https://ssa.ricac.ac.ir/ Strategic Studies of Art en daily 1 Sat, 23 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0330 Sat, 23 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0330 https://ssa.ricac.ac.ir/article_240933.html Introduction: An abstract is a brief yet comprehensive summary of a scholarly work, often serving as the primary point of contact between a reader and an academic text. In the context of theatre studies, and particularly political theatre, the abstract plays a crucial role in clarifying not only the thematic concerns of a study but also its theoretical orientation and methodological grounding. This extended abstract addresses the possibility of emancipatory awareness in theatre by shifting the analytical focus from ideological content and declared political intentions to the experiential and phenomenological conditions that constitute the theatrical situation itself. Political theatre has traditionally been evaluated according to its subject matter, critical discourse, or explicit opposition to dominant power structures. However, such approaches often overlook a more fundamental question: how does theatre, as a lived and embodied situation grounded in a structural separation between performers and spectators, shape the conditions of perception, participation, and action? This study argues that the position of the spectator should not be understood merely as a functional or institutional role but as a phenomenological situation in which modes of seeing, hearing, and responding are pre-organized. From this perspective, theatre reproduces relations of domination not primarily through content but through the very configuration of experience it establishes. Drawing on phenomenology-particularly the concepts of being-in-the-world, lived body, and the primacy of perception over representation-the article develops a framework for analyzing theatre as an embodied mode of experience. To articulate the political implications of this experiential framework, Jacques Rancière’s political aesthetics is employed as a complementary perspective. Rancière’s notion of the “distribution of the sensible” enables a social and political reading of perception without displacing the phenomenological grounding of the analysis. The central research question guiding this study is whether theatre, while maintaining its institutional and experiential structure, can genuinely provide the conditions for reciprocal presence, equality, and emancipatory action.Methods: The study adopts a qualitative, descriptive-analytical methodology grounded in theoretical inquiry and critical interpretation. Rather than relying on empirical or field-based data, the research focuses on conceptual analysis of philosophical texts and canonical theatrical theories. Phenomenology, particularly in the work of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, constitutes the primary theoretical framework for examining embodied experience, perception, and presence within the theatrical situation. This framework is complemented by Jacques Rancière’s political aesthetics, which provides a socio-political translation of perceptual organization and experiential hierarchy. The analytical procedure involves a close reading and critical interpretation of two paradigmatic models of justice-oriented theatre: Bertolt Brecht’s epic theatre and Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed. These cases were selected due to their central position in the history of political theatre and their explicit claims regarding audience activation, awareness, and emancipation. The analysis examines the relationship between theoretical claims, performative strategies, and the phenomenological configuration of experience produced by each model. By situating these theatrical practices within a shared phenomenological horizon, the study seeks to reveal the structural conditions that both enable and limit emancipatory possibilities in theatre.Results: The analysis demonstrates that despite their divergent strategies and historical contexts, both Brecht’s and Boal’s theatrical models encounter a shared structural limitation at the level of experience. In Brecht’s epic theatre, techniques such as alienation and critical distance are designed to prevent emotional identification and promote rational judgment. However, these strategies ultimately function as mechanisms for organizing perception and guiding spectators’ cognitive responses. The spectator remains positioned as an observer whose engagement is confined to reflection and interpretation rather than embodied participation. Similarly, Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed seeks to dissolve the boundary between stage and audience by transforming the spectator into a “spect-actor.” While this model introduces direct participation and bodily involvement, the analysis shows that such participation occurs within predefined frameworks that regulate when, how, and to what extent intervention is permitted. As a result, participation becomes a guided and simulated form of engagement rather than an open-ended