Ali Banisadr, “My paintings are time machines.”

He was born in Tehran in 1976 but grew up in the United States: first in San Diego, where his family settled when he was 12 years old. Then he flew to New York where he opened his studio after studying art. Since then, the painter Ali Banisadr has been shining: rated Number 1 in the top 100 artists of 2011 in a list by Flash Art, his work has been exhibited from the Metropolitan to the British Museum. His sixth exhibition is on display at Thaddaeus Ropac. Ordered Disorders alludes to the representation of conflicts in art history, offering a reflection on the troubles which agitate the world.

Interview by Audrey Levy

What gave you the motivation to become an artist? I was attracted to art at a very young age. It was for me fundamental and my paintings were an attempt to understand the world around me. I grew up in Iran, during the revolution and the eight years of war with Iraq. I experienced chaos and turmoil. At this age, I was trying to overcome these experiences, expressing them visually. Later, I realised that there was a deeper explanation for this war, a truer version than the one shown in the media. What interests me is what lies beyond history. This is where art comes in: it’s an alternative and personal way of showing the world. What are you influenced by? The pioneering artists fascinate me. Especially the way in…

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L'officiel Art (Digital) - 1 Issue, No.32

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