Mehdi Ghadyanloo

I’m creating a kind of atmosphere, a space of ambiguity.
—Mehdi Ghadyanloo

Gagosian is pleased to present new paintings and works on paper by Mehdi Ghadyanloo. Opening on September 22, this will be his first solo exhibition in Asia.

Ghadyanloo’s paintings are composed with meticulous attention to geometry, color, and chiaroscuro. At once familiar and mysterious, the slides, tunnels, and ladders he depicts are sited in shallow rectilinear chambers. The scenes are illuminated from above by skylights, with painted beams of light that reveal the details of the plastic and metal structures while indicating different times of day. The pieces of playground equipment exist as symbols, monuments to psychological states, as much as they are imagined physical constructions. Absent of children or other figures, they have an enigmatic, monumental presence that prompts nostalgia for the innocence of childhood play while hinting at existential themes.

Ghadyanloo’s unique approach as a painter evolved as he completed over one hundred public murals across Tehran from 2004 through 2011. Created to beautify the urban environment and promote civic harmony, these expansive works transformed the face of the city and garnered international attention, leading to mural commissions in Europe and the United States. His return to painting on canvas has allowed him to advance other themes, inspiring the present body of work.