Introduction
در دی ماه 1398 با حضور در آزمایشگاه تعاونی ملامین[1] و گفتگو با خانم کرمانی یکی از کارشناسان این آزمایشگاه، اطلاعاتی دربارة چگونگی تولید و استانداردسازی ظروف ملامین به دست آوردم. به گفتة ایشان، از سال 1375 با توجه به افزایش کارکرد ظرف ملامین و مطرح شدن احتمال سرطان‌زا بودن آن، استانداردسازی کارخانه‌های تولید، اجباری شد. از آن سال شرکت‌های تولیدی موظف به درج نشان استاندارد ملی و نام تجاری سازنده بر روی محصولات خود شدند. در آزمایشگاه تعاونی ملامین، ظروف مطابق با استاندارد شماره 612 که مختص کشور ایران است، آزمون و درصد ترکیب خاکستر و فرمالدئید[2] براساس جدول زیر سنجیده می‌شود. در صورت وجود مغایرت، کالا قابل قبول نمی‌باشد و اجازة تولید آن داده نخواهد شد.
| Ash – 2% of weight | → Normal level |
| Formaldehyde up to 3ppni | Normal |
Melamine dishes are made of melamine powder, which is obtained from petrochemical crystals. The material was imported in the past from Germany, Italy and Turkey. At present, melamine powder is produced in Fars Chemical Company and Saravid Industrial Company, both in Shiraz. (Personal communication, December 2019)
In a meeting with Al-Basir Husseinbar, [3] he referred to the early years after the 1979 Islamic Revolution when there was a great demand for melamine tableware among all social classes. It was because of the government's supportive role in this regard. The government at the time often provided equipment such as melamine dinnerware sets to the newly-weds in addition to wedding loans.
He also believes that the government support in Iran is an important factor in the prosperity of the economics of the arts. Whenever the country's economic conditions have improved as a result of the increase in the sales of oil and petroleum products, state organizations and museums have participated in the art market more actively. (Personal communication, 2015)
Today, compared to the early years after the Islamic Revolution, the tendency to use melamine dishes has reduced. To find out about the reason, I talked to Tayyebeh Ezzatollahi Nejad. As an anthropologist, she believes that factors such as social origin, income, media, newspaper ads and TV commercials are the reasons for changing the purchase and consumption behavior in the society.
Emphasizing on the importance of altruism and the fact that people communicated with each other more in the past, she also considers the role of religious beliefs and cultural structure to be effective in this regard.
Therefore, disposable tableware has replaced melamine dishes today due to their lower costs and the fact that they need not to be washed. (Personal communication, December 23, 2019)
[1] The Melamine Cooperative Laboratory is the second accredited laboratory and a collaborator with the Standards Organization, where both imported and domestically produced samples are tested.
[2] Formaldehyde: Also known by its scientific name methanal, formaldehyde is used in the production of melamine resin or melamine-formaldehyde.
[3] Secretary of the Working Group on the Conservation of Modern Materials and Contemporary Art, ICOM Iran Conservation Committee.
On December 30, 2019, I revisited the National Library and paid a visit to a home library on Karim Khan Street; however, I did not get any positive results. The day after, I went to Café Tehroon on Villa Street. From the bookshelf inside the café, I read issues of the Tehran Mosavvar [1] magazine, published from 1944 to 1961, and the collection of Gilgamesh books [2]. There I had a meeting with Meysam Mahfouzi [3]....
In January 2020, while visiting different places in Tehran and meeting new people, I went to a number of restaurants and teahouses. I walked from Molavi Intersection, South Valiasr Street, to Ghiyasi Square. Along the way, I saw old cafes, and in some cases new ones, still using melamine dishes; white plates and bowls with a single flower pattern and a border around it.
However, for various reasons, including lack of purchasing power, zinc [4] tableware was used more in that district. Mahmoud Yakhi's Restaurant and Teahouse on Shoosh Street, nearly 80 years old, and Azari Teahouse on Rah Ahan Street are two examples where melamine and porcelain dishes are not used. Referring to the background of the Azari Teaouse, Alireza Azaripour Esfahani explained the reason to me (personal communication, February 2, 2020):
- “I used to work with my father here. In the past, it was an open place and a hangout for the people who polished building floors, bakers, as well as ring and prayer beads (misbahah) sellers”.
- “We used to serve Dizi (traditional Iranian food) in zinc bowls and did it for 22 years. After a while, earthenware bowls replaced them. Today, we cook and serve Dizi in stone dishes, which customers say tastes better this way”.
