Oil and Watercolor

 

Persepolis Series

          This body of work was developed on the basis of the art of the Achaemenid dynasty, which was the first dynasty to rule Persia 500 B.C., combined with abstracted colors and forms of nature. The work was inspired by bas reliefs discovered in the ruins of Persepolis, an ancient city located within the environs of the contemporary city of Shiraz, in south Iran.

          My inspiration originated from personal memories of visiting Persepolis as a child; these reliefs have also become a symbol of resistance for the youth in Iran against the fundamentalists who degrade this art. To me painting such images serves as a way of bringing this ancient symbolic art and culture to life.

          Oil is the primary medium used for these works, although other media, such as watercolor and Dorland’s wax medium were experimented with as well. Egg shell and wax medium were used to create a rich texture in order to give a tangible feeling to the work, and to emphasize the art that existed centuries ago, but is still alive for those who continue to love and respect it.

Inspired by Achaemenid Art, Oil on Board

Achaemenid Griffin, Oil on Canvas 

Head of an Animal, Oil on Board

Ahura Mazda, Oil on Board

Cyrus the Great Tomb, Watercolor

Works below, followed by the Persepolis series, are random studies of ancient and Islamic architectural designs and buildings. 

Freedom Square- Tehran, Oil on Board 

Bote Jeghe, Watercolor  

Avicenna's Tomb, Oil on Board

Avicenna's Tomb,Watercolor 

Dream House,Watercolor



The works listed below are part of a series where lines, shapes, colors, textures, differenet medium such as oil and watercolor were experimented with.



Curves #2



Curves #1 

Curves #3