Mohammad Ehsai
Mohammed Ehsai born in Qazvin, Iran in 1939
He attended Tehran University in 1966 to study fine art and traditional calligraphy, before going on the attain a teaching position there in 1971. Mohammad Ehsai is a master calligrapher turned artist who uses dense, interlaced texts to provide a contemplative space for language that does not rely on direct translation. His works are inspired by Western abstraction and Chinese brush painting. Large in scale and often brightly colored upon black backgrounds, his compositions require perceptive silence rather than reading skills, and seek to convey the heavenly power that calligraphy has traditionally possessed. By toying with proportion, ratio, and scale, these works visualize a distinct mysticism in their interpretation and take on the utopian ideals of Modernism. The artist has created illustrious murals and private commissions, using his own unique style to transform the ways in which this seemingly rigid text might be distilled.
Ehsai’s murals can be found on the Iranian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Natural Museum of Iran. He has exhibited extensively in Tehran and has had work in institutions such as the British Museum, London, The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Leighton House Museum, London, and Beirut Exhibition Center, among others. He received the National Award or Art and Culture in Iran in 2005.
Exhibitions
2016 Iran Art Now!,Setareh Gallery , Dusseldorf
2001 Jahannama Gallery – Niavaran Palace, Tehran
2001 Paintings, Ziba Gallery, Vancouver
1990 Paintings, Olo Gallery, Finland
1990 Paintings, Zand Gallery, UAE
1983 Group exhibition: Paintings, Iranian Artists exhibition at UNESCO, Paris1978 Group exhibition: Paintings, International exhibition , Bales, Switzerland
1977 Group exhibition: Paintings, International exhibition of Bologna, Italy
1977 Group exhibition: Paintings, Iranian Artists in Shanghais, China
1976 Group exhibition: Paintings, Personal participation at the international exhibition, Bales Switzerland
1976 Paintings, Cyrus Gallery, Paris
1975 Group exhibition: Paintings, Guest at the group exhibition of the blue Group, Tehran, Iran
1975 Group exhibition: Paintings, International Festival-calais-sur mer, France
1975 Paintings, Lito Gallery, Tehran, Iran
1974 Paintings, Iran American Society, Tehran, Iran
1974 Group exhibition: Paintings, First International Arts Exhibition, Tehran, Iran
1973 Paintings, Seyhoun Gallery, Tehran, Iran
1966 Group exhibition: Paintings, Noboniad Hall- “25 years of art in Iran” at the Archeological Museum of Iran (Iran Bastan), Tehran, Iran
Auctions
2018 March : Christies Dubai , UAE
2017 Christies Modern and Contemporary Art , Dubai , UAE
2016 Christies Modern and Contemporary Art , Dubai , UAE
2016 : Tehran Auction Classic & Modern Iranian Art , Iran
2015 Christies ,Modern and Contemporary Art , Dubai , UAE
2015 : Sotheby’s ,Contemporary Art , Doha Qatar
2012 Christies ,Modern and Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish Art , Dubai, UAE
2011 Christies ,Visions d’Orient – De l’orientalisme à l’art contemporain , Paris , France
2011 Christies ,Modern and Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish Art , Dubai, UAE
2010 Christies , Tableaux Orientalistes et Art Moderne Arabe et Iranien , Paris , France
2010 Christies International Modern and Contemporary Art , Dubai , UAE
2010 Sotheby’s Contemporary Art / Arab & Iranian , London , UK
2009 Christies Modern and Contemporary Art , Dubai, UAE
2009 Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Including Arab & Iranian Art , London UK
2008 Christies , Tableaux Orientalistes et Art Moderne Arabe et Iranien , Paris, France
2008 Christies International Modern and Contemporary Art , Dubai , UAE
2009 Bonhams,Modern & Contemporary Middle East & South Asia Art
2008 Bonhams ,Modern & Contemporary Arab, Iranian, Indian & Pakistani Art
2007 Christies International Modern and Contemporary Art , Dubai , UAE
Collections
British Museum, London UK
The Farjam Collection, Dubai , UAE
The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art , Iran
The Museum of Fine Arts, Saadabad, Tehran.Iran
Awards
2005 The National Award (First Degree Medal) of Art and Culture, Iran
2000 Especial appreciation of jury for his calligraphy paintings and his new insight and access to the true nature of calligraphy
1999 Selected artist “defender of the Quran” writing and designing of numerous pages of the Quran
1991Presentation of honorary prize from the jury’s committee for his artistic activities
1974 National Price of the French government in the international festival of Callais sur mer,
Member of the Board of the Iranian Institute of Calligraphy, Iranian Calligraphers Society and Iranian Graphic Designers Society (IGDS)
Member of the Iranian Academy of Art
Art consultant to the Tehran Contemporary Art Museum.