reconfiguration of experience. Across both models, the findings indicate that the theatrical situation remains governed by a pre-structured organization of perception that stabilizes roles and limits reciprocal interaction. Even in their most radical attempts to activate the audience, these practices reproduce a hierarchical distribution of positions that constrains the emergence of genuine equality and emancipatory action at the level of lived experience.Discussion: The results of this study suggest that the fundamental contradiction of political theatre lies not in its ideological content or historical intentions but in the phenomenological configuration of the theatrical situation itself. Theatre, as an institutionally and experientially structured event, relies on the production of the spectator position and the regulation of perceptual engagement. From a phenomenological standpoint, meaningful action and emancipation require embodied presence, mutual responsiveness, and the capacity to transform a shared situation. These conditions are systematically limited by the structural separation and perceptual organization inherent in theatre. When read through Rancière’s political aesthetics, this limitation can be understood as theatre’s tendency to remain within an established “distribution of the sensible,” even when it seeks to challenge domination. Equality, rather than functioning as a presupposition of political action, is often deferred as an outcome to be achieved through pedagogical or participatory mechanisms. Consequently, political theatre frequently replaces the disruption of perceptual order with its controlled rearrangement. This conclusion does not entail a rejection of political theatre or its historical significance. Rather, it calls for a critical reassessment of the claims made on behalf of theatre as a site of emancipation. By relocating the question of politics from representation and intention to experience and perception, the study highlights the necessity of reconsidering how artistic practices organize bodily presence, interaction, and shared space. Only through such a shift can the limits and possibilities of emancipatory praxis in relation to theatre be meaningfully addressed. https://ssa.ricac.ac.ir/article_241815.html Abstract This study aims to reinterpret and analyze the multiple meanings of the dragon symbol in Iranian art iconography. Despite the common description of the dragon as a demonic creature and a symbol of evil forces in mythology, the central question of the present article is: Is the role of the dragon in Iranian art limited solely to the symbolism of evil? To answer this question, the present study, using an analytical-descriptive method and relying on written sources and visual evidence, has examined the symbolic functions of this role in Iranian decorative arts. The findings indicate that the meaning of the dragon goes beyond a one-sided, shame-centered view and finds diverse and even contradictory implications in different contexts. In ancient mythology, the snake - which is considered the initial form of the dragon - was a symbol of health and healing. In astronomical iconography, although the dragon itself is not a planet, it has been used as a symbol to indicate specific cosmic situations such as eclipses. Also, the entanglement of the snake and the dragon in decorative motifs, considering the symbolic use of the "knot" as a magical tool, can carry a talismanic and protective function. In Islamic texts, especially in the Quranic interpretation of the story of Moses (PBUH), the dragon, the manifestation of the rod of prophecy, is depicted as a protective and destructive agent of evil and tyrannical forces. As a result, this study shows that the role of the dragon in Iranian art is a dynamic and multi-layered symbol that has a wide range of meanings in accordance with the cultural, religious and artistic context and cannot be interpreted only within the framework of a symbol of evil. Keywords: Dragon, iconography, symbolism, Iranian art, decorative art, mythology. https://ssa.ricac.ac.ir/article_241818.html Introduction: The painting “Mihr Losing the Polo Ball to King Kayvān” represents a significant example of Timurid visual culture, where narrative imagery simultaneously functions as a symbolic system. Previous research has largely focused on stylistic features, historical context, and attribution, with limited attention to systematic iconological interpretation. This study examines how the painting conveys layered meanings through astronomical, mythological, and political symbolism, addressing how visual elements communicate philosophical and cosmological concepts within Panofsky’s three-level iconological framework. The aim is to demonstrate that the work functions not merely as illustration but as a visual discourse on sovereignty, fate, and cosmic order.Methods: A qualitative, descriptive-analytical approach based on library sources, historical chronicles, and studies on Persian symbolism and cosmology was employed. The painting was analyzed through three stages: