Koorosh Shishegaran (Iranian, b. 1945)

"I always thought to myself why we should not paint a portrait in an abstract form. An abstract portrait gives the artist liberty to look beyond the appearance into subject in a symbolic way. There are many unspoken secrets within a portrait that once revealed, present a very different world. It is a world much more interesting than the world of appearance. Every artist has his unique way of depicting his subjects if he tries to detach himself from the appearance." (Koorosh Shishegaran)

Shishegaran's paintings are outstanding for their strikingly free use of form. His dynamic compositions in vivid colours and jumbled curved lines give an impression of spontaneity, but in reality are meticulously crafted. The present lot is an outstanding early example of Shishegaran's 'portraiture'. Typical of his earlier 'portraits' are the strongly caricatural features of the subject.