TEHRAN – A group exhibition of silkscreen works by renowned Iranian artists is underway at Etemad 1 Gallery in Tehran.

Titled “The Plain, Before Oblivion,” the exhibition is curated by Foad Sharifi and showcases a selection of works by Farah Ossouli, Fereydoun Ave, Nikzad (Nicky) Nodjoumi, and Aydin Aghdashloo, Galleryinfo reported.

Sharifi began collecting the works two years ago. Over time, it has become a valuable treasure trove of silkscreen works by the four contemporary Iranian artists.

Silk screening or screen printing is a printing technique where a mesh is used to transfer ink onto a substrate, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil.

Born in Zanjan, Farah Ossouli, 72, is a graphic design graduate from the Faculty of Fine Arts, the University of Tehran. She is known for her modern interpretation of Persian miniature. Often her work draws on issues related to women's lives, Persian poetry, and classical Western art.

During over three decades of career as an artist, she has achieved a unique fusion of techniques, materials, themes, and storytelling, which has evolved into her personal style. She has been a pioneer in introducing contemporary themes and ideas into miniature painting.

She founded Dena, a female art collective that organized over 30 exhibitions between 2001 and 2007. She is a member of the Society of Iranian Painters. She has held domestic and international exhibitions in Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America.

Her paintings are part of collections in museums across continents, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Ludwig Museum in Koblenz, Germany, Tropen Museum in Amsterdam, and the Devi Art Foundation in New Delhi.

Pioneering artist Fereydoun Ave, 81, is an art collector, curator, painter, and sculptor. Much of his work draws from the Iranian epic “The Shahnameh,” such as his “Rostam” series.

He was influenced by his friend and mentor Cy Twombly, with whom he had a 40-year relationship, sharing a studio at several points in his life. Twombly (1928-2011) was an American painter, photographer, and sculptor who influenced many other artists such as Anselm Kiefer, Francesco Clemente, Julian Schnabel, and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

As an artist, some of Ave's works are housed in museums worldwide, including the British Museum, the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the Center Pompidou in Paris. 

Ave is also an established curator and his private collection includes works of Cy Twombly, Charles Hossein Zenderoudi, Abbas Kiarostami, and Andy Warhol.

Nikzad Nodjoumi, 84, was born in Kermanshah. In 1962, he entered the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Tehran to study painting and graduated in 1967 with a Bachelor’s degree. He received his Master’s degree in 1974 from City College, New York. 

From 1963 to 1969, he collaborated with the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults in Tehran. Some of the 1979 Islamic Revolution posters, reproduced by hand-printing techniques at the Faculty of Fine Arts, were created by Nodjoumi. 

His last exhibition of designs in Tehran, titled “Handwritten in 2006” at Homa Gallery, drew attention from the younger generation of artists. His major exhibition in 2013 at Timur Grahan Gallery in New York attracted international attention to his work. 

Nodjoumi has also played a significant role in introducing artists such as Ardeshir Mohasses to international circles. His works often address political and sociological themes. In his predominantly figurative paintings, he depicts men as symbols of politicians or places other elements in opposition as representations of good and evil. Power and violence are recurring concerns in his art. 

The surreal world of his paintings, infused with postmodern elements, creates a space where the artist shares his ideals with the viewer, emerging from the realities of life.

Painter, graphic artist, writer, and film critic Aydin Aghdashloo, 84, is known for his portraits, drawing on classical Italian and Persian imagery.

He is one of Iran’s prominent modern and contemporary painters, renowned for his precise and masterful painting techniques. His extensive body of work reflects deep influences from Iran’s political and cultural landscape while engaging with global artistic and philosophical discourse.

His art draws inspiration from diverse classical sources, from European Renaissance masterpieces to Persian miniature paintings and Islamic pottery. Through these influences, Aghdashloo presents a critical reflection on themes such as tyranny, cultural decay, and the destruction of human dignity and beauty.

Launched on December 26, 2025, “The Plain, Before Oblivion” will run until January 20 at Etemad 1 Gallery, located at No. 25, Shiroodi Dead End, Mofateh Ave., Hafte Tir Sq.

Photo: An untitled work by Farah Osouli on display at “The Plain, Before Oblivion” exhibition underway at Etemad 1 Gallery.

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