Welcome to the new site of Farhad Alavi-Mehr and his work.
This current collection by artist Farhad Alavi Mehr spans 1992 – 2008 and is the cornerstone of his career as a painter. This series of paintings reflect his passion for his Persian history and his desire to express the beauty and complexities of the culture. He uses traditional Thulth & Kufic ornamental calligraphic styles and manipulates the forms, stretching and intertwining letters to create a distinctly graphic work. The colour palettes are carefully chosen by the artist and are totally instinctive. Although Farhad is ultimately committed to his Persian traditions, the paintings seem to reflect a modern, almost graffiti like sensibility, creating a completely refreshing vision of a man with one foot in his middle eastern past, and one foot in the present western world.
Farhad chooses traditional Persian poetry and philosophy that is meaningful to him, and creates instinctive and visually engaging painting that embrace his commitment to his middle eastern roots, but also can’t help but be influenced by his urban roots in Toronto, Canada.