pre-iconographic description (formal and perceptual features, including composition, gesture, spatial relations, and color), iconographic analysis (motifs interpreted through textual, mythological, and cultural references), and iconological interpretation (synthesizing findings to reveal intrinsic meanings and their relation to kingship, temporality, and celestial determinism).Results: The analysis reveals that the central positioning of the ball, chromatic contrasts, and spatial dynamics structure a symbolic opposition between Mihr and Kayvān, reflecting dualities of luminosity versus limitation and vitality versus restraint. The spherical form and unstable trajectory of the ball encode cyclical motion and the fluctuating nature of power, while costume and spatial hierarchy reinforce distinctions in authority and agency. The depicted game operates as an allegorical model of political legitimacy and the circulation of power.Discussion: The painting visualizes Timurid conceptions of rulership, linking political authority to cosmological order. The tension between figures reflects concerns of succession, stability, and the temporality of power. Iconologically, the work integrates myth, astronomy, and ideology into a coherent visual discourse, demonstrating the value of multi-level analysis for uncovering cultural meanings in Persian painting. https://ssa.ricac.ac.ir/article_241806.html The seven principles of Iranian design and the principles of composition are among the characteristics of Iranian art that can be seen in most traditional arts. In the Safavid period, the use of visual and aesthetic features in art reached its peak compared to previous periods. During the reign of Shah Tahmasb, due to the support of various arts, arts such as book layout, carpets, etc. were given attention and growth, and masterpieces such as Sheikh Safi carpets and Shahnameh Tahmasbi were created. The motifs in the illumination of Shahnameh and Sheikh Safi carpets were designed and executed while maintaining the principles, elegance, and details, but at the same time they have some differences from each other. In this regard, the objectives of the research are: to identify the visual and aesthetic features of illumination and carpets of the Safavid period (Tabriz) with a focus on Shahnameh Tahmasbi and Sheikh Safi carpets, and to identify the differences and similarities in the design principles and aesthetic features of illumination in Shahnameh Tahmasbi and Sheikh Safi carpets. The present study seeks to answer these questions: 1- What are the visual and aesthetic features based on the principles of design of Iranian art in the illumination of Shahnameh Tahmasbi and Sheikh Safi carpet? 2- What are the differences and similarities in the principles of design and aesthetic features of the illumination in Shahnameh Tahmasbi with the motifs of Sheikh Safi carpet? The research method is descriptive-comparative, the method of data collection is library, and the method of data analysis is qualitative. Due to their sophistication, simultaneous creation, and being artistic masterpieces, Shahnameh Tahmasbi and Sheikh Safi carpet, which are among the most exquisite and prominent works of this period, have been selected as the research community. The results of the findings are as follows: Of the seven principles of Iranian art that received much attention during the Safavid period, Eslimi, Khatai, Niloufar, and Gereh have been designed and implemented with great elegance and precision in both works. The principles of design and composition have also been observed in both works. Shamsa with the symbolic meaning of Farrah Izadi (Divine halo) is one of the main forms of both arts. The differences between the two works are related to the difference in function, nature and dimensions, which has led to more decorations and details in the carpet. Despite the possibility of being designed by one artist, the artist, with full knowledge of the structure and function of each art, has designed each one appropriately, while maintaining the principles. https://ssa.ricac.ac.ir/article_241950.html Introduction: The master-apprentice system is the cornerstone of traditional Iranian art education. Unlike modern pedagogical models that focus primarily on technical proficiency, this traditional system emphasizes a holistic transformation of the student. Historically, Iranian arts were transmitted through a chain of masters (Silsila), where the master acted not just as a teacher but as a spiritual guide. This study explores the ontological status of both master and apprentice within the context of Iranian traditional arts, moving beyond a purely historical or technical analysis to understand the metaphysical foundations of this relationship.Methods: The present research is theoretical and qualitative in nature. It utilizes a descriptive-analytical method. Data collection was performed through extensive library research, focusing on primary sources such as Futuwwatnamas (treatises of chivalry), guild regulations, and classical mystical texts (e.g., works of Ayn al-Quzat Hamadani