Prolific painter Adel Younesi, 30, will hold his second exhibition in Paris in October.
Two years after his solo exhibition titled 'Eternal Feast' showcased at the Parisian Nicolas Flamel contemporary art gallery, "Younesi will reveal a different side of his art," Mehr News Agency reported.
"I work for two years on each of my painting collections. I prefer to showcase my works abroad because curators there are genuinely concerned about art and the artist more than sales and the market," he said.
"My exhibition in Paris will feature works selected by the host gallery. The curators have seen my works and selected mostly those in dominant grey shades, in contrast with my popular paintings that are rich in color."
His new paintings have the same themes as before, the same twisted tone in a dream-like world, with elements arranged as if they are actors of a play. Everything seems misplaced and alienated, implying that the world is approaching its doom.
'Rush of Colors'
Younesi's upcoming exhibition portends a more grim fate, "since the works are bereft of colors."
"I have usually offered colorful works and my audiences are used to seeing a rush of colors."
But the French curators have picked the works they believe have more affinity to him. "The exhibition is meant to reflect the personalities of participating artists and not just showcase any artworks" with the intention of selling them.
"I have a contract with the Paris gallery which will market my paintings for two years. It is in fact my sponsor, buying my works first and then showcasing them at various venues. They are different from their counterparts in Iran, where galleries receive a percentage of the earnings from sales."
The French gallery has purchased his paintings and will work out how to sell them later.
Introducing Calligraphy
A calligraphic trait has been introduced in Younesi's latest paintings.
"My handwriting was awful at first, but in a period of emotional distress, I retreated into solitude and found myself getting interested in calligraphy. In that period, I used to repair and restore old tiles and manuscripts. The job engrossed me for long hours, until I realized that I am learning a bit about calligraphy. Now in my paintings, I use calligraphy to create a kind of artistic texture."
Since 2004, Younesi has put up eight solo exhibitions and participated in over 20 group exhibitions.
