مؤسسه آموزش عالی فردوس فردوس هنر 2717-2317 7 24 2026 06 22 The Conceptual and Structural Continuity of the Square Form in the Historical Evolution of Iranian Architecture; from Chahartaqi to Chaharsuffa and Hasht Behesht پیوستگی مفهومی و کالبدی فرم مربع در سیر تاریخی معماری ایرانی؛ از چهارطاقی تا چهارصفه و هشت‌بهشت 735042 10.30508/fhja.2026.2079335.1233 FA سیده فاطمه موسوی نیا دانشکده معماری و شهرسازی، دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد، مشهد، ایران اکرم حسینی گروه معماری، دانشکده معماری و شهرسازی، دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد، مشهد، ایران. 0000-0001-8080-6925 حانیه رضائی دانشکده معماری و شهرسازی، دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد، مشهد مبینا رمضانی دانشکده معماری و شهرسازی، دانشگاه فردوسی مشهد، مشهد Journal Article 2025 11 29 Iranian architecture, across its long historical development, has consistently expressed symbolic meanings, cosmological concepts, and deeply embedded cultural values. Among the defining characteristics of this tradition is the persistent use of geometric forms—especially the square—as the primary organizing element of architectural space. The square, both as a visual structure and a conceptual symbol, reflects ideas of order, balance, and cosmic harmony. Its enduring presence from pre-Islamic monuments to Islamic and post-Islamic structures highlights the central role geometry has played in shaping Iranian spatial thinking. More than a mere formal device, the square embodies a worldview in which architecture is expected to manifest an underlying cosmic order and a unity between material and metaphysical realms. This study explores how square-based spatial patterns evolved from the chahartaq (four-arched domed unit) to the chaharsafheh (four-portico plan) and ultimately to the hasht-behesht (eight-paradise pavilion). The central research question concerns the ways in which these three spatial models changed over time while maintaining conceptual, geometric, and functional continuity. Unlike many previous studies that examined these architectural types within the confines of a single historical period, this research approaches them comparatively and diachronically. By doing so, it reveals a continuous trajectory that links early Sasanian spatial archetypes to more elaborate Islamic and Safavid-period compositions. Employing a descriptive–analytical methodology and relying primarily on library-based sources, the study examines these three typologies through their structural organization, symbolic meanings, and functional roles. The chahartaq, the earliest form in this evolutionary chain, is typically associated with Sasanian religious and ceremonial architecture. It consists of a domed square chamber with four arched openings on its cardinal axes. This simple yet powerful configuration establishes a spatial core defined by a square footprint and a central dome, symbolizing the cosmic sphere above. Its openness on four sides reinforces the symbolic connection between the earthly and the heavenly, while its square geometry offers stability and orientation. The chahartaq thus forms the prototype for centralized spatial organization in later Iranian architecture. The chaharsafheh, which becomes more frequent in the early Islamic and Seljuk periods, develops the idea of the square-centered space by introducing four projecting iwans or porticos. This expansion transforms the essential geometry of the chahartaq into a more articulated and functional arrangement. The square remains the organizing center, but the added depth and directionality of the four iwans create a more dynamic architectural experience. The chaharsafheh not only increases spatial hierarchy but also enables new uses, including religious, residential, and civic functions. As a transitional typology, it demonstrates how the simple geometric clarity of the chahartaq could evolve into more complex forms while preserving conceptual coherence. The hasht-behesht, which reaches its most refined expression in the Safavid era, represents the culmination of this developmental process. Literally meaning “eight paradises,” the hasht-behesht divides the square into eight symmetrically arranged chambers surrounding a central domed hall. This composition draws on both geometric subdivision and symbolic references to paradise in Persian cultural and religious traditions. The typology integrates architecture with garden design, environmental orientation, and metaphysical symbolism. Its balanced structure, axial relationships, and interplay of open and enclosed spaces demonstrate the maturity of Iranian architectural principles. Rather than representing a simple expansion of earlier forms, the hasht-behesht synthesizes geometry, meaning, and functionality into a cohesive architectural language that bridges built space and landscape. The findings of the study indicate that these three typologies form a continuous sequence rather than isolated architectural solutions. Each stage reflects both preservation and transformation of the square-based system. The chahartaq introduces the essential idea of the centralized square space; the chaharsafheh expands and diversifies its spatial and functional potential; and the hasht-behesht elevates the system into a highly integrated structure that embodies symbolic, aesthetic, and environmental dimensions. This progression demonstrates how Iranian architecture evolved from simple geometric units into elaborate and meaningful spatial compositions. Ultimately, the study argues that the persistent use of the square throughout Iranian architectural history is rooted in more than formal preference. It reflects an enduring worldview that seeks harmony between material form and metaphysical meaning. Across different periods and functions, the square operates as a unifying symbol that ties architecture to philosophical ideas, ritual practices, and aesthetic traditions. The evolution from chahartaq to chaharsafheh to hasht-behesht illustrates the adaptive capacity of Iranian architecture to reinterpret foundational spatial concepts across changing historical contexts. By tracing this continuity, the research provides a deeper understanding of how geometry, symbolism, and function interact in shaping one of the world’s most distinctive architectural traditions. بیان مسئله : معماری ایرانی در دوره‌های تاریخی متکی بر الگوهای هندسی و نمادین بوده است که در میان آن‌ها «فرم مربع» جایگاهی ویژه دارد. چهارطاقی، چهارصفه و هشت‌بهشت سه نمونه شاخص از الگوهای فضایی مبتنی بر مربع‌اند که در مطالعات پیشین عمدتاً به‌صورت منفرد بررسی شده‌اند. فقدان رویکرد تطبیقی و عدم تحلیل روند تکامل این سه الگو، موجب شده درک جامعی از پیوستگی ساختاری و مفهومی میان آن‌ها شکل نگیرد. هدف پژوهش :هدف این پژوهش تحلیل تطبیقی چهارطاقی، چهارصفه و هشت‌بهشت با تأکید بر تحول ساختاری، مفهومی و عملکردی آن‌ها و روشن‌سازی روند تکامل الگوهای مربع‌محور در معماری ایرانی از دوره ساسانی تا صفوی است. سؤال تحقیق:فرم مربع در الگوهای فضایی معماری ایرانی چگونه از چهارطاقی به چهارصفه و سپس به هشت‌بهشت دگرگون شده است و چه پیوستگی‌های مفهومی، کالبدی و عملکردی میان این سه الگو وجود دارد؟ روش تحقیق: این پژوهش با رویکرد توصیفی–تحلیلی انجام شده و داده‌های آن از طریق مطالعات کتابخانه‌ای، اسناد تاریخی، منابع پژوهشی و تحلیل نمونه‌های شاخص معماری ایرانی جمع‌آوری شده است. روش تحلیل، تطبیقی و مبتنی بر بررسی ساختار هندسی، سازمان فضایی و معناشناسی سه الگو است. نتیجه‌گیری: یافته‌ها نشان می‌دهد که چهارطاقی، چهارصفه و هشت‌بهشت سه مرحله از تکامل یک نظام فضایی مشترک‌اند و نه ساختارهایی مستقل و گسسته. چهارطاقی با مربعِ مرکزی و گنبد، بنیانِ مفهوم مرکزیت قدسی را تثبیت می‌کند. چهارصفه با توسعه جهتی و کارکردی این مرکزیت، الگوی فضایی پیچیده‌تری پدید می‌آورد. هشت‌بهشت اوج تلفیق هندسه، عملکرد و منظر است و ترکیب مربع و باغ را در قالب هندسه‌ای متعالی ارائه می‌دهد. تداوم فرم مربع در این سه الگو بیانگر جهان‌بینی ایرانی است که در آن وحدت میان فرم، معنا و عملکرد محور سازماندهی فضاست. این روند تکاملی نشان می‌دهد که معماری ایرانی با حفظ ریشه‌های هندسی، توانسته مفاهیم قدسی و عملکردهای متنوع را در ساختاری واحد ادغام کند.

مؤسسه آموزش عالی فردوس فردوس هنر 2717-2317 7 24 2026 06 22 Presenting Interior Architectural Solutions for Residential Spaces with a Flexibility Approach (Based on Comparative Studies) ارائه راهکارهای معماری داخلی فضای مسکونی با رویکرد انعطاف پذیری (بر پایه مطالعات تطبیقی) 737140 10.30508/fhja.2026.2087446.1242 FA سروش آهویی دانشجوی کارشناسی ارشد معماری داخلی موسسه آموزش عالی فردوس 0009-0005-6950-7699 وحید حسین زاده عضو هیات علمی موسسه آموزش عالی فردوس مشهد Journal Article 2026 04 28 Abstract With accelerating rates of urban density worldwide, particularly in metropolitan regions, the average floor area of residential units has been steadily shrinking. At the same time, domestic behaviors, family structures, and working arrangements, such as remote work, are evolving faster than ever before. Consequently, the demand for flexible interior spaces has moved from a desirable design feature to a critical necessity. Flexibility in this context refers to the capacity of a space to change its function over time, whether to meet new daily demands, adapt to life transitions (having a child, aging in place, or home office conversion), or accommodate multiple incompatible uses simultaneously within the same footprint. This kind of adaptability prevents premature obsolescence of housing units and reduces the need for frequent relocation or costly renovations. Given these emerging challenges, it is essential to formulate design strategies that adequately respond to dynamic user needs. Without built in flexibility, residential spaces risk becoming mismatched to occupants actual lives, leading to dissatisfaction, underutilization, or abandonment. Therefore, understanding which architectural and interior design factors most effectively enable spatial flexibility is a fundamental issue, not only for occupant well being but also for extending the useful lifespan of residential units. A longer functional lifespan, in turn, supports resource efficiency and aligns with principles of sustainable development. Against this background, the present article conducts a comparative analysis aimed at identifying the key factors that contribute meaningfully to the realization of spatial flexibility in residential environments. The research adopts a qualitative analytical methodology. This approach involves the systematic examination of successful built case studies, selected from various geographical and cultural contexts, where flexibility has been deliberately implemented and evaluated post occupancy. By comparing these cases, the study distills recurring strategies, material choices, and spatial configurations that demonstrably enhance adaptability. Through this comparative analysis, several critical factors emerge as significantly effective. First, open plan organization combined with the deliberate removal of redundant fixed partitions emerges as a foundational strategy. Without load bearing walls subdividing the interior, residents can reconfigure zones according to changing needs, from fully open layouts to subdivided rooms. Second, the use of lightweight and movable materials, such as sliding panels, curtain walls, or demountable stud walls, allows non destructive reconfiguration. Third, the integration of foldable, multi functional, and modular furniture systems (sofa beds, expandable tables, stackable seating, or wall bed units) dramatically increases the number of use cases for a given floor area. Fourth, the application of adaptable partition systems, including telescopic walls, rotating screens, or accordion doors, enables rapid switching between privacy and openness. Together, these factors do not operate in isolation; rather, their combined application yields the highest degree of spatial flexibility. In today’s world, where modern urban dwellers face diverse housing challenges such as high real estate costs, limited square meterage, and uncertain long term spatial needs, flexible architecture offers an effective and long term strategic response. Flexibility is not a singular property but rather a multi dimensional concept. It derives its meaning from the continuous interaction among three interrelated dimensions: spatial structure and organization (geometry, circulation, zoning), physical technical components (movable walls, modular flooring, adjustable lighting), and functional performance (how daily activities are accommodated). When these dimensions are aligned, the interior environment can respond to the changing activities, preferences, and life stages of its inhabitants over time without