Anahita Akhavan: Re-entrant

United Contemporary is thrilled to present Re-entrant, the inaugural exhibition by Iranian-born painter, Anahita Akhavan. Based in Toronto, Akhavan’s use of geometry is derived from personal nostalgia, interpreting Islamic tapestry and architecture through her bold canvases and a rich intuitive colour palette. With a focus on traditional abstract points used in secular and religious storytelling, Re-entrant borrows its title from the Anatolia prayer rug key-hole motif, a simple lock shape characterized by weavers to represent a oneness with God. Arranging these familiar forms into contemporary compositions, like puzzle pieces to create new meaning, Akhavan’s practice continues an ongoing exploration into geometry as a means of expression for the various concepts that inhabit her work. 

Inspired by the Shadirvan and Persian fountains, that act both as functional and monuments of worship, Akhavan uses repetition of ornamental form in order to find a sense of harmony through predictability. Furthering her visual language through an advanced use of colour theory, Akhavan has a keen interest in depth, which is achieved by pushing and pulling layers of paint. Griding traditionally used to enlarge an image, and is a technique adopted by the artist to create circular forms (similar to the practice used in tapestry). Circles can become crescents or triangles for instance, in that they contain other shapes. 

Anahita Akhavan lives and works in Toronto, and has exhibited extensively in Iran, Canada and the US, and participated in artist residencies in Spain and Greece. Akhavan was also awarded the RBC Newcomer Arts Award in 2021, and is the recipient of a Toronto Arts Council grant. The artist obtained her BFA from the University of Tehran, Iran, and holds an MFA from the University of Saskatchewan.