Devil and Angel
‘شیطان و فرشته’

By Maryam Salour (born 1954)

Tehran, Iran, 2011

In this ceramic sculpture a white angel stands with the red devil perilously close behind. The two figures represent the opposite forces of good and evil in nature. Growing out of a single lump of clay, they cannot deny their common origin. The figures only take shape in the upper part of the sculpture where the surface becomes smoother. According to the artist, good and evil incorporate elements of the other – a little red in the white and white glaze running into the red.

Maryam Salour expresses affinity for her homeland through the ceramics she creates. The transformation of nature is a central theme in her work. The process of working with clay incorporates the fundamental elements of earth, fire, air and water. Salour is fascinated by the weathering of rock, forming clay over time which she can then manipulate and fire to produce a personal interpretation of nature.

Friederike Voigt
Interim Keeper
Department of World Cultures

Senior Curator
Middle East & South Asia
Department of World Cultures

National Museums Scotland