demolition or reconstruction. Based on these findings, the present study proposes a conceptual model that synthesizes the identified factors and their interrelationships. This model serves as a practical guide for architects and interior designers during both the design of new residential units and the retrofitting of existing ones. By adopting the principles of spatial flexibility, designers can enhance the quality of interior environments, making them more responsive, comfortable, and adaptable. Improved occupant satisfaction follows naturally from living in a home that evolves with its users rather than against them. In conclusion, emphasizing the approach of spatial flexibility represents a significant and necessary step toward a sustainable architecture. Sustainability here extends beyond environmental metrics to include social durability: a home that adapts to the biological and social transformations of contemporary humanity, such as aging populations, multi generational living, or fluctuating household sizes, remains relevant and loved for decades. Therefore, integrating flexibility as a core design principle should be seen not as an optional innovation but as a fundamental responsibility of twenty first century residential design. 1- چکیده 1-1بیان مسئله با افزایش تراکم شهری و کمتر شدن روزافزون متراژ واحد های مسکونی و همچنین تغییر الگوهای رفتاری خانواده‌ها در گذر زمان، نیاز به فضاهای داخلی انعطاف پذیر بیش از پیش حس می‌شود. این قابلیت باعث می‌شود که یک فضا بتواند در گذر زمان متناسب با نیاز‌های زمان خود تغییر کاربری بدهد و یا حتی چند کاربری را بطور همزمان در خود جای بدهد. 2-1 هدف این مقاله در راستای ارائه راهکارهای مبتنی بر انعطاف‌پذیری فضایی، سعی در شناسایی عوامل تاثیرگذار در انعطاف فضایی، شناسایی عوامل مشوق استفاده از انعطاف فضایی و بررسی بازتاب این عوامل در نمونه‌های موردی دارد. 3-1 سؤالات موضوع مقاله سؤالاتی بنیادین را پیرامون انعطاف فضایی بیان می‌کند. از جمله این‌که چه عواملی می‌تواند افراد را به استفاده از مفهوم انعطاف فضایی تشویق کند و اگر افراد مایل به بهره‌گیری از مفهوم انعطاف‌ فضایی باشند، به وسیله کدام مؤلفه ها می‌توانند این انعطاف فضایی را در محیط خود به وجود بیاورند. 4-1 روش تحقیق مقاله موجود، یک روش پژوهش کیفی را دنبال می‌کند که با رویکرد توصیفی-تحلیلی و کمک گرفتن از روش گردآوری منابع کتابخانه‌ای و روش تحقیق فراترکیب، به شناسایی مؤلفه‌های انعطاف فضایی می‌پردازد و با تطبیق‌دادن مدل مفهومی خود با پروژه‌های موفق، راستی‌آزمایی فرضیات و یافته‌های خود را انجام می‌دهد. 5-1 نتیجه‌گیری معماری انعطاف‌پذیر می‌تواند یک راهکار مؤثر و بلند مدت برای طراحی مسکن افراد به‌شمار‌آید که در تعامل میان ساختار و سازمان فضایی، پاسخگوی نیازهای متغیر افراد در طول زمان است. انعطاف‌‎پذیری می‌تواند در مقیاس‌ها و شدت‌های متفاوت، از راهکارهای کم‌هزینه مانند مبلمان‌چندمنظوره و پارتیشن‌های متحرک تا راهکارهای سازه‌ای مانند استفاده از پلان‌های باز یا درنظر گرفتن فضاهای قابل حذف و الحاق نمود پیدا کند. انعطاف فضایی فقط وابسته به راهکار‌های پیچیده نیست، بلکه با یک نگرش آگاهانه و کمترین هزینه ممکن نیز می‌توان از راهکارهای انعطاف فضایی بهره‌مند شد.

مؤسسه آموزش عالی فردوس فردوس هنر 2717-2317 7 24 2026 06 22 Suspension of the Will at the Threshold of Awakening: An Aesthetic Analysis of Caravaggio’s The Calling of Saint Matthew in the Light of Schopenhauer’s Theory of Will-less Contemplation تعلیق اراده در آستانه‌ی بیداری: تحلیل زیبایی‌شناختی تابلوی «فراخوانی قدیس متیو» اثر کاراواجو در پرتو نظریه‌ی تأمل بی‌اراده‌ی شوپنهاور 738850 10.30508/fhja.2026.2078484.1231 FA علیرضا عزیزی گروه آموزشی پژوهش هنر، دانشکده هنر، دانشگاه نیشابور، نیشابور، ایران. 0009-0009-7842-7198 ابوالفضل دهقانی‌زاده گروه آموزشی فلسفه‌هنر، دانشکده هنر، دانشگاه نیشابور، نیشابور، ایران. 0009-0009-9514-9767 هاشم حسینی دانشیار گروه آموزشی پژوهش هنر و هنر اسلامی، دانشکده هنر، دانشگاه نیشابور، نیشابور، ایران. 0000-0003-4084-8981 Journal Article 2025 11 21 Extended Abstract Problem Statement The aesthetic relationship between philosophical notions of subjectivity, perception, and the suspension of volition in the thought of Arthur Schopenhauer, and the visual strategies of Baroque painting, has remained insufficiently explored within contemporary art-historical scholarship. Although Caravaggio’s paintings have been widely analyzed from iconographic, theological, and stylistic perspectives, the philosophical implications of the viewer’s perceptual transformation—particularly the moment in which the will becomes suspended and pure cognition emerges—have received minimal attention. Schopenhauer’s theory of aesthetic contemplation posits that beauty arises not from narrative, symbolism, or emotional expression, but from a radical cessation of desire and the temporary liberation of the intellect from the will. The central problem of this research is understanding whether and how a Baroque painter such as Caravaggio—despite belonging to a period historically distant from Schopenhauer—creates a visual situation in which the viewer is compelled toward a non-volitional mode of awareness. The painting The Calling of Saint Matthew (1599–1600), with its sharply orchestrated tenebrism, suspended gesture, and sudden intrusion of revelatory light, provides a unique opportunity to examine a moment that might be read not merely as a narrative conversion scene, but as a metaphysical threshold between willing and pure cognition. The problem thus lies in bridging philosophical aesthetics and visual analysis to determine whether Caravaggio’s formal decisions effectively evoke the perceptual condition that Schopenhauer identifies as the ground of aesthetic experience. Keywords: Aesthetics; Arthur Schopenhauer; Caravaggio; The Calling of Saint Matthew; Suspension at the Threshold of Awakening Research Objective: The aim of the present study is to articulate a precise correspondence between the philosophical pillars of Schopenhauer’s aesthetic theory—namely, will, representation, and pure intuition—and the visual mechanisms by which Caravaggio structures perceptual experience in The Calling of Saint Matthew. This involves identifying how elements such as diagonal light, static bodily disposition, and minimal narrative motion contribute to the phenomenological transition from the realm of empirical will to the domain of contemplative awareness. The research seeks to show that Caravaggio’s composition is not merely illustrative of a Biblical episode but stages a deliberate suspension of volition: a pictorial environment in which figures, light, and space momentarily detach themselves from causal action and instead become objects of disinterested contemplation. In clarifying this aesthetic alignment, the study intends to demonstrate that the painting can be understood as a visual enactment of Schopenhauer’s principle of will-less knowing, revealing unexpected affinities between Baroque visuality and nineteenth-century metaphysics. Research Question: How does the moment of awakening and heightened awareness in Caravaggio’s The Calling of Saint Matthew become intelligible through Schopenhauer’s theory of non-volitional contemplation? Subquestions include: 1. Which aspects of Caravaggio’s visual construction—lighting, gesture, spatial tension—facilitate the perceptual condition Schopenhauer calls pure cognition? 