and Aziz al-Din Nasafi). These texts were analyzed to extract the essential qualities and duties assigned to the roles of master and apprentice.Results: The analysis reveals that the master-apprentice system is built upon two pillars: the Authority of the Master and the Service of the Apprentice.The Master’s status is defined by Wilayah (spiritual authority) and Hidayah (guidance). A master must possess not only technical mastery but also moral integrity, compassion, and wisdom.The Apprentice’s status is defined by Khidmah (service). Service is viewed as a means of internal purification, making the apprentice receptive to the master’s “secret” knowledge.The system is found to be “atemporal,” meaning its core principles remained consistent across various dynasties, from the early Islamic era to the zenith of guild organizations in the Safavid period.Conclusion: The findings suggest that the master-apprentice system functions as a sacred bridge between tradition and individual practice. The study concludes that the decline of traditional arts in the modern era is closely linked to the weakening of this master-apprentice bond. Re-evaluating these traditional statuses can offer new insights for contemporary art education, emphasizing the integration of ethics and technique. https://ssa.ricac.ac.ir/article_241952.html The khānaqāh, as a sacred and multifunctional institution, has consistently played a fundamental role in organizing the socio-spatial order, transmitting mystical teachings, and representing the collective identity of Sufis. Among such institutions, the Khānaqāh of Ṣafī ʿAlī Shāh functioned not only as a gathering place for disciples and a site for performing spiritual rituals, but also as a visual medium for expressing mystical worldview, affirming the spiritual legitimacy of the Sufi master, and ensuring the continuity of the Niʿmatullāhī Sufi order. This study undertakes a comparative examination of the wall paintings and tilework motifs of the khānaqāh–mausoleum of Ṣafī ʿAlī Shāh in relation to his social, mystical, and spiritual status. It seeks to demonstrate how visual art in this commemorative monument reflects his personal conduct, stages of spiritual wayfaring, and social role as a Sufi master within the context of Qajar-era Sufism. Focusing on the semantics of tilework motifs and wall paintings in this complex, the article explores how the mystical lifestyle and spiritual path of Ṣafī ʿAlī Shāh are manifested in the selection of themes, symbols, poetic inscriptions, and human figures, and what factors influenced the formation of Qajar tilework motifs in mystical–funerary architecture. To this end, a descriptive–analytical research method has been employed, and data were collected through library research and inferential analysis. Examining Ṣafī ʿAlī Shāh’s lifestyle, his socio-mystical position among the Niʿmatullāhī dervishes, and comparing these with the visual motifs and poetic inscriptions on the tiles has enabled a symbolic interpretation of these artworks. In this regard, the main objectives of the research are: first, to explain the reflection of Ṣafī ʿAlī Shāh’s mystical way of life in the visual art of his khānaqāh–mausoleum; and second, to identify the functions and formative factors of tilework motifs in Qajar-era mystical architectural monuments. The research questions are as follows: How did the mystical lifestyle and spiritual path of Ṣafī ʿAlī Shāh influence the tilework motifs of his mausoleum? What factors influenced Qajar tilework motifs in the context of mystical–funerary architecture? The findings indicate that the paintings and tilework of the Khānaqāh of Ṣafī ʿAlī Shāh are not merely decorative elements, but possess semantic, educational, and legitimizing functions. Some concepts are conveyed to the viewer through the simultaneous integration of imagery, poetry, and visual symbols. These motifs depict the various stages of Ṣafī ʿAlī Shāh’s spiritual journey—while also consolidating his socio-spiritual status as a Sufi master in the collective memory of his followers. In conclusion, the visual art of the Khānaqāh of Ṣafī ʿAlī Shāh can be understood as a tangible reflection of the interconnection between Sufism, art, and the social structure of the Qajar period. Its study offers deeper insight into the role of painting and tilework in conveying mystical experience and representing socio-spiritual identity in Iranian Sufi architectural spaces. https://ssa.ricac.ac.ir/article_241235.html Introducion: The spatial experience within museums, as the outcome of the complex interaction between human perception and architectural space, has long been a significant subject of scholarly inquiry. Within this context, natural light plays a fundamental role in shaping spatial perception and aesthetic experience. Despite the extensive body of research addressing spatial and environmental components of museum architecture, in-depth qualitative investigations into the role of natural light in shaping spatial perception-particularly within the theoretical framework of Immanuel Kant’s aesthetics as articulated