TEHRAN – Colleagues, friends, fans and cultural officials gathered at Tehran’s Art Center Gallery 2 on Friday to commemorate the memory of Parviz Kalantari (1931-2016), who was famous for his paintings of Iranian indigenous nomadic life.

The Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati, Deputy Culture Minister for Artist Affairs, Ali Moradkhani, Managing director of Iran’s House of Music Mohammad Sarir and Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art Director Majid Mollanoruzi were among the officials attending the program.

Also included were actors Reza Kianian and Saeid Pursamimi, artists Ali-Akbar Sadeqi and Hossein Mahjubi and musician Abdolhossein Mokhtabad.

Jannati regarded Kalantari as an eternal artist who brought honor to his country and was active in the international arena with his works.

“His paintings and drawings of deserts and nomadic life in the country portraying the lives of locals were created with love and interest,” the minister said.

“We have lost many great artists over the past few months, but two of them had many similarities: Parviz Kalantari and (filmmaker) Abbas Kiarostami,” Kianian next said at the ceremony.

“As we see a single tree on top of a hill or a winding road ahead of us, we remember Kiarostami, when we see desert and thatch, we automatically think of Parviz Kalantari,” he added.

“When Kalantari held his first exhibition “Black on Black” (many years ago), it was clear we were confronted by a curious and brave artist, and afterwards his desert works with houses in the hearts of the desert appeared, all of which bore his signature.

“Later when he worked on the migrations of the nomads, his works were beautiful but did not bear as many secrets. It is his deserts and thatched works that have captured secrets and mysteries forever.

“Kalantari was bound to traditions and his paintings always bear a silence, and this silence is the secret of his works, as if the world has totally stood still and only this piece of art is left to be seen. This wilderness, silence and loneliness are the secrets that have made him eternal,” Kianian concluded.

Copies of Kalantari’s illustrations hanging from the branches of the trees in the courtyard of the center, and playing the voice of Kalantari for the participants made the event a memorable honoring ceremony for the master.

In addition, the exhibition of Kalantari’s artworks will be running until August 16 at the gallery located at North Salimi St., Andarzgu Blvd. in the Farmanieh neighborhood.

Photo: Culture Minister Ali Jannati (2nd L) and his colleagues visit an exhibition of paintings by Parviz Kalantari at Tehran’s Art Center Gallery 2 on August 5, 2016. (Mehr/Moahammd Moheimani)

RM/YAW