Iranian film maker Mohammad Ali Sajjadi, 58, who started his artistic career with painting and calligraphy, has organized a painting exhibition in an effort to portray "the most enigmatic Iranian writer of the 20th century."

The exhibition is titled 'Raga Pot', a solo event hosted by Shams Art Gallery in Tehran. It features 14 paintings Sajjadi has created in 15 years.

He has painted them in the context of his research on Iranian writer and translator Sadeq Hedayat (1903-1951) with a particular focus on the writer's magnum opus 'The Blind Owl'.

"Initially, my intention was to write a screenplay, but the research resulted in a number of paintings," Sajjadi told Honaronline.

"The paintings are my interpretation of Hedayat's character from the studies I made on The Blind Owl. The book delivers a somewhat visual understanding of Hedayat. It can be considered the most vital written work manifesting various traits of this prominent writer's character. I have always compared The Blind Owl with Aristotle's Poetics."

The exhibition opens on September 30 at 4 pm and will run through October 10. The paintings are made with acrylics. Nine are painted on hardboard and five on canvas.

"Unlike my previous exhibits with vibrant colors, this one has strictly controlled colors, which is due to the influence of The Blind Owl," he added.

Shams Art Gallery is located at No 10, Khan Sefid Alley, west of Niavaran Cultural Center on Northern Pasdaran Street.

By Financial Tribune