- “We never used melamine tableware since it was kind of plastic and did not feel original”.
[1] A magazine containing various social, political, economic, and artistic content, published in four periods throughout the year between 1929 and 1981.
[2] The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest and most renowned epic works of ancient literature, translated and published in 1870 by George Smith.
[4] Zinc, a relatively lightweight metal (Zn), is highly conductive and transfers heat efficiently. These qualities have led to its use in producing traditional zinc household utensils (commonly pronounced “Roohee” in Persian).
In January 2020 I met Bita Fayyazi[1] and asked her about the melamine tableware and its cultural background. She mentioned attending the mourning ceremony of Imam Hussain (AS) in a village, where melamine dishes were often used for votive foods; dishes of one color with paisley patterns.
In this regard, Sara Jafari[2] mentions the way the guests are served in a district of Nowshahr City[3], called Shaliz, where very delicate dishes with watercolor forms were used. For example, halva[4] (a kind of sweet confection originating in the Middle East) was poured into the plates in a way that the edge of the dishes was clear. Although the forms reminded of the past, the extensive use of some tableware made it difficult to distinguish between the pattern and form. (Personal communication, November 24, 2019)
I sought answers to questions such as what do people consume and how is their diet? How will economic changes and their consequences influence the food culture of a society and a family food habits?
I spoke with various people about their cultural background regarding the proper etiquette for serving food, nutrition, criteria for choosing a dish and in particular melamine dishes. While talking to them, I came across significant points, including the following:
[1] Conceptual artist
[2] Artist and university instructor
[3] A city in Mazandaran Province
[4] A type of confectionery / A type of sweet
Anahita Kaviani (1972-?) )
- “Since 1982 when we came to Tehran, we did not want to use melamine dishes as they were outdated and for the first time we bought a Pyrex[1] plate that was in honey cherry color.
- However, there was an economic aspect to the use of melamine dishes for us as they were unbreakable.
- We had a set of green and blue melamine dinnerware set at home, but it quickly lost its color and quality.
- Today, we use melamine dishes for our picnics and prefer them to disposable tableware. (Personal communication, ?)
[1] Pyrex: A trademarked type of glass that was introduced to the market in 1915.
Khadijeh Nematipour (1961 – teacher)
I remember we always had melamine dishes at home during my childhood, like most people, and used them for our daily meals. Porcelain dishes were used at parties and we kept them in the cupboard. Melamine dinnerware sets were valued in the bride's dowry or as a wedding gift.
From about 1967 when I came to Tehran, I realized the desire among the public to use a wide range of colors and patterns when it came to melamine dishes. Although the use of melamine dishes with the pattern of Layla and Majnun (the characters of a classic Persian love story) were more common, the choice of the pattern of the tableware products varied among the people of different neighborhoods and families with differences in their beliefs and religious attitudes. In the neighborhood where we lived in north of Tehran, floral dinnerware and dishes with patterns of rural and natural landscapes, with a white background and red motifs were prevalent.
At the time, the most expensive melamine dinnerware set cost 800 to 1,000 tomans. In the early 1960s, many goods were rationed, and we consumed as much as we were provided with. Although we have not used melamine dishes for many years, in those days when there were not any disposable tableware, we used melamine dishes for indoor and outdoor ceremonies. (Personal communication, ?)
Mr. Mehdi Goli (1983 – kitchenware seller)
We grew up with melamine dishes. Choosing the dishes pattern was important for our family. In the past, the originality of the designs was important, and despite the dishes with Japanese designs and carbon blue color, Layla and Majnun pattern was famous.
When arcopal
[1] Arcopal (in French) and Opal Glass (in English)
is a material situated between porcelain and glass, generally known for its heat resistance.
Ms. Jan-Zare’ (1930 – translator and fashion designer)
In our neighborhood on Pahlavi Street, there was a store that sold pink and sky blue melamine tableware. When buying melamine dishes, I would pay attention to their patterns and color as it was important for me that after a while, the layer of melamine resin does not fade. However, I preferred to use zinc and copper dishes for hot liquid foods.
Since most people at the time used ash and soil to wash the dishes, they were more inclined to buy blue melamine tableware because it turned white after several times of washing. (Personal communication, ?)
Abolfazl Fathi (1965 – seller)
At the beginning of my career, I had a store in the Plasco Building, where I sold melamine tableware.
Those days, melamine dishes and their patterns and designs were valuable for people as they contributed to the beauty of the sofreh, a Persian word meaning a cloth, simple or grand, that is usually spread on the floor on top of the carpet, on which food is served.