2. In what manner does the painting’s suppression of narrative motion contribute to the suspension of the will? 3. Can the viewer’s experience of illumination in the painting be interpreted as an analogue to Schopenhauer’s metaphysical understanding of insight? Methodology: This research follows a qualitative and interpretive methodology, integrating philosophical analysis with visual studies. The data collection is based on library research, theoretical texts of Schopenhauer, art-historical scholarship on Caravaggio, and high-resolution visual examination of the artwork. A descriptive–analytical approach is applied to extract the conceptual structures underlying Schopenhauer’s aesthetics—particularly as found in The World as Will and Representation—and map them onto the pictorial strategies in Caravaggio’s composition. Although not comparative in the conventional sense, the study operates through a conceptual alignment between philosophical categories and visual phenomena. The reading of the painting thus proceeds through a layered analysis: first identifying its formal architecture (light, gesture, spatial sequence), then examining how these forms redirect attention away from narrative will toward contemplative stasis. Findings and Conclusion: The analysis reveals that Caravaggio’s organization of diagonal light acts as both a literal and symbolic agent of awakening. Unlike the dramatic light used for emotional intensification in typical Baroque narratives, here the beam of illumination enters the scene with a fundamentally cognitive function: it interrupts the continuity of action and isolates the moment of recognition. This intrusion of light mirrors Schopenhauer’s idea that aesthetic insight occurs when the intellect becomes momentarily detached from the empirical will. The figures remain suspended—not in dramatic action, but in a state of perceptual hesitation. Their stillness, particularly the frozen gesture of Matthew and the quiet, observational posture of Christ, produces a tension that aligns precisely with the Schopenhauerian notion of will-lessness. Motion is not merely reduced but structurally excluded; every element is directed toward creating a perceptual environment in which the viewer’s attention is absorbed into the essence of the scene rather than its narrative trajectory. Furthermore, the painting’s spatial composition, which separates zones of darkness from the sharply illuminated central figures, visually manifests the metaphysical contrast between the blind striving of the will and the clarity of contemplative knowledge. The gaze pathways within the painting reinforce this dynamic: the directional lines of sight form a chain that guides the viewer into the very moment of cognitive rupture. Ultimately, the study concludes that The Calling of Saint Matthew embodies a visual logic that is profoundly compatible with Schopenhauer’s aesthetics. The painting offers not merely a depiction of a Biblical calling but a perceptual model of awakening—an aesthetic threshold where the ordinary flow of desire is suspended and replaced by a state of pure, contemplative vision. The findings demonstrate that Caravaggio’s compositional strategies produce an experience closely aligned with the Schopenhauerian understanding of aesthetic liberation. Thus, the artwork may be considered one of the most compelling visual analogues to Schopenhauer’s theory, revealing how Baroque pictorial language can evoke philosophical insight centuries ahead of its formulation. The research contributes to art-historical and philosophical discourse by providing a rigorous interpretive framework for analyzing the intersection of metaphysical aesthetics and visual representation. بیان مسئله: در نظریه‌ی زیبایی‌شناسی آرتور شوپنهاور، «تعلیق اراده» شرط بنیادی تجربه‌ی زیبایی و ادراک ناب است. با این حال، نسبت میان این مفهوم فلسفی و ساختار دیداری هنر باروک کمتر در پژوهش‌های میان‌رشته‌ای بررسی شده است. تابلوی «فراخوانی قدیس متیو» اثر کاراواجو یکی از نمونه‌های برجسته‌ای است که در آن لحظه‌ی بیداری و آگاهی در بطن یک صحنه‌ی ایستای بصری بازنمایی می‌شود؛ لحظه‌ای که می‌تواند با مفهوم «تأمل بی‌اراده» نزد شوپنهاور هم‌تراز شود. هدف پژوهش: هدف این پژوهش تبیین امکان انطباق مفاهیم «اراده»، «بازنمود» و «شناخت ناب» در دستگاه فلسفی شوپنهاور با مؤلفه‌های بصری چون نور، سکون و ترکیب‌بندی در تابلوی کاراواجو است؛ به‌گونه‌ای که سازوکار انتقال از آگاهی اراده‌مند به ادراک ناب در سطح تجسمی آشکار شود. سؤال تحقیق: مسئله‌ی اصلی این است که تجربه‌ی بیداری و آگاهی در تابلوی «فراخوانی قدیس متیو» چگونه و از چه مسیرهایی می‌تواند بر اساس نظریه‌ی «تأمل بی‌اراده» شوپنهاور تفسیر شود؟ روش تحقیق: این پژوهش با روش کیفی و رویکرد تحلیل تطبیقی انجام شده است. داده‌ها از طریق مطالعه‌ی کتابخانه‌ای، بررسی منابع فلسفی و تاریخی، و تحلیل بصری اثر گردآوری شده‌اند. انتخاب اثر به‌صورت نمونه‌ی موردی هدفمند صورت گرفته است و تحلیل نهایی بر مبنای تطبیق عناصر بصری با مفاهیم نظری شوپنهاور انجام شده است. یافته‌ها و نتیجه‌گیری: یافته‌ها نشان می‌دهد که کاراواجو با سازمان‌دهی دقیق نور مورب، ایجاد تضاد میان تاریکی و روشنایی، و حذف حرکت روایی، شرایطی برای ادراک غیراراده‌مند فراهم می‌کند. نور در اثر همچون عامل آگاهی عمل کرده، سکون بدن‌ها وضعیت تعلیق اراده را مجسم می‌سازد و مسیر نگاه شخصیت‌ها فرایند گذار از ادراک حسی به شناخت ناب را نشان می‌دهد. این تطبیق بیانگر آن است که «فراخوانی قدیس متیو» را می‌توان نمونه‌ای از تحقق دیداری نظریه‌ی زیبایی‌شناسی شوپنهاور دانست؛ جایی که تجربه‌ی زیبایی معادل رهایی موقتی از اراده و دست‌یابی به مشاهده‌ی ناب است.

