Uplifting new paintings by Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar

A bold new series of paintings by Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar are inspired by the artist’s childhood memories of fields of flowers in the mountains of north Tehran. To Behnam-Bakhtiar, these flowers are symbols of energy and the human soul, expressed through layers of paint, urgent marks and vibrant colour. Here, we show a selections of paintings from the series alongside quotes from the artist about his practice and processes

Flowers of the Soul I by Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar

Flowers of the Soul II by Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar

“When I create a new work, I seem to be plugged in into another world: a space that is constantly at work and full of wonder. It feels like a dream. I find myself able to feel things which I can’t feel normally – warm lights and energy flowing within and all around me, so tangible they can almost be touched. “

Detail of Flowers of the Soul I by Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar

“In my practice, what is important is the identity of the work present, the creation shifting mindsets and that connection it brings forth between people and the truth about our identity. “

“I paint what we cannot see with our physical eyes but seem to feel somehow, a realm that exists all around and within us, the space between our consciousness and subconsciousness.”

Detail of Flowers of the Soul II by Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar

“There is this repetition when creating a work, which is important to me. It is like a dance between my mind, hands and the surface I am working on…I tend to dislike my work very often, the ones that I accept are the canvases that survive the process, the rest are destroyed outside of the atelier.”