TEHRAN – The Khanehyedoost Gallery in Tehran opened its doors to the public on Friday with a group exhibition of visual arts entitled “The Water’s Footfall” on the occasion of the birthday of the Iranian blank verse poet and painter, Sohrab Sepehri.

Curated by Tufan Arfa, the exhibit features a collection of 31 artworks, consisting of four sculptures and 27 paintings. 

These pieces are created by 27 renowned artists, including Amir Espahani, Ali Babai, Reza Barati, Ghazal Bayat, Banafsheh Jahangiri, Zohreh Hassani, Hooman Derakhshande, Leila Zamani, Shadi Saeidi, Saman Shadanlu, Amir Hossein Seddiq, and Behdad Najafi.

The exhibition showcases a diverse collection of artworks in various styles and techniques and it pays tribute to the late artist Sohrab Sepehri and provides a platform for artists to promote visual arts in Iran, IRNA quoted Arfa as saying on Saturday. 

The majority of the artworks on display have been carefully chosen from the artists' personal collections, playing a significant role in promoting culture and art in Iran, he added. 

The gallery, named after Sepehri's poem, is designed to provide a welcoming and comfortable environment for artists to feel at home while creating their work, he explained.

The exhibition will run until October 18 at the gallery that can be found at No. 245, North Bahar Street.

Born in 1928, Sepehri is second only to poet Nima Yushij, who is known for his pure style of blank verse.
 
As a talented artist and a gifted poet, Sepehri came to prominence with the publication of his collection “The Water’s Footfall” in 1965. 
 
His works have been translated into the English, French, Italian and Spanish languages.
 
His paintings have been the most expensive works sold at the Tehran Auction over the past few years.
 
Sepehri died of leukemia in Tehran in 1980. His grave is located in the courtyard of the mausoleum of Imamzadeh Sultan Ali ibn Muhammad Baqir (AS) in the village of Mashhad-e Aradahal near Kashan.

SAB/