Behjat Sadr

A pioneer in visual arts in Iran, Behjat Sadr created abstract oil paintings characterised by thick, layered colour strokes, sometimes using palette knife and her hand instead of brushes, depicting recurring shapes and geometric configurations. Influenced by the cities she lived in – Tehran, Rome and Paris – Sadr’s practice traced experimentation with media, simplicity and innovation associated with modernism and juxtapositions and complexities of the 20th century. One of the first women to emerge on the international biennale scene in the early 1960s, Sadr’s practice resonates with a sense of radicality, sensitive to the times of emancipation and insurrection. Inspired by the 1960s movements of Kinetic and Opt art, the artist experimented with mirror and light movement, compositions on wooden shutters and cloths. Her versatility further spreads to her play with small-scale photo-paintings and photomontage. Always searching for novelties in artistic expression, Sadr’s multifaceted practice was an ode to harmony, dynamics, shape and movement. ...

Dastan features an extensive and multi-dimensional program focusing on the full spectrum of Iranian contemporary and modern art. Dastan's program includes Dastan's Basement, +2, ParallelCircuit, Zaal Art Gallery, and Dastan:Outside. In addition to hosting exhibitions, Dastan publishes artist books and monographs on Iranian art, features film screenings, performance projects, and other events. Dastan's original space, Dastan’s Basement, was established in 2012 in Tehran, Iran. The Basement is dedicated to exhibiting emerging and cutting-edge Iranian art. +2 is a gallery launched by Dastan in 2015. This space showcases established Iranian artists and masters. Parallel Circuit aims to open the way for artists standing at the interstices of based and experimental art. Zaal Art Gallery is an international gallery in Ontario, Canada. The gallery provides an engaging and immersive space for both enthusiasts and professionals. Since opening its primary space in 2012, Dastan has continuously hosted pop-up curated exhibitions around the city of Tehran under the title Dastan:Outside. ...