Abstract Pen & Ink

In 2001, Behshad embarked on a personal journey of psychoanalysis with a Jungian analyst, seeking to identify and overcome internal blocks to psychological and individual growth. This introspective process catalyzed the creation of the artist’s first abstract series—one deeply influenced by the stylistic approach of a former mentor.

The technique behind the work was rooted in duality. Each piece began with spontaneous, fluid lines, drawn without any preconceived plan, reflecting an openness to the unconscious. This intuitive phase was then followed by a rigorous, disciplined stage: layers of dense, repetitive scribbles meticulously built upon the initial marks. Through this meditative layering, the image gradually revealed itself.

Executed using nib pens on unforgiving paper, the process demanded both precision and patience. It became an almost spiritual practice—absorbing and time-intensive. After a year and a half, the series came to a natural conclusion. Behshad never returned to this style, and the work remains existing as a quiet but formative milestone in their creative evolution.