in the Critique of Judgment-remain limited. Adopting a qualitative and interpretive approach, the present study seeks to elucidate both the how and the why of natural light’s influence on spatial experience and aesthetic perception in the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, aiming to clarify the relationship between architecture, spatial experience, and aesthetic values in contemporary cultural spaces.Methods: This study adopts a qualitative, analytical-interpretive approach and is designed to elucidate the role of natural light in shaping spatial experience and aesthetic perception within the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, grounded in the theoretical framework of Immanuel Kant’s aesthetics as articulated in the Critique of Judgment. The study focuses on the interior spaces of the museum, with an emphasis on the interaction between architectural organization and natural light. Data were gathered through environmental observation and a review of architectural documents, including spatial layouts and lighting design strategies. To enhance the credibility and reliability of the findings, data triangulation was applied by cross-validating observations and architectural documents, while preliminary interpretations were further reviewed and confirmed through feedback from experts in architecture and the philosophy of art. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis within an interpretive-phenomenological framework, through which key concepts such as aesthetic experience, spatial perception, and interaction with natural light were identified and interpreted in relation to Kant’s Third Critique, allowing for an in-depth exploration of the relationships between light, architectural form, and spatial experience.Results: The study demonstrates that natural light in the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art functions beyond a mere environmental or physical element, acting as a perceptual-aesthetic construct that gradually, dynamically, and evolutionarily organizes spatial experience. Analysis within the framework of Kantian aesthetics and a phenomenological approach reveals that engagement with natural light occurs across three interrelated layers. The first layer establishes fundamental spatial perception, enabling orientation, boundary recognition, and the overall organization of space. The second layer encompasses phenomenological perception, in which light modulates the appearance of objects, volumes, and spatial configurations through chiaroscuro, luminous tensions, and temporal variations. The third layer realizes a Kantian aesthetic experience, characterized by the free play of cognitive faculties, disinterested judgment, and a sense of purposiveness without purpose. These layers are causally and developmentally linked, with each level creating the conditions for the next. Furthermore, natural light simultaneously activates three perceptual mechanisms: guiding attention and movement, accentuating phenomenological qualities, and facilitating mental-aesthetic release. By proposing a perceptual cycle of light, the study offers an innovative theoretical framework that positions natural light as an active agent in structuring and enhancing aesthetic experience in museum and cultural spaces, with broader implications for architectural design, spatial organization, and experiential quality in diverse artistic environments.Discussion: Natural light in the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art functions not merely as a physical source of illumination but as an active perceptual-aesthetic agent that shapes spatial experience. Analysis within the framework of Kantian aesthetics and a phenomenological approach reveals that engagement with natural light unfolds as a gradual, multilayered, and non-linear process. Initially, light structures basic spatial perception by guiding orientation, delineating boundaries, and organizing overall spatial layout. Subsequently, it generates phenomenological qualities-such as transparency, chiaroscuro, luminous tension, and temporal rhythm-that enrich the perception of objects, volumes, and architectural space. Ultimately, natural light facilitates a Kantian aesthetic experience, characterized by the free play of imagination and understanding, disinterested judgment, and a sense of purposiveness without purpose. Serving as a mediating agent, light simultaneously aligns the appearance of artworks with the spatial configuration, fostering deeper contemplation, prolonged engagement, and a balance between navigation, fluid movement, and aesthetic reflection. The study proposes a three-layered conceptual model that integrates spatial perception, phenomenological experience, and aesthetic realization, highlighting the dynamic interaction between light, architectural form, and perceptual experience. This framework offers both theoretical insights and practical guidance for designing natural lighting in contemporary art museums, emphasizing its role as an active contributor to immersive and meaningful spatial