Hunting, as an old tradition of Iranian court and the noble class, has long been illustrated in art forms such as carving, Persian painting and carpet design. Examples are seen on Achaemenid stamps or metal works from the Sassanid period. This visual tradition recurred time and again in Persian book design as well as patterns of carpets of the Islamic period. Red Hunt No. 4 is one of Reza Derakhshani’s remarkable works that recalls famous pictures of preserve in Iranian traditional art.
Derakhshani displays, in a broad range of works, his attachment to the roots of Iranian traditional art, especially Persian painting. Yet he always strives to turn the sumptuous language of Iranian art into a contemporary expression. His exceptional art is what singles him out among Iranian traditional painters. Derakhshani’s Hunt series displays his bold approach to paint, while grabbing the attention of international markets. Three examples of Hunt series were sold at remarkably high prices at Bonhams (New York) in May 2010, Sotheby’s (London) in October 2009, and Bonhams (London) in 2009.
Colors are so significant in Derakhshani’s work that they can highlight different periods of his career. The present work is an example that belongs to the period of red colors. Given the transient quality of red color, the painter has successfully managed to contain the color in a broad plane to achieve a singular expression in application of paint. The spectrum of dazzling colors turns into unsteady, stretched paint, changing the figurative space of painting into behavioristic abstraction. His expression is highly inspired by a polar world that will eventually achieve congruence, i.e. a world sometimes inspired by music and a dissimilar world that instigates an encounter between the East and West. He is sometimes compared to distinguished Italian painter, Francesco Clemente[1]. Unlike Clemente, though, Derakhshani brings the spirit of ancient orient to the contemporary west. At the same time, his distorted colors and forms are sometimes compared to the work of German contemporary painter, Gerhard Richter. In any case, this indicates reputation of this great artist who is compared to two major figures of the world contemporary art.
Derakhshani is both a painter and a musician. His works show that Derakhshani the musician is not so distinguishable from Derakhshani the painter. In fact, he paints just as spontaneously as he plays music. Thus he does not use any sketches and etudes. Everything will be drawn on the surface of canvas gradually; even a historic scene of the preserve. His painting is a process the result of which is not so predictable from the beginning. This makes him a powerful, avant-garde artist.
[1] Khademi, Dariush, interview with Reza Derakhshani, Tandis, preview No.2, January 2003, p.5
