TEHRAN-The veteran Iranian graphic designer and painter Kamran Katouzian passed away in Tehran on Saturday at 83.

One of the leading representatives of the abstract art stream in Iran, he died at his home after enduring a long-term illness. The artist's body will be buried on Tuesday in the artists' plot of Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery, Mehr reported.

Born in Tehran, he showed a special interest in painting from childhood. After finishing high school, he left Iran for the U.S. to follow his studies and by the advice of one of his professors, he started to study in Wyndham University in Vermont state. In 1961 he was graduated in the field of painting and sculpturing.

While studying and living in New York, he was intrigued by the abstract expressionism movement and the works of Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Mark Tobey. But his favorite artist was Franz Kline. Kline's influence is clearly visible in various periods of Katouzian's career. 

Katouzian was also active in the graphics and advertising fields. Perhaps his works could be considered as prototypes of graphic design in Iran, in which a different atmosphere was created based on the aesthetics of painting.

Katouzian returned to Iran in 1963 and was employed by the Ministry of Culture and Art. In that ministry he became acquainted with Changiz Shahvaq and Naser Mofakham and with their assistance he founded the Saba Gallery in 1964. In 1965, he entered the architecture branch of the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Tehran.

Kamran Katouzian used to introduce himself, as an abstract painter. In his precedents, he has recorded teaching Graphic at the Faculty of Decorative Arts (1969-1971) and Azad University (1990-92). 

He was the winner of the 4th Tehran Biennale presenting an abstract painting in the name of “When My Father’s Father Was Young” and an abstract statue of Iran in 1964. He also participated in the Paris Biennale in 1965, the Venice Biennale in 1966, and the Washington International Art Festival in 1977.

His works are kept as part of the permanent collection of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

SS/SAB