experiences. https://ssa.ricac.ac.ir/article_242035.html Discussions related to the field of works of art and the introduction of handicraft products to this domain is one of the most important issues that has occupied many minds over the past decade and has caused many controversies.But so far little attention has been paid to the possibilities of philosophy of art and aesthetics to study this issue or at least its feasibility. While there are ideas and philosophies that can be used to study these issues or at least show the seriousness and impossibility of a definitive solution in the short term. This article aims to give a very brief linguistic look at arts and crafts. And using the idea of three philosophies in three time periods to analyze the relationship between the two. And examine the possibility of handicraft products entering the field of works of art based on these three theories. This issue is first studied based on the aesthetic theory of Immanuel Kant. And in the next step, based on the principles of John Dewey's pragmatism, this issue is discussed. It then focuses on this issue based on George Dickie's institutional theory. Finally, the results are presented. https://ssa.ricac.ac.ir/article_241088.html Introducion:“The carpet, as one of the most significant visual artifacts of Iranian civilization, transcends its decorative and functional dimensions to become a semiotic field rich in cultural and epistemological meanings. The indigenous carpets of Kermanshah, woven by Kurdish tribes, represent a unique inter textual dialogue between tradition, memory, and creative consciousness. This research situates the Kurdish carpet not as a mere object of ethnographic or aesthetic value, but as a text in the Barthes sense open, plural, and interpretable. By reading the carpet as text, the study seeks to bridge the gap between visual culture and literary hermeneutics, arguing that the carpet, like a literary text, contains semantic layers that invite multiple readings. The Kermanshah carpet embodies a living narrative of local cosmology, collective identity, and the metaphysical imagination of its weavers. Within its warp and weft, the act of weaving becomes an act of writing a silent inscription of cultural memory and existential meaning. This study aims to reinterpret the indigenous carpets of Kermanshah through a poststructuralist lens, exploring how meaning emerges from the interplay of symbol, materiality, and cultural context. The key questions include: How can the indigenous Kurdish carpet be read as a textual phenomenon rather than as a mere artifact? By addressing these questions, the paper aims to reposition the weaver as an authorial subject and the act of weaving as a hermeneutic process, thereby contributing to the interdisciplinary discourse that connects semiotics, visual studies, and literary theory.Methods: The research employs a qualitative and interpretive methodology grounded in textual hermeneutics and visual semiotics. By analyzing specific examples of Kermanshah carpets particularly the motifs known as “Bazooband”, “Toranj lenjabi”, and “Hoseinbadi” the study decodes the symbolic logic embedded in their compositions. These motifs are not approached as ornamental signs but as semantic nodes that communicate the worldview of the Kurdish artisan. The analysis combines close visual reading with theoretical exegesis, drawing parallels between the structural patterns of the carpet and the syntagmatic structures of language. Each carpet is treated as a space where meaning is woven through repetition, variation, and transformation of motifs. The ethnographic dimension of the study also acknowledges the embodied experience of the weaver her gestures, rhythms, and silence as integral to the text’s production.Results: The study reveals that the indigenous carpets of Kermanshah function as complex semiotic systems that encode collective myths, memories, and cosmological narratives. The Bazooband motif, for instance, symbolizes both protection and captivity, mirroring the dualities of power and vulnerability in Kurdish cultural consciousness. The Toranj lenjabi pattern evokes a metaphysical center a sacred geometry of being while the Hoseinabadi motif signifies duality and mirroring, reflecting the philosophical tension between self and other. Through these symbolic structures, the carpet emerges as a site of presence through absence: the weaver’s body disappears behind the loom, yet her subjectivity is inscribed in every knot. The absence of the authorial body paradoxically intensifies its presence in the texture of the work, echoing Barthes’ notion of the “death of the author” as a condition for the birth of the text. Furthermore, the study finds that the aesthetic act of weaving produces a temporal text: meaning unfolds not in linear time but in cyclical repetition, akin to oral storytelling or musical rhythm. The Kermanshah carpet thus becomes an archive of living time a woven memory that resists erasure and reaffirms identity.Discussion: This interdisciplinary inquiry demonstrates that the Kurdish carpets of Kermanshah are not