BABAK ROSHANINEJAD

Rokhnebesht
25 October -22 November, 2019

Assar Art Gallery presents the latest collection of works by Babak Roshaninejad titled RokhNebesht [Portrait]. In his paintings, Roshaninejad doesn’t choose subjects that are immediately grasped because in his opinion having immediate impact is not a central objective or a top priority for visual arts as art seeks to produce quality.

Roshaninejad uses icons in his paintings more than anything else. Furthermore, graphic design becomes the subject, nevertheless this method should not be mistaken by painting graphically. This is because in Roshaninejad’s opinion, the pictorial world interferes with our connection to the visual world and affects the ultimate creative product. Thus, the subjects he picks might become flat, separated from their realistic background and find a rhythmic tone. This is how Roshaninejad’s works find ironic and metaphoric dimensions.

In his painting technique, Roshaninejad has a romantic approach. His executive idea is very close to the 19th century romantic music compared to visual arts. The rhythm of his paintbrush and palette knife, as well as his limited palette, in addition to the large dimensions of his canvases that look more like the late romantics in terms of form, are all proofs to this claim.

In Roshaninejad’s works, the process of painting, or in other words laying an emphasis on the act of painting, is of great importance. By employing old tools such as oil paint to paint icons with a contemporary accent, the artist dissociates viewers from the created artwork, which proves his unrealistic approach towards the subjects he picks. For instance, using oil paint finds a connotation that turns it into something more than just a painting tool. Creativity or an innovative act becomes visible in his work and every aspect of his painting process such as the touches of his brush or other similar acts find an aesthetic character even though their metaphoric aspect is also very important to Roshaninejad. In fact, the artist likens his subjects to the excitement of the movement of the palette knife and consequently gives it a metaphoric characteristic. Moreover, the rhythm of the movement of the palette knife, the body and thickness of paint and the feeling they all create become visual metaphors. By placing his subjects in a flat background and therefore flattening his paintings, he shows the act of painting more than the aggrandized object he portrays.

Babak Roshaninejad was born in 1977. In his work, he is mostly inspired by philosophy and sociology. His works are found in credible Iranian and foreign collections. He has had six solo exhibitions and participated in over ten group exhibitions and international art fairs.