Sonia Balassanian (Iranian/Armenian, b. 1942)

Basic inspiration of my early abstract paintings were images of barren expanses of mystic land and landscape, impressed upon me during my childhood in Iran. Later my forms turned into repetitive gestures of writing, creating a modern visual abstract language of their own. They were illegible writings with latent eternal wisdom. Works of this period resemble breeze through the fields, or streaks of rain under glittering light. Endlessly repeating strokes of brush created abstract, rhythmic compositions.
(Sonia Balassanian, 2014).