TEHRAN-Karchive Gallery in Tehran is playing host to a painting exhibition, showcasing a collection of works by prominent Iranian artists alongside a noteworthy American artist.  

The exhibit, titled “Iranian Abstraction,” is part of a collaborative project by Karchive Gallery and displays remarkable creations from artists such as Reza Bangiz, Sadegh Barirani, Sadegh Tabrizi, Mohammad Ali Tarqijah, Iran Darroudi, Reza Daryabeigi, Hossein Zendehroudi, Jamshid Samavatian and Iraj Shayestepour, Mehr reported on Saturday. 

The exhibit also features artworks by Masoud Arabshahi, Nasser Assar, Monir Farmanfarmaian, Marcos Grigorian, Sirak Melkonian, Manouchehr Niazi, Mohsen Vaziri-Moghaddam, and the American artist Robbie Austin, the report added. 

Each of these artists explores the realm of abstract art while distinctly imbuing their unique Iranian identity into their works.

Included in the exhibition is a selection of pieces by Robbie Austin, whose participation in numerous exhibitions and art fairs has established him as a significant figure in contemporary American art. 

Austin's enthusiasm for Iranian culture and symbolism has inspired him to create abstract pieces that echo the Iranian spirit.

In the exhibition statement penned by Tuka Maleki, a historical overview of modernist Iranian artists is provided. It reveals that the first wave of Iranian modernists sought to respond to the question of modernity by revisiting the visual traditions of the Kamel al-Molk school, grounding their work in figurative painting. These early works sought realism and, through the simplification of forms and colors, they took their initial steps towards modernization. 

The second generation of artists, equipped with a fresh perspective acquired from their studies in the West, brought home the influence of European modernism, particularly abstract painting. Pioneers such as Behjat Sadr, Mansoureh Hosseini, and Mohsen Vaziri-Moghaddam played a crucial role in the proliferation of abstract painting in Iran, further expanded during the 1960s and 1970s. 

The exhibition also showcases the natural landscapes captured by artists like Sirak Melkonian, Iran Darroudi, Nasser Assar, Sohrab Sepehri, and Farideh Lashai, alongside the integration of Iranian and Eastern calligraphy in the works of Mansoureh Hosseini, Sadegh Barirani, Hossein Zendehroudi, and Sadegh Tabrizi. 

The exploration of motifs and elements of Iranian folk art is evident in the works of Marcos Grigorian, Monir Farmanfarmaian and some other artists, while geometric abstraction can be seen in the works of Mohsen Vaziri-Moghaddam, Masoud Arabshahi, and Mohammad Reza Joodat. 

Though there is a consistent Iranian storytelling desire, it has historically prevented abstract art from becoming the predominant current of Iranian modernism. Iranian painting constantly oscillates between familiar visual elements, holding itself at the intersection of figurative and abstract art. The imaginative world of the Iranian artist, intertwined with music and poetry, continues to cultivate a romantic and lyrical essence within Iranian abstraction. As Sohrab Sepehri eloquently puts it: “Where Western art depicts a moment in time, a halted action, or a light phenomenon, Eastern art reveals a continuous essence.”

The exhibition will run until April 21 at Karchive Gallery, located at No. 13, 12th Alley, Sanai St.

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