مؤسسه آموزش عالی فردوس فردوس هنر 2717-2317 7 24 2026 06 22 The Transformation of Utopia into Dystopia in Contemporary Science Fiction Cinema تبدیل آرمان‌شهر به پادآرمان‌شهر در سینمای علمی تخیلی معاصر 738851 10.30508/fhja.2026.2090764.1244 FA پیام زین العابدینی دکتری پژوهش هنر دانشگاه تهران، تهران، ایران 0000-0002-1701-3225 Journal Article 2026 06 06 Introduction Since the Enlightenment, the idea of building an “earthly paradise” and realizing a rational, just, and well-ordered society has occupied an important place in human thought. However, the expansion of modernity, together with the rise of social discrimination, inequality, environmental crisis, and the unintended consequences of industrial and technological development, gradually undermined this optimistic outlook. As a result, the concepts of utopia and dystopia emerged as two interconnected yet opposing poles in modern imagination. While utopia represents the desire for a harmonious and ideal social order, dystopia reflects the collapse, corruption, or reversal of those aspirations. Among the most important cultural arenas in which these concepts are represented is contemporary science fiction cinema. By employing futuristic imagination, this genre creates possible worlds in which ideal societies, technological progress, and social order are initially presented as desirable. In this sense, science fiction cinema has become a major medium for representing the transformation of utopia into dystopia. Problem Statement Cinema, as one of the most influential cultural media of the contemporary age, has always functioned as more than mere entertainment. It has provided a space for raising philosophical, social, and human questions concerning the destiny of humankind and its relationship with power, technology, and society. Within this broader framework, science fiction cinema is particularly significant because of its future-oriented and imaginative nature. Through fictional and speculative worlds, it allows filmmakers to reflect critically on the direction of modern civilization. One of the central issues repeatedly explored in science fiction cinema is the relationship between utopia and dystopia. The shared pattern in many of these narratives is that projects initially aimed at creating a better world ultimately produce destructive and oppressive consequences. Accordingly, the central problem of this research is to examine and analyze the factors that cause science fiction narratives to move from an ideal condition toward a dystopian world. Significance of the Study Utopian and dystopian representations are especially important because they not only reflect human hopes and anxieties about the future, but also function as tools for criticizing the political, social, technological, and ideological conditions of the present. Science fiction cinema is particularly valuable in this regard, since it combines entertainment with intellectual inquiry and presents complex philosophical issues in accessible visual and narrative forms. Moreover, this genre has cultural, psychological, social, political, and ideological importance, while also contributing greatly to the economic development of the film industry. For this reason, the study of utopian and dystopian representations in science fiction cinema is important not only for film studies, but also for understanding contemporary human concerns about the future of civilization. Methodology This research was conducted through a qualitative method and a descriptive-analytical approach. The data were collected through content analysis of selected contemporary science fiction films. The purpose of the analysis was to identify the major factors that contribute to the formation of dystopian worlds and to explain how ideal or seemingly desirable social orders are gradually transformed into oppressive and crisis-ridden structures. Theoretical Framework and Findings The findings of the research show that dystopias in science fiction cinema should not be understood as merely fictional worlds; rather, they are exaggerated representations of real tendencies within contemporary societies. Based on the theoretical framework and the analysis of selected films, several major factors contribute to the transformation of utopia into dystopia. The first factor is pessimism toward knowledge and technology. The second factor is pessimism toward ideology-centered systems and distorted forms of humanism. The third factor is pessimism toward machinism. In such narratives, technology no longer remains a neutral tool, but becomes an agent of dependence, alienation, and disruption. The fourth factor is environmental crisis. The consequences of industrial development, including global warming, ecological degradation, overpopulation, and resource depletion, have become central concerns in dystopian imagination. Such films portray environmental destruction as both the result and the condition of dystopian existence. The fifth factor is capitalist economy. In the late twentieth century, doubts about the endless efficiency of the free market entered future-oriented cinema. Films such as Cherry 2000 (Steve De Jarnatt, 1987), RoboCop (Paul Verhoeven, 1987), and The Running Man (Paul Michael Glaser, 1987) depict futures in which dystopian conditions emerge not from war or natural disaster alone, but from economic decline, inequality, and the dominance of market logic. The sixth factor is the transcendence of time. Scientific developments beyond Newtonian physics, including relativity, quantum theory, and cosmological discoveries, expanded both intellectual and popular interest in time travel and nonlinear temporality. In such works, time is no longer linear and progressive; instead, it becomes cyclical, fractured, and reversible, reflecting doubt toward the modern belief in inevitable human progress. The seventh factor is virtual identity. In the digital age, human beings increasingly inhabit a doubled identity shaped through networks, images, avatars, sounds, profiles, and artificial systems of representation. The eighth factor is the search for another planet for life. In Interstellar (Christopher Nolan, 2014), the escape from Earth becomes a framework for exploring new existential dimensions in the cosmos. Yet the search for another habitable world also implies an inability to preserve Earth itself. Thus, planetary migration appears less as a triumph of human progress than as an acknowledgment of civilizational failure. The findings further show that these elements do not function separately. Technology, capitalism, ideology, environmental degradation, surveillance, temporal rupture, and identity crisis operate in a complex and interconnected network. Their interaction produces a social order that may appear rational, efficient, and advanced on the surface, but is ultimately empty of justice, meaning, and humanity. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that dystopia in contemporary science fiction cinema is formed through the representation of the consequences of unbalanced technological progress, structures of economic and ideological power, environmental crises, social control, and transformations of identity. Ultimately, the research shows that pessimism, discrimination, and the distancing of leaders and societies from their original human goals create the conditions in which utopia is either reduced to an illusion or revealed as a temporary state that is gradually led toward dystopia. عصر روشنگری را می‌توان نقطه عطفی در تلاش انسان برای ساخت «بهشت زمینی» و تحقق جامعه‌ای عقلانی و عاری از بی‌عدالتی دانست؛ تلاشی که به مرور زمان ابعاد گوناگونی از حیات فکری و اجتماعی بشر را متأثر ساخت. گسترش مسائل اجتماعی همچون تبعیض، نابرابری و بحران‌های ناشی از توسعه مدرن، ذهن انسان را به سوی تصور فضاهایی آرمانی سوق داد و بدین ترتیب مفاهیم آرمان‌شهر (اتوپیا) و پادآرمان‌شهر (دیستوپیا) به عنوان دو قطب متقابل در اندیشه بشری شکل گرفتند. یکی از مهم‌ترین عرصه‌های بازتاب این مفاهیم، سینمای علمی–تخیلی معاصر است که با بهره‌گیری از تخیل آینده‌نگر، امکان بازنمایی جوامع مطلوب و در عین حال پیامدهای بحران‌زای آن‌ها را فراهم می‌سازد. در بسیاری از این آثار، آرمان‌شهرهای مبتنی بر عقلانیت، پیشرفت علمی و نظم اجتماعی، در فرآیندی تدریجی به پادآرمان‌شهرهایی سرکوبگر و بحران‌زده تبدیل می‌شوند. مسئله اصلی این پژوهش بررسی و تحلیل عواملی است که سبب می‌شوند روایت‌های علمی–تخیلی از یک وضعیت آرمانی آغاز شده و به جهانی ویران‌شهری منتهی شوند. یافته‌های پژوهش نشان می‌دهد که پیشرفت نامتوازن فناوری، تمرکز قدرت در ساختارهای اقتصادی و ایدئولوژیک، بحران‌های زیست‌محیطی، گسترش نظارت و کنترل اجتماعی و دگرگونی‌های هویتی، از مهم‌ترین عوامل این گذار از آرمان‌شهر به پادآرمان‌شهر در سینمای معاصر هستند. این پژوهش با روش کیفی و رویکرد توصیفی– تحلیلی و از طریق تحلیل محتوای آثار منتخب علمی– تخیلی انجام شده است

مؤسسه آموزش عالی فردوس فردوس هنر 2717-2317 7 24 2026 06 22 Reflection of the Psychological Crisis of Melancholia in the Works of Selected Expressionist Artists: A Study of the Paintings of Edvard Munch, James Ensor, and Emil Nolde بازتاب بحران روانی مالیخولیا درآثارهنرمندان اکسپرسیونیستی منتخب آثار نقاشی ادوارد مونک ،جیمز انسور، امیل نولده 738855 10.30508/fhja.2026.2093421.1273 FA ملیکا حسینی نقاشی،دانشکده هنر معماری صبا،دانشگاه شهید باهنر کرمان عاطفه گروسی دکتری هنر اسلامی ،دانشکده هنر و معماری، دانشگاه تربیت مدرس ، تهران ، ایران 0009-0000-0048-4277 Journal Article 2026 07 04 Abstract . Art has always served as one of the most significant means through which human beings express their experiences, emotions, thoughts, and perceptions of the world. Beyond representing the external appearance of reality, works of art provide insight into the inner psychological life of the artist and reveal complex emotional and existential experiences. Through artistic creation, personal feelings, cultural values, historical conditions, and philosophical ideas become visually embodied. Consequently, artworks function not only as aesthetic objects but also as valuable documents that reflect the psychological and emotional conditions of both individual artists . Among the many emotional conditions represented throughout the history of art, melancholy occupies a particularly important position. Far from being understood merely as sadness or emotional weakness, melancholy has long been associated with philosophical reflection, creative imagination, intellectual contemplation, and artistic innovation. Classical philosophy, Renaissance thought, psychology, and modern psychoanalytic theories have all interpreted melancholy as a multidimensional emotional condition involving sorrow, loneliness, introspection, alienation, uncertainty, and an ongoing search for meaning. Although melancholy is frequently connected with psychological suffering, it has also been regarded as a productive emotional state capable of generating profound artistic creativity. This dual nature makes melancholy an essential concept for understanding the relationship between emotional experience and artistic expression.The social, cultural, political, and intellectual transformations that characterized Europe during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries provided fertile conditions for the visual representation of melancholy. Rapid industrialization, urban expansion, scientific progress, technological innovation, political instability, economic uncertainty, and the weakening of traditional religious beliefs fundamentally transformed modern life. These developments intensified feelings of anxiety, isolation, insecurity, and existential uncertainty. Under such circumstances, many artists recognized that academic realism and conventional naturalistic representation were no longer capable of expressing the fragmented psychological reality of modern existence. Artistic attention gradually shifted from objective representation toward subjective emotional experience, emphasizing the inner life of the individual rather than externalappearances.This transformation culminated in the emergence of Expressionism, one of the most influential artistic movements of modern art. Expressionism emphasized emotional truth rather than visual accuracy and