"In order to understand a culture, it is necessary to love it, and one can only do this on the basis of the universal and timeless values that it carries within it"  Titus Burckhardt 

 

I am an Iranian-British visual artist and maker based in London. I am a latecomer to the art world, having spent the first 25 years of my professional life as a dentist specialising in orthodontics.

 

In 2017 I decided to take a leap of faith, embarking on an MA in Visual Islamic & Traditional Arts at The Prince's Foundation School of Traditional Arts where I spent two glorious years learning about the processes involved in traditional arts and crafts. 

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When deciding on a theme for my projects,  what I know for sure is that I allow my heart rather than my head lead the way. 

 

My inspiration comes from the natural world, the order & harmony of the cosmos, as well as the beauty and harmonious rhythms of Persian poetry and music. Such inspiration evokes a story which in turn sparks an image on the canvas of my mind.

Being  a lover of the arts of the book I also derive inspiration from medieval Persian and Arabic manuscripts. I want to bring such images out of books and into everyday life using ceramics as my medium with the intention of engaging a wider audience. 

 

Geometry plays a key role in my designs both for my paintings and ceramic pieces, whether it is in creating patterns or in deciding the size and proportions of pieces thereby creating harmony in my artwork. I use traditional processes in creating and decorating my tiles such as 'cuerda seca' and ' cuenca y arista'  as well as some self-developed techniques.  

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In 2019 my work was part of a group exhibition in London at the Prince's Foundation School of Traditional Arts as well as in Scotland at Dumfries House where I had the honour of having one of my works selected by HRH The Prince of Wales as a gift for his wife, The Duchess of Cornwall.

 

Through traditional arts I have become more connected to my roots and Motherland, Iran, which means the world to me as I have spent very little time there since the age of nine. As such I want to create art that is a glimpse of my journey to date, exploring my heritage through its art and culture whilst keeping my artistic craft within the context of ‘traditional art’ : a harmonious interaction of head, heart and hand with the intention of creating artwork that is not done simply for the sake of art itself but as a remembrance of what is True, Beautiful and Good. 

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My greatest wish is that, as you look through my artwork,  you catch a glimpse of the universal and timeless values that lie within you.