Sohrab Sepehri’s paintings are depictions of poetical moments in the immediate surroundings. He traveled east and south to build up a personal style, a mirror of his genuine mystical vision, as was the case with his poetry. His constant endeavors to employ Western aesthetic achievements combined with a conscious regard to Eastern philosophy, mysticism and Zen aesthetics, has created innovative images which might be seen as the embodiment of his intuitive and tangible poetry.
The stylized images of nature in Sepehri’s work, which at times move toward pure abstraction, are a representation of the moments of the artist’s contemplation of his surrounding environment. Through imaginative improvisation, they reveal a moment of union of the artist’s mind with the soul of the universe.
The accomplishment of a pure pictorial identity which is the result of such contemplation and reflection puts Sepehri’s paintings among the most outstanding and valuable pieces of Iranian modern art. His constant presence in the art markets is a witness to this fact. A sale record of 670 thousand dollars in 2011 fully demonstrates the value and uniqueness of the paintings Sepehri created during his artistic career.
To achieve a personal style capable of expressing the depth of his reflections, Sohrab Sepehri went through various formal experimentations, using a range of techniques, like watercolor, gouache and oil color. An exploration of the values of positive blank space and an emphasis on the principle of the void, as well as a combination of naturalism and composing abstract concepts, are Sepehri’s typical artistic characteristics to be found in most of his small and large pieces.
