TEHRAN-January 7 was the 56th death anniversary of the Iranian legendary wrestler Gholamreza Takhti, who was not only an athlete but a role model, admired by all Iranians in all aspects of life, and still he is respected by the nation. He was a truly unifying figure for Iranians, so that he became an inspiring character for the artists, as he was a symbol of generosity, positive values, and kindness, which made him remain in the hearts of all Iranians.

Renowned not just for his extraordinary sports skills, but also for his unique human side, his fair play towards fellow athletes, his commitment to helping the poor and the more disadvantaged in society, Takhti over the years has become an icon of pop and contemporary art, being portrayed in the works of many Iranian artists, some of which have been showcased in foreign exhibitions and one being a part of the collections the British Museum in London.

The artwork at the British Museum belongs to the late Iranian painter, installation and conceptual artist Khosrow Hassanzadeh (1963-2023), created in 2007.

A multimedia work, it consists primarily of an image of the popular hero Takhti, surrounded by symbols of Shia Islam, peacock feathers, fairy lights, and a series of objects relating to the ancient traditions of wrestling and the gymnasium (Persian 'zurkhaneh') and presented in a box-frame shrine.

Born in Tehran, Hassanzadeh was 17 years old when the Iran-Iraq war broke out. He was conscripted to fight in the war, but his commanders realized they could make use of his artistic abilities, and he was tasked with painting portraits of the Iranian soldiers who were martyred, posters of which were then distributed across the country. When he returned from the war, he chose to work on themes that reflected his experiences of war.

He then studied painting as well as Persian literature in university. From the outset, he was determined to paint large murals and posters.

Hassanzadeh first exhibited in the 1980s, but only gained international recognition with “War” (1998), a grim and trenchant diary of his own experiences as a volunteer soldier during the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq war.

The artist called his works “people's art” because they deal with social issues that affect everyday people. His works are influenced by the Saqqa Kaneh movement and traditional Iranian art.

Hassanzadeh worked primarily with painting, silkscreen, mosaics, and mixed media. He enjoyed solo shows in Amsterdam, Beirut, Dubai, London, and Tehran.

Unlike many of his contemporaries who have left Iran, Hassanzadeh chose to continue to live and work as an artist in Iran. He was based in Tehran, where he worked as an actor, visual artist, and ceramist. His work featured in many exhibitions in Europe and the Middle East. Hassanzadeh died July 2, 2023, at the age of 60.

Many other artists have also created artworks on the national wrestling icon Takhti, in various media including paintings, sculptures, and photos.

In November 2021, Takhti’s statue was unveiled in Tehran as the symbol of the National Museum of Sports.

In August 2021, the Italian Embassy in Tehran held an exhibit titled “Gholamreza Takhti, Portraits of a Champion” to pay homage to Takhti, the national hero and symbol of sportsmanship and hospitality, who passed away at the age of 37 in 1968.

The exhibit features 29 works by four Iranian artists (Khosrow Hassanzadeh, Yasamin Khorsandi, Behdad Panjehzadeh, and Behzad Shishegaran) portraying different imagery of internationally famous Iranian wrestling champion Takhti, who was the winner of Olympic medals in three successive editions of the games (silver in Helsinki 1952, gold in Melbourne 1956, silver in Rome 1960).

In 2017, a bronze bust of Takhti was installed at the American Sport Art Museum & Archives (ASAMA) in the city of Daphne, Alabama, the U.S.

The North American Iranian Friendship Society (NAIFS) presented ASAMA a bronze sculpture of the late legendary wrestler and national hero at a special ceremony, in presence of Takhti’s son, Babak.

Created by Tehran-based sculptor Ali-Reza Khaqani, the one meter high, 50-kg statue depicts the Olympic and World Champion wrestler giving a wave of salutation and celebration. The statue was gifted to the sport art collection of ASAMA for the permanent enjoyment of visitors.

In 2016, on the 48th death anniversary of Takhti, Iranian street artist, nicknamed Shoatir, presented his stencil works of art portraying Takhti on Tehran walls all along Valiasr Avenue which runs from Tajrish Square in north Tehran to Rah-Ahan (railway station) Square in the south.

Stenciling produces an image or pattern by applying pigment to a surface over an intermediate object with designed gaps in it, which create the pattern or image by only allowing the pigment to reach some parts of the surface. The stencil is both the resulting image or pattern and the intermediate object.

Back in 2015, Shirin Gallery in Tehran hosted the exhibition “The World Champion” displaying artworks on Takhti by 115 artists.

Gholamreza Takhti (1930-1968) was an Iranian Olympic gold-medalist wrestler and Varzesh-e-Bastani (ancient heroic sport) practitioner. He was the most popular athlete of Iran in the 20th century and is still venerated by many Iranians. He is listed in the FILA wrestling Hall of Fame.

He was popularly called “Jahan Pahlavan,” which means “world champion.” People gave him the title for his wrestling skills and his chivalrous behavior and sportsmanship during competitions and also for being a hero of common people and for supporting the poor and downtrodden.

Takhti was one of the most famous sports personalities in the country, whose fame came not from his honors and medals, but was rooted deep in his benevolence, humanitarian activities, and respect for national-religious values.

Photo: The multimedia work depicting Gholamreza Takhti at the British Museum by Khosrow Hassanzadeh

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