Iran’s veteran writer Ahmadreza Ahmadi dies at 83
Iranian writer, poet and painter Ahmadreza Ahmadi, known as the founder of New Wave Poetry in Iran, passed away at the age of 83 due to cardiac failure, according to an announcement made by his daughter, Mahur. Ahmadi had been hospitalized multiple times over the years, battling heart problems.
Ahmadi’s significant contribution to Persian poetry introduced a distinct style that diverged from the traditional Persian approach. Influenced by French Surrealism and American Imagists such as Saint John Perse, Paul Eluard, Louis Aragon, and Ezra Pound, his poetry stood out for its simplicity, clarity, and directness. His innovative approach inspired numerous contemporary Persian poets.
Exploring themes of individualism, personal experiences, hope, peace, childhood dreams, and imagery, Ahmadi’s poetry resonated with readers.
Born on May 20, 1940, in Kerman, he leaves behind a remarkable body of work. Notable among his poetic achievements are ‘The Last Notebooks,’ ‘The Old-Age Notebooks,’ ‘A Thousand Acacias Were Nothing in Your Eyes,’ and ‘Someday I Will Tell You.’
In addition, his contributions to children’s and young adult literature include notable works like ‘There Was Another Boy in the Seven-Chair House,’ ‘The Little Girl of Solitude,’ and ‘The Sunflower Field Farm.’
Ahmadi received many awards and recognition for his works, including the National Cultural and Artistic Award (Bizhan Jalali) for Collected Poems in 2006. ‘Flight at Night’ was nominated by the Children’s Book Council as the best story on peace at IBBY India in 2009. In addition, Ahmadi was recently awarded The Flying Pen, a prestigious national recognition for his contribution to children’s literature (2009). His writing is thought to be unique in the way he creatively combines poetic and prose structures. His poems have been translated into many different languages including Arabic, Armenian, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Korean.
In recognition of his literary prowess, Ahmadi was nominated for the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2010. His legacy will endure as his poetry continues to captivate and inspire generations to come.
Also, the first solo exhibition of Ahmadi’s paintings titled ‘A Thousand Acacias Were Nothing in Your Eyes’ was held in May 2018 at Cama Gallery.