The court's obedience to Kiumars, 2026

Mohammad Ariyaei  

The Arabian Nights by Mohammad Ariyaei

Gentleness and Eastern wisdom succeed the frenetic energy to which Mohammad ARIYAEI's previous exhibition had accustomed us. The Iranian painter's imagination serenely shifts from the wildest frenzy to the meditative calm of grand, fabulous narratives. The artist then delighted in unleashing the volcanic torrent of his barbaric figures directly onto the delicate latticework with which he customarily covers his backgrounds with the patience of an illuminator. Gentleness and paroxysm already coexisted. Now, gentleness prevails. The painter's trained imagination, though spontaneously brimming, driven as much by instinct as by erudition, has no difficulty reconnecting with the abundant Eastern tradition, which, like a river with a long subterranean course, resurfaces in the light of his painting. A springtime renewal of ever-vibrant traditions. A systematic filling of space, a kind of oriental version of the Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, teeming with legendary reminiscences—Persian, of course, but also Assyrian, and even drawn from Indian and Chinese folklore. The decorative luxuriance of Persian carpets finds new life here. Just as carpets take flight in Persian tales, the imagination of anyone immersed in this world of high fantasy soars in a timeless reverie of a Golden Age where the most colorful of mythological fauns roam. Winged horses, centaurs, grimacing demons, horned monsters, cloven-footed genies—everything invites the viewer to conjure up a thousand stories. Women strike languid poses in luxurious hammams. Why are they black? It is said to be the traditional color that legend attributes to djinns, nature spirits born from smokeless fire. Like elusive supernatural beings, they are more subliminal fantasies than carnal reality. Boundless abundance, the impression of gazing upon a universe of inexhaustible treasures, what was once confidential in illumination expands, overflows everywhere, and attains the dignity of mural dimensions.

Xavier BUREAU