Melamine dishes were used for up to ten years and were not discarded even after that, but were used for other purposes.
Esmaeil Bakhshi (1949 – CEO of Iran Land & Sea Company)
Melamine tableware entered the Iranian market due to the difficult economic conditions and high cost of porcelain dishes. The reasonable prices and variety in patterns and colors made melamine dishes popular.
They mostly had flowers patterns. In my city, Amlash, in Gilan Province, dishes with red flowers were more common. Due to the fact that melamine dishes were scratched and damaged after a while, little by little people paid more attention to more quality tableware and the usage of melamine dishes reduced among the public.
In restaurants, too, melamine dishes with different qualities and often with simple colors were commonly used. Such dishes were also used in private shipping companies to serve employees. In general, melamine tableware was more used in rural regions than urban areas. (Personal communication, December 30, 2019)
Amir Houshang Maddah (1964 – molder)
I molded and produced various parts in the telecommunications company from 1985 to 2005.
At the time, we used melamine molds. As the molds were exposed to high temperatures for baking, the chance of them becoming carcinogenic would increase. This plus the fact that their usage had some environmental hazards resulted in the decline in the use of melamine.
There was a chain store in Imam Hossein Square in Tehran which sold scratched and damaged melamine dishes on a lower price, and it was welcomed by the public.
Today, these dishes are like a photo album. Because on the one hand, each pattern and design carries a memory with it as each family member liked a certain pattern. For example, dishes with Layla and Majnun design were less used in families with religious tendencies due to the type of clothing and makeup shown in them.
On the other hand, melamine dishes refer to a period of time during which people socialized with each other more easily and their interactions were far from being luxury-oriented.
One way to offer melamine tableware was to use it as a shopping gift. By placing a dish or plate in the detergent boxes, people were encouraged to buy more of the items to complete their set. (Personal communication, ?)
Mahdieh Kavakeb Panah (? – artist)
Melamine dishes are reminiscent of my childhood memories and bear various cultural and social messages. The melamine dinner set in our house had Layla and Majnun design, which seemed a little strange for a completely religious and traditional family. I loved this design since I was a little child and thought it was my parents' picture printed on the plates; a strange fantasy and imagination. By putting these memories together and considering my family culture now and comparing it to the past, as a part of the whole, I realize how the beliefs that were once considered right have changed.
For me, a simple matter like the design of a plate is a tangible and thought-provoking sign of the culture of a society in different eras. A belief that is considered absolute ad unshakeable today can change over time or even completely disappear. So why should it be considered genuine? Thus, the study of melamine dishes as an art project provides an opportunity to address the general culture and social history of a nation and its developments. (Personal communication, ? 2019) 1398)
Ghodratollah Agheli (? – sculptor)
Agheli: In this study, it is better to focus on sofreh first, because there are many of them in the Iranian culture used in religious, wedding, Hana Bandan (a pre-wedding ritual), and New Year ceremonies, all of which look like a screen. So without a sofreh, dishes become meaningless.
Until September 1931, traditional culture and agriculture were predominant in Iran. After that, with the development of oil industry, the country tended towards modernity, and while getting away from feudalism[1], the lifestyle also changed.
Ghazaal: The rise in the production of petroleum products led to a change in the supply and demand system and people's tastes. According to Tehran Mosavvar magazine issues from 1944 to 1972 and documents I saw in the archives of Hamshahri daily published in 1991, most oil products were produced mostly from Iranian oil in the developing and European countries and then were imported to the country.
Agheli: Plates have always been considered as a decorative element. In a movie by Parviz Kimiavi, we see that ancient relics exit the county and petroleum compounds are imported. The managers of the Plasco Building made plastic materials from petroleum products and then converted them into melamine. The use of melamine dishes was more common in the 1980s and until 1988. At the time, cooperatives offered a melamine dinnerware set to newly-wed couples in addition to refrigerators. In Isfahan, melamine dishes with chicken patterns were prevalent. (Personal communication, January 26, 2020)
[1] Feudalism: Lordship
Pooya Aryanpour (?)
As everything in the world is going on fast, all aspects of life have also changed. For example, architecture has changed and human goals are no longer similar to those in the past. Capitalism has also been imposed on us at different times. Likewise, the history of melamine dishes has undergone changes in accordance with the changes in society and industry. Therefore, your approach toward melamine is quite practical. (Personal communication, January 11, 2020)
Arash Reisian[1]
When the use of melamine dishes became popular among families, though a minority did not choose such tableware, these dishes were lovely despite their simplicity. Some chemical compounds were used in the making of melamine dishes. When the surface layers of the dishes were damaged, it was possible for the compounds to enter the body and endanger its health.
