Aliakbar Sadeghi

Was born in 1937. He is a graduate of College of Art and an honouree doctorate from the University of Tehran, is one of the most prolific Iranian artists.

In his evocative paintings, Ali Akbar Sadeghi draws on the rich traditions of Persian art but adds to them a surreal edge that involves dizzying spatial manipulations and startling combinations of real and fantastical objects, producing breath-taking kaleidoscopes of colour and form. A master story-teller, the varied Persian sources of Sadeghi’s tales range from historical Persian iconography including swords, horses, gardens and warriors, intricate decorative motifs and patterns taken from classic rugs, to the compositions of archetypal Iranian miniatures and portraits, particularly those of the Qajar dynasty.

Sadeghi’s inspiration from the cultural heritage of Iran is not just aesthetic; the presence of Persian sagas and legends, epic poems and philosophies, and even the teachings of Gnosticism loom large in his work. While Sadeghi has undoubtedly been motivated by the varied artistic forms and schools of thought of his country, his productions have undeniable links to the automatic art of Max Ernst and De Chirico, among others. Considered by some to be Iran’s Dali and by himself to be simply a narrator, Sadeghi’s paintings give a 20υth/21υst Century edge to the typical Iranian story or image.

In total, he has participated in over 50 individual and group exhibitions and auctions, over 8 volumes of books of the collection of his works have been published, and he has been a member of jury panels in over 10 international biennial exhibitions.