‘Art of Altruism’ to be Unveiled in London

A book containing the collections of artworks by acclaimed Iranian painter and graphic designer Koorosh Shishegaran, 72, is to be unveiled by Iran Heritage Foundation in London.

Compiled and edited in English by Hamid Keshmirshekan, Iranian lecturer and researcher in contemporary art, the work ‘’Koorosh Shishegaran: The Art of Altruism’ will be unveiled on April 26 at Asia House, located at No. 63, New Cavendish Street, London, according to the website of the foundation (iranheritage.org). The unveiling ceremony starts at 6:30 pm.

The UK-based foundation promotes and preserves the history, languages and culture of Iran and the Persian world. Its programs include sponsoring teaching posts and fellowships at universities and museums, giving grants for academic research and cultural activities, and organizing regular events and conferences, both in the UK and abroad.

At the ceremony, Keshmirshekan will give a brief presentation about his latest book, which looks at the works of Shishegaran, followed by a short film on the painter’s oeuvre.

A total of 300 illustrations in color related to Shishegaran’s five different periods of artistic career are included in this exquisite book.

The work also contains articles by Hamid Dabashi, Iranian-American professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University in New York, Abbas Daneshvari, professor of Art History at University of California, Los Angeles, David Galloway, an American novelist, curator, journalist and academic, and Alireza Sami-Azar, former head of Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art and current head of Tehran Auction.

In their articles, the four writers have explained Keshmirshekan’s artistic approach and attitude, the impact on Persian art and his role in introducing Iranian art to the world.

Drawing inspiration from Iranian visual culture, Shishegaran is best known for his scribble line abstract paintings. These dynamic colorful lines have enabled the artist to find a style and language expressive of the modern era. The book brings together the life and works of the artist for the first time, showcasing his various artistic phases and outlining his progressive approach to art creation and distribution.

The 312-page book has been published by Saqi Books, an independent publishing house of general interest and academic books on North Africa and the Middle East in London.