Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar in the studio
French-Iranian artist Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar‘s latest exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery is refreshingly uncontroversial. And that’s the point. Aptly titled Oneness Wholeness, the show is a response to what Behnam-Bakhtiar sees as an unhealthy obsession with materialistic wealth and ego in contemporary society. As such his artwork functions as a kind of cathartic release, taking the form of calming, colourful, mixed-media expanses, that draw inspiration from Persian mythology with curious textures, figures and reflections.
Reflection of The Damned 2017, Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar
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There’s a distinct movement visible in the paintings that not only reveals the artist’s process, but also a kind of gentle fluidity, a lapping almost (not dissimilar to Monet). Whilst the titles are mystical sounding, pointing towards Behnam-Bakhtiar’s musings around existentialism, nature and harmony: Guardians Of Life, The Pursuit Of Light, and Me and Her.  Read more: Meet Mister Manhattan, Gennady Perepada, real estate broker and fixer
Me and Her 2017, Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar
But at the same time, these are not works of mere whimsy, look closely and there are shades of darkness, nostalgia, raw emotion.
The exhibition ends this weekend, make it your priority to go.
Millie Walton
?Oneness Wholeness? by Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar and curated by Nina Moaddel runs until 27 May 2018 at the ...