Hussein Zenderoudi’s works retranscribe the symbolic and visual languages of twentieth century Iran, blending cultural elements and contemporary techniques to produce a strikingly modern pictorial aesthetic. As such, Zenderoudi’s artistic output crystallizes the very soul of the Saqqakhaneh group, a movement he inspired, alongside fellow artist Faramarz Pilaram (1937–1982) and Parviz Tanavoli (see lots 33 and 34). In their works, these Iranian visionaries strived to subvert the elite status of calligraphy into a democratic tool, conferring it talismanic virtues instead.

In the present work, Arabic letters and numbers are used as a geometric, almost abstract elements filling the canvas, imitating a calligraphic style yet devoid of any semantic purpose. Throughout the composition, form prevails over meaning, in a fundamental subversion of calligraphic principles. The script, intentionally indecipherable, challenges the language barrier to embody a universal structure appreciable by any cultural audience. Sticking out of this imbroglio of inscriptions is the spontaneous yet systematic multiplication of characters. A possible tribute to the tradition of numerological recurrence in Islam, it echoes Sufi beliefs granting spiritual significance in the existence of numbers, therefore using their repetitions to summon talismanic and meditative powers.

Almost musical in aspect, this work evokes a staccato, yet free-flowing melody, featuring spontaneous inspirations and highly contrasted colours. Writ large, one might see in the present lot a painted rhapsody.

For further information on the Saqqakhaneh group, see: "SAQQĀ-ḴĀNA SCHOOL OF ART – Encyclopaedia Iranica". Iranicaonline.org.