I saw that people around Damghan City and in the north of the country use more melamine dishes than in other areas. The dishes were in light colors and had single flowers. When the color faded after a while, they were taken to the villages for other uses. (Personal communication, January 14, 2020)
[1] documentary maker
Niloufar Abedi[1]
Abedi: In addition to being a gallery owner, I began to study the food culture with a personal interest and following my father's activities. I do not see the White Spot [2] Restaurant as a place where people only come to eat. There, the installation of artists' works inspires the people and influence their meals, and thus has its own culture. While studying at Emily Carr [3] University of Art in Canada, I took a course in culture and food. During the course, we thought about the culture and the way of arranging the table. For example, oval, round and square tables each express an idea and are related to different cultures, traditions and rituals.
Ghazaal: It is interesting to me that when I came to the Delgosha Gallery to select works of art, I often felt the connection between the container and the contained. Because the work of the artist seems like a cultural food and its frame, like a plate, contains what should nourish the audiences’ eyes, mind and perception.
Abedi: Yes, I usually think about various aspects in choosing a work of art, including the moral and professional characteristics of the artists and their creations. My personal interest in antique works attracts me to past models and styles when choosing photos and fashions because they are soothing to me. The media also play an important role in promoting culture. For example, with the production of the Shahrzad series, many people have shown interest in the style of decoration shown in the series.
The first dishes of the restaurant were turquoise pottery, which became more and more vulnerable. I recently chose melamine dishes for the restaurant. But when I went to the market to buy melamine, I realized that today unfortunately we do not have the designs that were significant in the past. For example, dishes with Tina design, which were placed behind some of the shop windows as a decorative piece, according to the seller, they do not have as many applicants as in the past. (Personal communication, January 27, 2020)
[1] Artist and Director of Delgosha Gallery
[2] White Spot : A restaurant located in Vancouver, Canada
[3] Emily Carr University of Art + Design
Fatemeh Rashtiani (1982 - ?) )
In Kangavar, people were mostly interested in melamine dishes with Chinese clover design? The motifs in the dishes them were in golden. The dishes were usually filled with nuts. Disposable tableware is used in today's ceremonies, whereas in the past copper and zinc trays were used in ceremonies that were mostly held at home. (Personal communication, ? 2019) 1398)
Sorayya Pour Rastegar (1946 - ?)
From 1981 to 1983, in Haft-e-Tir Square (formerly 25 Shahrivar), there was a large store that had a variety of melamine dishes with lots of patterns and colors. On the trips that we had to the United States and France because of my husband's job, we brought melamine dishes, which were like a fad, to Iran. Melamine tableware was usually used in traditional restaurants. Even today, some northern restaurants use such dishes.
Maryam Tarahhomi (?)
Reviewing my childhood memories and what my mother used to say, I learned that melamine tableware entered the Iranian market around 1974. Common advertisements for melamine dishes referred to their light weight and cheap prices in comparison with porcelain dishes, as well as their variety of patterns and designs. But in our house, porcelain dishes with rose patterns were still more popular. Only one melamine dinnerware set was brought into our home on Mother's Day, which was used as daily consumption from them on. Afterwards, porcelain dishes were used only for parties. The last piece of this well-designed melamine set, which was liked by our mother, kept our childhood memories of the mother's house alive.
When I was a university student in 1987, after one of my classmates was diagnosed with stomach cancer, his doctor asked him not to use melamine dishes. The reason for this doctor's advice was that the presence of polymers in the process of producing melamine tableware has increased the possibility of producing unsaturated and special chemical bonds, and this increases the risk of cancer, especially when the dishes are damaged, scratched or cracked.
The continuous use of melamine dishes cause its glaze to peel (especially when the quality is poor); this is one of the important disadvantages of these dishes, which besides reducing their beauty, makes them unusable as they can endanger people’s health. However, during the period of the 1980-1988 imposed war, due to the decrease in the production of porcelain dishes in the country and reduction in imports, the demand for melamine dishes increased.
As far as I know, there are still a limited number of old shops in my hometown, which sell only melamine dishes, and many of their customers are villagers. Of course, melamine dishes are still used for picnics as they do not break as easily as porcelain dishes, and also has a better quality compared to plastic dishes.
Currently, Bojnourd Petrochemical Complex, affiliated to Khorasan Petrochemical Company, is the only producer of raw materials for companies active in the field of melamine production. (?)
بدون دیدگاه