Press Release
O Gallery is pleased to showcase a new collection of paintings by Shaho Babaie (b. 1979 Marivan), an artist whose work bridges the individual and shared human experiences through expressive interpretations of nature.
The collection on display draws on Babaie’s memories of certain landscapes, particularly the reed beds from his childhood in his birthplace. In recent years, he has spent significant time observing reed beds around Tehran and Karaj, where he currently resides, leading to insights that have deeply informed this body of work.
Focusing on recognizable forms and meticulous details in this series, the artist’s creative process begins with an abstract vision that gradually takes shape. Through layers of oil paint—his medium of choice for its contemplative quality—Babaie refines and defines the composition, allowing it to evolve organically.
In his paintings, the artist metaphorically captures human presence through subtle visual cues. The quiet stillness of boats, for example, evokes a sense of longing and silence, as though life once thrived in these spaces but has now quietly retreated.
Describing his work as an exploration of memory and imagination, Babaie strikes a delicate balance between reality and a deep yearning for the emotional essence of nature. His landscapes resonate with a quiet yet profound emotional depth, reflecting the tension between the fading immediacy of the natural world and its continued, albeit distant presence in contemporary life.
Selected Works
