A Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar exhibition provides a timely reminder of life’s essentials

Forthcoming solo show by Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar sends positive vibes and invites audiences to pause and reflect on what’s truly important

In today’s chaotic, uncertain times, it’s all too easy to get distracted by the little things – money, social media likes, that thing Trump just said, etc – and ignore what’s most meaningful in life. For those fretting over the trivial, a spring exhibition at London’s Saatchi Gallery provides a wake-up call.

Running from 15-27 May, Oneness Wholeness by acclaimed France-based artist Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar, presented by Nina Moaddel Art Advisory, showcases a series of transcendental, large-scale paintings that question the state of modern societies around the world, and criticise where humanity is heading. In response to what he sees as an unhealthy obsession with material wealth and ego, Behnam-Bakhtiar offers messages of love, unity, selflessness, and a return to nature. “If we’re together,” he says, “we can move mountains. We are good, we are loving, we are great.”

Tornado Of Life, by Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar. Photo Loic Thébaud (Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar)

Marking a notable departure from the works that first garnered him praise, featuring striking juxtapositions of traditional Iranian imagery and contemporary aesthetics, as well as vibrant Iranian patterns and black-and-white photography, Behnam-Bakhtiar’s new series are premised upon abstraction. Through this medium, the artist says he’s finally found his voice.

Splotches of lush, vibrant colours form a variegated palimpsest for the artist’s recognisable figures and forms. Works such as Me And Her and Guardians Of Life celebrate not merely the beauty of nature, but also the importance of being in harmony with it, while The Pursuit Of Light exhorts viewers to contemplate – and seek out – the true essence of life and its fundamentals, which Behnam-Bakhtiar feels many have forgotten about.

My Favourite Kind Of Garden II, by Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar. Photo Loic Thébaud (Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar)

In further contrast to his previous Iran-centric pieces, those in Oneness Wholeness aren’t particular to any culture or society. Rather, they have been informed by Eastern philosophies such as Kundalini and Qigong. Behnam-Bakhtiar turned to these following a traumatic experience seven years ago, which prompted him to drastically alter his outlook on life. “I would have lost my mind [otherwise],” he remarks.

Behnam-Bakhtiar’s works have been exhibited at galleries, fairs, and auctions around the world. In addition to his practice, he is also the founder of France's Fondation Behnam-Bakhtiar, a non-political foundation promoting contemporary Iranian art and artists through its extensive private collection and Behnam-Bakhtiar Award.

Oneness Wholeness runs at the Saatchi Gallery in London from 15-27 May 2018. Admission is free