TEHRAN – Iranian painter Wahed Khakdan passed away at a hospital in Tehran on October 23 at the age of 75.

Khakdan, who was suffering from esophageal cancer, was hospitalized in Jam Hospital on September 27, and in recent days, was moved to the intensive care unit, IRNA reported.

He was born in 1950 in Tehran. After graduating from the School of Fine Arts in 1971, Khakdan was accepted into the field of interior architecture at the faculty of Decorative Arts. 

Khakdan was 24 years old when he held his first solo show at Seyhoun Gallery, which marked the beginning of his career. The works that were well received by the audience were abstract paintings with Iranian motifs, especially prehistoric motifs, painted in cubist forms.

In 1975, Khakdan displayed his paintings in Qandriz Hall, his first works in which Surrealist space could be seen. After joining the military in 1976, he learned about the poverty and hard lives of people in remote towns, and this experience affected his artistic insights. From this time on, realist figures and objects appeared in his works. He portrayed human beings who evoked states of fear, loneliness, delusion, and horror, and the way he put together elements and objects such as bones, chairs, beds, and floating clouds brought his works closer to Surrealist paintings.

The 1979 Islamic Revolution was diversely reflected in Khakdan's works. From this period, his works moved towards absolute Realism. 

He collaborated with Iranian, German, Swiss, and Austrian publishers and depicted more than 40 illustrations for children's books.

Khakdan immigrated to Germany in 1984. He painted small works for a while and exhibited his work at the Oberhausen Cultural Center in 1985; this was the starting point for his career in Germany, making many people know about his art. Then he rented a studio and started painting large oil artworks.

Khakdan had great care in displaying objects in their actual and detailed form, and this brought his way of working close to Hyperrealism.

Wahed Khakdan’s photographic and mysterious paintings have hints of magical realism. He exhibited his artworks in Iran, the U.S., and Germany many times. 

SS/SAB