I was born in Iran, Isfahan. A city that is famous for being the beating heart of Iranian art from centuries ago. At the age of eleven, I took up painting as a pastime without focusing on any particular style. When I was fourteen painting became my greatest passion. I started learning academic principles and methods of drawing and painting at private classes during high school. Later on, I studied impressionism with Mohammad Reza Atashzad, a well renowned watercolor painter. After four wonderful years, this inclination towards impressionism was then replaced by a passion for modern art. I started learning principles of modern painting and I created expressionist and cubist artwork at private classes held by Mahmud Samandarian. Then I took classes with Gholamhosssein Nami, one of the leaders of Iranian modern painting. I began experimenting with mixed media and exploring the fascinating world of abstract painting. My art was deeply influenced by this era that took four years.
I also studied literature and calligraphy for years. I used to write poems, I still do occasionally. In my artwork I often make use of handwriting, mostly I write poems eithr by famous poets or any spontaneous poems from my own, anything that describes the moment and the feeling that I want to express. Many of my paintings was inspired by The Fish, a poem by Ahmad Shamlou. I called them “Mirror Pond Collection”. Following is an excerpt of the poem:
“Oh certainty gone astray,
oh runaway fish in the ponds of slippery mirror within mirror!
I am a clear lagoon;
now through the enchantment of love,
find a path from the mirror-ponds to me!”
Since after, I became extremely keen in collage. I deeply believe that collage is one of the most creative forms and techniques in modern art: using pre-existing materials or objects to create something else, in most cases something totally different. I have created collages of Persian music instruments inspired by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque cubist colleagues.
Currently, I am interested in using materials that has been less used in collage. In 2009, I started experimenting with knitting material. My inspiration was my beloved grandmother who used to weave and knit for us with so much love and passion. These artwork got into a juried exhibition in 2010.
Some of my older Paintings:
Exhibitions:
- 2010, Engineering got talent, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
- 2010, Group exhibition in Cost collective gallery (Abstraction), Victoria, Canada
- 2005, Individual exhibition in Museum of Contemporary Art of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
- 2004, Group exhibition in Atashzad Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
- 2004, Group exhibition in University of ‘Sanate Ab va Bargh’ Tehran, Iran
- 2003, Group exhibition in Atashzad Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
- 2002, Group exhibition in Atashzad Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
- 2002, Individual exhibition in Daryabeygi Gallery, Tehran, Iran
- 2001, Group exhibition in Haft Peykar Gallery, Tehran, Iran
- 2000, Group exhibition in Kosar gallery, Isfahan, Iran
- 1996, Group exhibition of engineering students of Iran in ‘Elm and Sanaat’ University, Tehran, Iran
Awards:
- 2010, Engineering Got Talent (for the fine art exhibition), University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
- 1998, Teaching Drawing Principles at Azad University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
- 1996, 2nd position in the National Competition of Calligraphy, Engineering Students’ of Iran
- 1995, 3nd position in the National Competition of Calligraphy, Engineering Students’ of Iran