merely objects of beauty or utility but dynamic texts that articulate a philosophy of being, memory, and identity. Through the lens of post-structuralism, the carpet is redefined as an open field of signification in which meaning is neither fixed nor author centered but continuously generated through the interplay of viewer, context, and cultural memory. The research underscores the value of approaching indigenous artifacts as texts living entities capable of discourse thereby expanding the domain of textual studies beyond linguistic boundaries. It also highlights the necessity of integrating literary theory, semiotics, and anthropology to access the deep structures of meaning embedded in material culture. Ultimately, this study proposes that to “read” a carpet is to engage with an ontology of weaving: a dialogue between silence and sign, material and meaning, tradition and interpretation. The Kermanshah carpet, in this sense, stands as both a cultural document and a philosophical text an embodied language of threads that speaks the unspeakable, preserving within its fibers the continuous act of becoming that defines art, culture, and human creativity. https://ssa.ricac.ac.ir/article_242034.html The Persian carpet, as one of the most sublime manifestations of art and industry within the realm of Islamic civilization, holds a distinguished position. This cultural masterpiece, with a history spanning millennia, has an inseparable connection with the social and economic life of Iran and encompassed a wide spectrum of communities, from nomadic tribes to royal courts. The study of Tabriz prayer rugs from the Qajar period reveals remarkable diversity in their design structure and the creative application of color. These works, while preserving the symbolic structure of the mihrab, simultaneously demonstrate innovation in composition and coloration—particularly through the use of aniline dyes—thereby catalyzing aesthetic transformations in the carpet-weaving art of this region. The present research was conducted with the aim of analyzing the design structure and color composition of Tabriz prayer rugs from the Qajar period. The main research question is as follows: What are the structural and chromatic characteristics of design in this category of rugs? To achieve this objective, four prominent specimens of Tabriz prayer rugs from the Qajar period were selected via purposive sampling from the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and examined using a descriptive-analytical approach. Data was gathered through library research by studying visual documentation and related texts. The findings indicate that Tabriz prayer rugs from this period exhibit significant diversity in design, encompassing a range from simple to highly ornate structures. The employed motifs represent a synthesis of curvilinear and geometric patterns, and the composition of the rugs is primarily based on establishing harmony and symmetry within the color tonalities. This research ultimately confirms that these rugs, with their unique structural and chromatic features, constitute a distinct and noteworthy genre of carpet-weaving art from the Qajar era. https://ssa.ricac.ac.ir/article_241953.html ​The emergence of generative AI has presented a fundamental challenge to traditional paradigms of art education. The present study aims to: The emergence of generative AI has presented a fundamental challenge to traditional paradigms of art education. The present study aims to investigate the role of tools such as Midjourney as a “co-creator” in the creative process and analyze its impact on the four components of creativity (fluidity, flexibility, extension, and originality) in art students.This study is a systematic review, conducted by collecting and synthesizing the findings of empirical research published between 2024 and 2026. The sources used include reputable international articles as well as proceedings from reputable conferences in the fields of design and art education. The criterion for selecting sources was their direct relevance to the application of generative artificial intelligence (particularly Midjourney) in art and design education, with a focus on students’ ideation processes and creativity.Research questions: 1. What is the effect of interacting with Midjourney on students’ fluency and mental flexibility scores in the ideation stage? 