Parviz Tanavoli
Founded Iranian modern sculpture, and made Heech — the Persian word for nothing — into a form.
Parviz Tanavoli was born in Tehran in 1937, trained in Italy, and is generally regarded as the founder of modern sculpture in Iran and a central figure in the Saqqakhaneh movement, which drew on Shia devotional objects, folk metalwork, locks and calligraphy. From 1965 he worked repeatedly with Heech — the Persian word meaning nothing — whose three letters form a standing figure with a bowed head, made in bronze, fibreglass and neon at every scale. He taught at Tehran University, collected Persian rugs and lion carvings, and has divided his life between Tehran and Vancouver.
Prices for modern Middle Eastern art are set principally in Dubai and London, and Tanavoli is one of the strongest names in that market. The Heech sculptures exist across many editions, materials and sizes, and identifying which is the whole task — bronze, fibreglass, ceramic and neon versions of the same form are not comparable. Cast number, foundry and date should be established. Earlier unique works from the 1960s and the Saqqakhaneh period lead. Prints, works on paper and jewellery form a smaller part of the output.
If you own a work by Parviz Tanavoli
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