Projects

Description: Yet to be provided.

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In 2007, the artist’s experience of becoming a father sparked a wave of complex and contradictory emotions. The joy and excitement of welcoming new life were tempered by deep uncertainties—questions about how this life would unfold within the complexities of the real world. This series emerged both as an emotional response to that tension and as a conceptual culmination of the diverse styles the artist had explored over the years.

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The works juxtapose the innocence of simple childhood games—rendered in a deliberately minimal style—with chaotic, layered collages drawn from mass media. This contrast highlights the delicate balance between purity and noise, intimacy and overwhelm, suggesting both the wonder and the vulnerability of early life in a media-saturated world.

The Bazaar series was created during one of the most significant Shiite holidays, a time when bazaars serve as the cultural and ceremonial epicenters of the event. As such, capturing this atmosphere became an inseparable and essential part of the artist’s visual archive.

 

The holiday is marked by three central rituals. The first is the communal cooking and distribution of food: millions are fed freely with meals donated as acts of charity by individuals of higher economic standing—most notably, the merchants and business owners of the bazaar. The second is Ta'ziyeh, an open-air theatrical reenactment portraying the historical events of the martyrdom that occurred nearly 1,400 years ago.

The third ritual, Sineh-Zani, involves large processions of mourners marching from mosques across the city. Participants carry symbolic objects—some quite heavy—and perform rhythmic self-flagellation with light chains in an expression of collective grief.

Through this series, the artist captures the deep emotional resonance, symbolic richness, and communal significance of these rituals as they unfold within the dynamic environment of the bazaar.

In 2001, the artist embarked on a personal journey of self-discovery through Jungian psychoanalysis, seeking to uncover and transcend the internal obstacles hindering both personal and psychological growth. This introspective process gave rise to the artist’s first fully abstract series, influenced by the stylistic approach of a trusted mentor.

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Each piece began with spontaneous, fluid lines—drawn without any predetermined intention—inviting the unconscious to guide the initial form. The second phase stood in stark contrast: requiring intense focus, discipline, and endurance, the artist layered countless scribbles atop the foundational lines, allowing the image to slowly take shape through repetition and time.

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Executed with nib pens on unforgiving paper, the series demanded a meditative presence and a significant investment of time. After a year and a half, the work naturally came to a close. Though never exhibited and not revisited stylistically, the series remains a pivotal and deeply personal chapter in the artist’s evolution.

This series serves as a sequel to Games Without Frontiers, continuing the exploration of childhood as a central theme. However, unlike the earlier works, the children depicted here are no longer alone. These pieces tell the story of a lost childhood—an invaluable time of joy, spontaneity, and freedom—gradually surrendered in exchange for the structured confines of adulthood.

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The series reflects the contrast between the world as a continuously renewing cycle of experience and the static, repetitive patterns of everyday life. As in the artist's previous work, each piece is created intuitively and without preliminary sketches or studies, allowing for improvisation to guide the creative process.

Following the initial pen and ink series, the artist continued exploring abstraction but with a completely different technique. This new body of work began with a wet process, where canvases were laid on the floor and saturated—depending on the medium—with either water or turpentine. As pigment was applied, it freely dissolved, forming spontaneous shapes and tonal variations. Once each layer dried, additional layers were added using the same method. The process often required multiple applications, blending oil, acrylic, and ink to create depth and complexity.

Only after the final drying stage did the artist begin the next phase: observation. By simply sitting with the work and studying its organic forms, hidden outlines began to emerge. The final image was then "carved out" by painting over the surrounding areas, refining and accentuating the accidental shapes revealed within the fluid composition.

Bazaars are widely recognized for their vibrant shops, bustling crowds, and constant movement. But in 2011, the artist turned their focus to the deeper architectural and socio-economic identity of these spaces. That year marked the beginning of an analogue photography project at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar during Ashura, the most significant Shiite religious holiday—also the only time of year when bazaars across the country fall completely silent as they close their doors in observance.

This initial documentation sparked a long-term project that has since spanned over eight years and continues to evolve. During this time, the artist traveled to various cities across Iran, photographing both the empty, contemplative spaces of the bazaars and the public rituals of Ashura. The resulting archive captures a powerful visual intersection between commerce, culture, and spiritual life.

 

Tragically, much of what has been documented may already be considered part of a vanishing history. Due to governmental neglect and ill-considered renovations, many of these architectural treasures have lost their original character. Through this work, the artist preserves not only a physical record but also the spirit and authenticity of a vital cultural heritage that stands at risk of erasure.