- 10
Mohamed Ehsai
Description
- Mohamed Ehsai
- Mohabbat (Kindness)
- signed and dated 2006
- oil and silver leaf on canvas
- 157 by 157cm.; 61 7/8 by 61 7/8 in.
Provenance
Condition
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
Ehsai considers letters as individual visual elements, rather than components of a whole. He first mastered formal calligraphy before exploring the flowing rhythms of the 18th Century cursive Naskh script, the broken form of Shekasteh, and the 15th Century Persian Nasta’liq script. His thorough understanding of these ancient forms enables his artworks to transition seamlessly between ancient calligraphy and modern art, pushing aesthetic boundaries and creating a new perspective for lyrical Iranian art.
His works are divided into two categories: the “calligraphy-paintings” which are influenced by structural calculation and the traditional writings observed in Islamic architecture, and the “eternal alphabet” in which free-flowing brushstrokes give the painting a faster rhythm.
The present work seamlessly combines both styles. Mohabbat–the Farsi word for kindness, compassion and sympathy–is a tribute to the sacred art of calligraphy, however in the present work, the word holds a more secular meaning. The writing turns into abstraction and the letters, which are overlaid and distributed in a circular and dense yet joyful composition, are no longer decipherable. The morphed word as a twisted form is the main element of the work, but it must be viewed solely as a visual tool of expression.