sought to communicate psychological realities through expressive formal experimentation. Artists intentionally distorted figures, manipulated spatial organization, exaggerated proportions, employed dissonant color harmonies, intensified brushwork, and abandoned naturalistic representation to convey powerful emotional experiences. Fear, anxiety, loneliness, alienation, despair, grief, spiritual crisis, and existential suffering became central themes within Expressionist painting. Influenced by developments in philosophy, psychology, and psychoanalysis, Expressionist artists transformed painting into a visual language capable of expressing psychological realities that often remain beyondverbaldescription. Within this artistic framework, melancholy emerged as one of the defining emotional characteristics of Expressionist art. Rather than depicting melancholy simply as sadness, Expressionist painters represented it as a complex psychological condition encompassing loneliness, alienation, emotional emptiness, anticipation, grief, fear of death, spiritual uncertainty, and existential anxiety. Their paintings reveal the psychological struggles of modern humanity while simultaneously reflecting broader social and historical transformations. Through symbolic imagery, expressive color, distorted forms, unstable compositions, and dramatic visual contrasts, melancholy became a universal language through which artists explored the emotional consequences of modernity. ResearchQuestion Drawing upon art historical literature, psychological theories, and interdisciplinary approaches, how is melancholy defined and interpreted within the context of Expressionism, and how is this emotional atmosphere communicated through formal visual elements in the selected works of Edvard Munch, James Ensor, and Emil Nolde? The principal objective of this study is to investigate the selected paintings of Edvard Munch, James Ensor, and Emil Nolde in order to examine the visual manifestation of melancholy within Expressionist painting. These three artists were deliberately selected because they represent different national traditions of Expressionism while sharing a profound concern with psychological suffering and emotional experience. Their works demonstrate that melancholy should be understood not as a single emotional state but as a multidimensional spectrum encompassing loneliness, anticipation, grief, alienation, existential fear, spiritual crisis, and psychological instability. Each artist developed an individual visual vocabulary through which internal emotional experiences were transformed into symbolic pictorial language Research Method This research adopts a qualitative approach based on a descriptive-analytical methodology. Data were collected through extensive library research using scholarly books, peer-reviewed journal articles, museum publications, exhibition catalogues, and reputable academic databases. The statistical population consists of six selected paintings, including two representative works by each artist. These works were purposefully selected because they clearly demonstrate the visual representation of melancholy within the Expressionist tradition. The analytical framework examines formal visual elements including composition, color relationships, expressive brushwork, lighting, spatial organization, symbolic imagery, distortion of human anatomy, perspective, texture, tonal contrast, and visual rhythm. These formal characteristics are interpreted alongside broader historical, philosophical, cultural, psychological, and social contexts in order to understand how visual language communicates emotional meaning. The findings indicate that melancholy functions not merely as an individual emotional experience but also as a reflection of the broader cultural and existential crises of modern society. Although Munch, Ensor, and Nolde employed different artistic methods, each transformed personal psychological experience into a powerful visual language capable of communicating universal human emotions. Their paintings demonstrate how color, composition, symbolism, distortion, and expressive form become effective instruments for representing emotional suffering, existential anxiety, and psychological conflict. Ultimately, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationship between melancholy, artistic creativity, and Expressionism while highlighting the continuing relevance of these artists' works to contemporary discussions of modern identity, emotional experience, and the psychological dimensions of visual art. Key words: Melancholy, Expressionism, Edvard Munch, James Ensor, Emil Nolde, Death, Loneliness. بیان مسئله: مالیخولیا از مفاهیم مهم هنر اکسپرسیونیسم است که زمینه‌ای برای بیان احساسات درونی، اضطراب‌های وجودی و واکنش هنرمندان به تحولات جهان مدرن فراهم کرده است. هنرمندان اکسپرسیونیست با فاصله گرفتن از بازنمایی واقعیت، به نمایش جهان ذهنی و عاطفی انسان پرداختند. این پژوهش با تمرکز بر آثار ادوارد مونک، جیمز انسور و امیل نولده، به بررسی شیوه بازنمایی مالیخولیا در نقاشی اکسپرسیونیستی می‌پردازد. مسئله اصلی پژوهش، شناخت عناصر بصری و بیانی مؤثر در انتقال احساساتی چون اندوه، اضطراب، هراس و بیگانگی در آثار این هنرمندان است. اهداف پژوهش: هدف پژوهش، شناسایی و تحلیل جلوه‌های بصری مالیخولیا در نقاشی اکسپرسیونیستی، بررسی نقش رنگ، ترکیب‌بندی، بافت، نور و نمادپردازی در بیان احساسات درونی و مقایسه رویکردهای مونک، انسور و نولده در بازنمایی این مفهوم است. سؤال پژوهش: تجربه مالیخولیا چه نقشی در شکل‌گیری زبان بصری و بیان عاطفی آثار هنرمندان اکسپرسیونیستی داشته و این مفهوم در آثار مونک، انسور و نولده چگونه بازنمایی شده است؟ روش پژوهش: این پژوهش با روش توصیفی ـ تحلیلی و بر پایه مطالعات کتابخانه‌ای انجام شده است. داده‌ها از طریق بررسی منابع علمی، آثار هنری و مقالات تخصصی گردآوری و به شیوه تطبیقی تحلیل شده‌اند. نتیجه‌گیری: یافته‌ها نشان می‌دهد که مالیخولیا در هنر اکسپرسیونیستی تنها تجربه‌ای فردی نیست، بلکه بازتابی از بحران‌های وجودی، اجتماعی و فرهنگی انسان مدرن است. مونک، انسور و نولده هر یک با شیوه‌ای متفاوت، این مفهوم را به ابزاری مؤثر برای بیان عاطفی و انتقادی در هنر مدرن تبدیل کرده‌اند.

