‘Memories of Nature’
25-year spiritual journey in landscape painting on display
Adham Zargham’s exhibition, ‘Memories of Nature,’ is currently underway across three galleries at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art. Zargham, known for his stunning landscapes, uses his art to explore nature and highlight the divine power behind it. He believes that art can be a form of worship, praising the Creator through the depiction of natural beauty. His 66 years of life have led to a unique artistic approach that blends imagination and reality, resulting in over 127 oil, pastel, and gouache paintings created over 25 years. Zargham’s work is known for its direct and unmediated interaction with natural landscapes, blending imagination and reality. Zargham’s art sessions, lasting 2 to 4 hours, took place directly in nature. The exhibition will run from May 15 to June 30. Iran Daily reporter conducted an exclusive interview with Zargham to know more about his style and technique. The full text of the interview follows:
By Sadeq Dehqan
Staff writer
IRAN DAILY: Please tell us about your educational and painting background.
ZARGHAM: I was born in 1958 in Abadan. In 1977, I entered the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Tehran, majoring in Visual Arts with a focus on painting. I later earned my master’s and doctorate in art research from the same university. Until the 1979 Islamic Revolution, we were focused solely on painting and learning. The Revolution, guided by late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, brought a spiritual perspective to our art, which influenced my approach to integrating this spiritual essence into my work. The 1979 Islamic Revolution in fact gave my painting a purpose.
Why did you choose natural
landscapes for your work?
Nature allows for a deeper reflection on the elements of creation. Figurative painting focuses more on humans and earthly concerns. As Claude Monet once wished, to become one with nature, elements in nature are wholly submissive to God. A tree, for example, follows its natural course of blooming and shedding leaves, while humans often resist and follow their own desires.
This exhibition showcases 25 years of your professional work in painting natural landscapes. How did it start?
When I turned 40, I prayed for my goal to transcend mere artistic improvement, hoping that painting would help me understand the greatness of God. In 1998, while teaching students in Laleh Park, I felt a sudden clarity, a revelation of nature in a new light. This resulted in a 50x50 cm painting that marked the beginning of my spiritual journey in landscape painting. This piece is now held in the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art. Since then, I’ve continued to explore nature and create numerous landscape paintings.
How does your unique perspective on nature and painting influence your work?
In verse 44 of Chapter Al-Isra, God says, “The seven heavens, the Earth, and all those in them glorify Him...”. Inspired by this verse, I sought to understand and praise the natural elements. I feel that every part of nature glorifies God, and understanding this language is fascinating and thrilling for me. This perspective influences my brushstrokes and color use, resulting in distinctive paintings.