Lift | 2018 | Public Video Installation, Tehran, Iran
The Lift reflects the vertical expansion of contemporary cities, a dominant model of urban development that favors density and compact growth. The Saman Towers on Keshavarz Boulevard marked a turning point in Tehran’s modernization—an influence that continues to shape the city today. This project presents fragments from three years of the artist’s life spent in this building, using personal experience to reflect on the architectural, social, and temporal layers of Tehran’s vertical transformation.
Teer Art Week Curatorial Projects
Artist: Siavash Naghshbandi
Curator: Sohrab Kashani
Project: The Lift
Elevation, multi-story buildings, and terraced roofs are all signs of the vertical growth of urban centers, following a now mainstream paradigm celebrating vertical, compact growth. For the first 200 years of Tehran's 250 years as a capital city, Shams-ol-Emareh was the city’s tallest building. By the end of World War Two, the Aluminium Building had taken its place. Shortly after, the Saman towers on Keshavarz Boulevard were erected in a record 210 days, heralding the beginning of Tehran’s modern times - influences of which can still be seen in the city today. This project shows fragments of the artist's life in this building over the past three years.