This is the second time the gallery is presenting works by the Iranian-American artist. ‘The Breeze at Dawn,’ Derakhshani’s last show at the venue was held in mid-2016.

The 12 paintings on display are Derakhshani’s recent creations and, like his previous works, grounded in traditions and influenced by the western abstract expressionist styles. His colorful, bold, and dynamic art lies somewhere between abstraction and figuration, Honaronline reported.

“The paintings demonstrate Derakhshani’s continued quest for a visual language that bridges Iranian artistic traditions with western contemporary and abstract inclinations,” says a note on the exhibit, published on the website of the gallery, sophiacontemporary.com.

“The show includes new works from three of Derakshani’s ongoing series: ‘Hunting,’ ‘Garden Party,’ and ‘Shirin and Khosrow.’ The new paintings in the series continue in the trademark vivid and expressive style of Derakshani’s earlier works, and are executed in oil on canvas.”

‘Hunting’ series includes paintings inspired by old Persian manuscripts describing imperial hunting expeditions. They have the same compositions of old illustrations and miniatures and are painted on large canvases. ‘Garden Party’ is a series about Persian gardens which symbolize heaven and afterlife. Paintings in this series are rendered with a granular texture. 

‘Shirin and Khosrow’ is a tragic romance written by celebrated poet Nizami Ganjavi (1141-1209). In four paintings of this series the artist has demonstrated his eastern and western artistic traits fused together.

Born in a village in North Khorasan Province, Derakshani, 66, is a painter, poet, musician, and performance artist. He graduated from the University of Tehran in 1976, continued his studies at the Pasadena School of Art in California, and returned to Iran to teach at the University of Tehran. A young prodigy, he held his first solo show at the age of 19 in Tehran. His works have been presented in galleries and museum exhibitions in many countries. They also are among many public art collections including the British Museum, London; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art.

The exhibit in London will end on March 10.

Source: Financial Tribune