Sedaghat Jabbari (Iranian, b. 1961)

In Sedaghat Jabbari's outstanding triptych The Divine Names, the composition is dominated by a free-flowing calligraphy. The artist refers to the siahmasq style or rough draft calligraphy, in which colour is applied freely, moving away from the actual content of words and thus reminiscent of the Abstract Expressionist movement.

Jabbari combines traditional and modern tools and uses the red pen, gold leaf and traditional paint together with the brush, oil paints and canvas. He adopts the traditional calligraphy style, but uses modern techniques and spontaneous brushstrokes. The letters and the words appear as mere visual elements wrapped in colours and textures. Undoubtedly, Sedaghat Jabbari's work refers to spirituality yet moves towards abstraction, and the present work is a fine example of his aesthetic style.