About Art Work
Commonly Known as Mash Ismail, Tavakkol Ismaili is a major Iranian sculptor who started making art as a naïve artist under guidance and protection of Parviz Tanavoli and other professors of the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, in 1963. The patronage of the Royal family also played a role in his international accomplishments as an artist.
A self-taught artist, he frequently used popular imagery, Iranian folk and mythic themes and everyday characters in his sculptures. His works are marked with an exceptional ease and fluency which defy any convention and artistic standard. His enormous passion and perseverance during years lead to his highly personal and original style which guaranteed his works a major stance in the most prestigious collections both nationally and worldwide.
His work is also installed in public places, including the metal monument of Rustam and the White Demon in Tehran Azadi Stadium; The Sacred Tree in National Park, Tehran; and The Goats in Jamshidieh Park; and in the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran.
In praise of his genuine art, Parviz Tanavoli says:
“There are artists in the world which embark on art with no academic education and official training. They rely on their genius and taste to make popular art and what they make soon finds its place in the hearts of the people. Mash Ismail is the sole artist of the kind in Iranian sculpture practice.