2. How does the use of generative AI change the concept of “artistic agency” and “originality of the work” in the students’ perception?Findings: The results showed that the use of AI significantly increased the fluidity and visual development in the initial designs (P < 0.05). However, in the “originality” component, the experimental group faced the challenge of “repetition of algorithmic patterns”. The findings emphasize that AI in the idea incubation stage leads to a reduction in fear of the blank canvas and an increase in boldness in experimentation, provided that the art teacher strengthens the role of “curator” and “critic” for the student.Throughout history, technology has always been a tool at the service of the artist; from the invention of the camera that freed painting from the constraints of representing reality, to the emergence of digital software. But generative AI is fundamentally different from previous tools. This technology is no longer a passive tool, but acts as a “co-producer” capable of providing new visual suggestions based on machine learning patterns (Anantrasirichai & Bull, 2022: 11-19). For art students who are in the process of forming a personal style and learning ideation skills, encountering tools like Midjourney or DALL-E can be both inspiring and paralyzing. The main question of this research is whether the introduction of AI into the art classroom broadens creative horizons or slows down the process of mental effort of the student by providing ready-made solutions? Also, what is the impact of using generative AI tools (Midjourney) on the components of fluidity, flexibility, and expansion in students’ creativity? How does interacting with AI as a “co-producer” change the traditional design process (sketching) among students, and does dependence on AI outputs lead to a decrease in intuitive understanding and visual problem-solving skills in students?The main objective of the research is to explore the impact of interacting with generative AI on the quality and speed of visual ideation in art students. Also, examining the difference between the originality of works produced with AI and traditional methods and analyzing changes in students’ creative self-confidence after using generative tools are other secondary objectives of this research. This research is of a mixed type:Quantitative part: Using a quasi-experimental design. 60 students are divided into two experimental and control groups. The experimental group uses Midjourney for idea generation to design a poster with a single topic, and the control group uses only traditional methods (brainstorming and hand sketching). Qualitative section: Content analysis of in-depth interviews with students and professors about the experience of “agency” while working with artificial intelligence.The data from the pre-test and post-test were analyzed using SPSS software version 27. To compare the mean scores of the two groups and ensure that the improvement in creativity was due to the independent variable (Midjourney), the analysis of covariance test was used. Given the nature of the use of artificial intelligence, two ethical principles were observed:Transparency: Students were required to attach all steps of changing the prompts to the work.Property rights: Students were taught how to avoid directly copying the style of living artists. The concept of co-production: In classical theories, creativity was considered a purely human trait. However, with the emergence of “computational creativity”, the concept of “distributed agency” was introduced. Boden (2004) believes that creativity is the ability to combine new ideas in a way that is valuable. Artificial intelligence is defined in this article as a “random but intelligent agent” that plays the role of the “creative other” in the student’s ideation cycle. https://ssa.ricac.ac.ir/article_242625.html Iranian carpets, beyond their visual appeal, embody profound layers of meaning, such that each motif and color refers to ancient beliefs, enduring worldviews, and sacred concepts rooted in myth. Myths narrate foundational events that are believed to have occurred in the primordial time of creation, through which the semantic structures of cultures are formed. Mircea Eliade, the prominent Romanian scholar of religion and myth, understands creation and its fundamental elements as a realm for the manifestation of the sacred—a realm in which the world acquires meaning through signs and symbols. Iranian carpets, as visual texts, powerfully present this manifestation of sacredness to the viewer. Within this context, the present study raises the question of how a motif from the carpets of the Arak region—specifically the relatively forgotten Henna Flower motif—can be interpreted in relation to Eliade’s mythological perspectives. Accordingly, the research hypothesis posits that there are meaningful correspondences and overlaps between Eliade’s concepts of the sacred and creation and the mythological beliefs of ancient Iran, which can be traced in motifs such as the Henna Flower. The aim of this study is to examine the myths associated with this motif and to analyze it through the lens of Eliade’s mythological framework. The research adopts a fundamental approach and employs a descriptive–analytical methodology. Data were collected through library research and field studies. The findings indicate that the Henna Flower motif embodies mythological concepts such as the manifestation of paradise, meanings associated with protection and guardianship, and the notion of renewal and rebirth understood as the repetition of creation. The Henna Flower motif is therefore not merely a decorative element, but a mythological–symbolic structure that renders Arak carpets readable as sacred visual texts within the Iranian artistic tradition.