Lot 90: Mohabbat (Affection)

Mohammed Ehsai (Iranian, b. 1939) Mohabbat (Affection) signed and dated in Farsi, signed and dated 'M.Ehsaei 13' (lower right of the right panel) oil on canvas, in two parts each panel: 59¼ x 59¼in. (143 x 143cm.); overall: 59¼ x 118½in. (143 x 286cm.) Painted in 2013 (2)

143 x 143cm.

Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner.

Celebrated for his calligraphy which combines the traditional techniques and the modern style of graphic arts into a new artistic form, Ehsai's aesthetic language is inspired from various international art movements and unique in that it transforms the traditional Persian script into pure abstraction. His works are divided into two categories: the 'calligraphy paintings', which are influenced by structural calculation and by the traditional writings observed in Islamic architecture and the 'eternal alphabet' in which free-flowing brushstrokes give the painting a faster rhythm. The present diptych perfectly combines both styles. Entitled Mohabbat, the Farsi word for Affection, compassion or sympathy, the work is a tribute to the sacred art of calligraphy, but nevertheless holds a rather secular meaning. The writing turns into abstraction and the letters, which are superimposed and distributed in a circular and austere yet joyful composition, are no longer decipherable. The written word as a twisted form is the main element of the work, but it must be viewed solely as a visual tool for self-expression. At the same time, this dual present of Mohabbat might reflect upon the artist's account of primary dualities of man and woman, femininity and masculinity, day and night. The appreciation of Ehsai's work, however, might not be limited to its pictorial perfection and aesthetic qualities. He personally considers his works as silent cries, a shout with no signifying agency. To him, the recent dark, limited palettes, as well as the appearance of some symbolic colours are a subsequent of his country's recent socio-political events. Ehsai is well aware of the magical quality of letter design and its effect on the viewer. To him, Farsi scriptures including Naskh and Thuthuth are supreme in this persuasive quality. His contribution to the present status of Iranian calligraphy painting is unequaled and he stands today as one of the leading figures in Modern and Contemporary Iranian art.