TEHRAN – Negar, a daughter of the prominent Iranian artist Parviz Kalantari who was famous for his paintings of desert architectural structures, plans to commemorate her father in her new exhibition, which will open at Tehran’s Four Gallery on Friday.

Speaking to the Persian service of Honaronline on Wednesday, Negar said that her new collection represents the grief she felt over her father’s death.

“The collection entitled ‘Your Essence in Colors’ also represents the influence of dad on my palette,” she added.

“The paintings reflect the feelings he has bestowed upon me. I have taken several elements from my father’s artworks and have mixed them with my own flowers,” she mentioned.

“The works are very simple, and the colorful flowers show the grief of losing dad while they also portray life,” she added.

“In the book ‘Death Is Not the End of Pigeon’, my father said, ‘My dear one, believe that death is not the end of life. Life continues,’” she remarked. 

Parviz Kalantari is the author of “Death Is Not the End of Pigeon”, a book of stories and pictures, which he has dedicated to his daughters.
 
“I think he has meant that he is remembered by others through the paintings he has created over the years. The good works he has done will always be remembered by people and this way life continues,” she explained.

She added that her dad always asked her when she is going to hold an exhibit.

“Now after three years, my works are ready and my family and I decided to hold the exhibit now, which mostly coincides with my father’s death anniversary,” she concluded.

The exhibit will be running until May 27 at the gallery located at 4 Eshraqi Alley off Shariati Ave. near Seyyed Khandan Bridge.

Kalantari died on May 21, 2016. He was most famous for his paintings of Iranian indigenous nomadic life and desert architectural structures, making urban dwellers more familiar with those that move to and fro with the change of seasons.

He was from a generation whose main concern was making a bridge between modern paintings and the venerable cultural heritage, which is a tradition.

Photo: A poster for Negar Kalantari’s collection “Your Essence in Colors”. 

RM/MMS/YAW