مؤسسه آموزش عالی فردوس فردوس هنر 2717-2317 7 24 2026 06 22 Analysis of Dragon Slaying in Safavid Painting(Case Study: Shahnameh 953 AH, Paris) واکاوی ا‌ژدها کشی در نگارگری صفوی» (نمونه موردی شاهنامه 953ه.ق پاریس) 738856 10.30508/fhja.2026.2093218.1272 FA نفیسه زمانی مربی/ گروه هنر/ دانشکده هنر/ دانشگاه ملی مهارت/ تهران. ایران 0000-0002-4485-7175 Journal Article 2026 07 02 The dragon is a demonic creature in Iranian mythological history and is a symbol of evil. The battle between God and the devil is one of the various themes in mythological history, and following the epic stage, the battle between man and the dragon becomes the focus.Dragon slaying is a mythological ritual that is a battle between a god and a demon; with the entry into epic history and the transformation of gods into kings and heroes, the dragon slaying ritual embodies the battle between humans and the animal form of a dragon. Various epic poems, such as Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, have narrated this ritual. Artists from various schools of painting have also paid attention to recreating dragon slaying in their works. The Shahnameh of Paris, 953 AH, dating back to the Safavid era, is a suitable source for visual research in the field of dragon slaying due to its visual clarity. In the aforementioned version, three paintings show a battle between a man and a dragon. Now the question is, "What visual devices did the artist who painted the Shahnameh in Paris in 953 AH use to depict the dragon-slaying ritual of various heroes in his art?" It is assumed that the illustrator of the Shahnameh of 953 AH in Paris depicted the dragon-slaying ritual in a special way, based on the status of the heroes in various narrations, and used visual and figurative means for this purpose. The purpose of the present study is to examine the visual aspects of the dragon-slaying ritual in the Shahnameh of 953 AH Paris in order to explore the relationship between visual and figurative elements and the representation of the status of the dragon-slaying heroes in the performance of the aforementioned ritual. Research in the aforementioned field contributes to anthropological and mythological studies. The nature of the present research is descriptive-analytical and the method of collecting library information is descriptive. The results of the research acknowledge that the dragon-slaying ritual was performed for various purposes and that the purpose was related to the status of the hero.In all three paintings, mountains and plants are seen in common, and the dragon is visible on the left side of the painting. Helmets are designed as battle clothing on the heads of all three main characters. There are also visual elements in all three, texture, rhythm, and balance. But there are other commonalities between the two paintings, the battle of Rostam and the dragon and the battle of Goshtasb and the dragon: the frame of both is rectangular and the visual elements are arranged in such a way that the image has symmetrical balance. In both paintings, water, plains, and a flower bed are seen.Which is a symbol of nature and also the dragon's theft of water and if the dragon is not destroyed, the earth will also dry up. The common weapon of war between both is the sword and the shield. However, in the first two paintings, the rhythm is uniform and the balance is symmetrical. The painting of Rostam and the dragon also has a plant texture. And in the painting of Goshtasp and the dragon, a spongy texture has also been drawn, which has helped to create more space. There are other similarities between the painting of Rostam and the dragon and the painting of Bahram and the dragon. In both paintings, the figure of a horse is seen, and the tools of war, arrows and quivers, are also visible in both paintings. Both main characters have damaged the dragon's neck, but the means of destroying the dragon are different. Rostam does this with a sword and Bahram does it with a spear. In the last painting, the character of Bahram is in the center of the painting, but Rostam was on the right. The balance is also asymmetrical, the rhythm is wavy, and in addition, Bahram is accompanied by attendantst is concluded that the artist who illustrated the Shahnameh of Paris in 953 AH has categorized the dragon-slaying ritual based on the purpose. The main character is also in harmony with that purpose, so the artist has tried to appropriately display the types of dragon-slaying rituals with image elements and visual symbols. اژدهاکشی یکی از آیین‌های اساطیری بوده که نبردی میان ایزد با اهریمن است؛ بعد از آن‌که بشر از تاریخ اساطیری به تاریخ حماسی وارد می‌شود و ایزدان به شاهان و پهلوانان تبدیل می‌گردند، آیین اژدهاکشی نیز تجسمی از نبرد بین انسان و پیکره جانوری اژدها می‌شود. آیین اژدهاکشی در منظومه‌های حماسی مختلفی همچون شاهنامه فردوسی ذکر شده است. هنرمندان مکاتب مختلف نگارگری نیز به بازآفرینی اژدهاکشی در آثار خویش پرداخته‌اند. شاهنامه 953ه.ق پاریس مربوط به عصر صفوی بوده که به دلیل وضوح تصویری، منبع مناسبی برای پژوهش‌های بصری در حوزه اژدهاکشی است. در نسخه مزبور سه نگاره، نبرد انسان با اژدها را نشان می‌دهد. حال سؤال این است که «هنرمند نگارگر شاهنامه 953ه.ق پاریس از چه تمهیدات بصری‌ایی برای نمایش آیین اژدهاکشی پهلوانان مختلف بهره برده است؟» فرض بر آن است که نگارگر شاهنامه 953ه.ق پاریس بر اساس منزلت پهلوانان در روایات مختلف، آیین اژدهاکشی را به شیوه‌ای متفاوت از یکدیگر نمایش داده است و برای این منظور از تمهیدات بصری و تجسمی بهره‌مند گشته است. هدف از پژوهش پیش‌رو بررسی بصری آیین اژدهاکشی در شاهنامه 953ه.ق پاریس بوده که به منظور واکاوی ارتباط عناصر تجسمی با منزلت پهلوانان اژدهاکش در اجرای آیین مزبور انجام شده است. پژوهش در حوزه یاد شده به مطالعات اسطوره‌شناسی مدد می‌رساند. ماهیت تحقیق پیش‌رو توصیفی- تحلیلی و شیوه گردآوری اطلاعات کتابخانه‌ای است. نتایج تحقیق بر این نکته اذعان دارد که آیین اژدهاکشی با اهداف مختلف انجام شده و هدف ارتباط مستقیم با منزلت پهلوان داشته است