About Art Work
The Hunters series demonstrate a historical and substantive quest in Persian miniature, the major source of inspiration in Reza Derakhshani’s art. This began in 1998 in a series based on the ancient Iranian romance of Khosraw and Shirin, and was first displayed in New York City in 1992 in what might be considered the first Iranian contemporary art exhibition after the Islamic Revolution. The show was welcomed with an interview in the American TV channel CBA. After a period of 10 years, the series was resumed in 2002 following the return of the artist to Iran. This included a number of exquisite series based on the romantic themes: Khosraw and Shirin, Feast in Iranian Gardens, Music and mirth and Hunting, the latter representing a major part of the whole series.
Most Iranian art is deeply interconnected with Persian poetry, a fact which is also manifested in Derakhshani’s notable reliance on lyrical poetry of Hafiz.
The series hovers between abstraction and figuration and is invigorated through deconstruction and restructuring the Iranian miniature tradition. Unlike the traditional miniature painting, these are large pieces executed as diptych or triptych using thick coatings of pigment, with colour arrangements playing a major role in the whole composition. The figures of the warriors, riding elegant, colourful horses are heading towards a faraway hunting field.