<strong>Golnaz Fathi</strong>, <em>Untitled (25)</em> (detail), 2013. <br>Acrylic, pen and varnish on canvas, 146 x 128 x 5 cm.<h2>GOLNAZ FATHI:<br>NO RAIN WILL PUT OUT THIS FIRE - CATALOGUE</h2>Now Available From Our Store (£10 + P&P)<strong>Golnaz Fathi</strong>, <em>Untitled (26)</em>, 2013. <br>Acrylic, pen and varnish on canvas, 146 x 128 x 5 cm.<em>Golnaz Fathi: Liminal-Subliminal</em>, 2010.

GOLNAZ FATHI

Golnaz Fathi.
Photo:© Jonathan Greet, 2023.
Golnaz Fathi, No rain will put out this fire..., 2022.
Acrylic and spray paint on canvas, 130 x 170 cm.
Golnaz Fathi was born in 1972 and lives and works in Tehran. She studied Graphic Design at Azad University in Tehran.

Golnaz Fathi’s work explores the potential for overlap and exchange between the quite separate domains of modernist abstraction and classical Persian calligraphy. She is remarkable for being one of only a handful of women trained to the highest levels of traditional Persian calligraphy. When, her talents once recognised, Fathi was eventually invited to join the inner sanctum of the prestigious Iranian Calligraphy Association—an exclusively masculine institution—she chose instead to follow her dream and define herself as a contemporary artist. Fathi’s rigorous calligraphic training—six hours practice per day over many years—thereafter became a fertile source of her inventive explorations of the art of inscribing meaning by using extemporised forms akin to writing.

Golnaz Fathi’s canvases operate in the ‘interzone’ between script that is absent of meaning and the broad field of potential significance offered to each spectator by that telling absence. The viewer must, therefore, either intuit the artist’s original intentions or allow the visceral shock of each abstract canvas to transform them into a co-creator of the work, and by using their feelings and emotional intelligence discover their own interpretations as they ponder the painting’s meaning.

October Gallery, London exhibited her powerful solo exhibitions, Liminal- Subliminal (2010), Dance Me to the End of Night (2014) and No rain will put out this fire (2023). Fathi’s work has been collected in many public and private collections internationally, including the British Museum, London; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the World Bank, Washington, D.C.; the Asian Civilizations Museum, Singapore, Carnegie Mellon University in Doha; the Islamic Art Museum (IAMM), Kuala Lumpur; Denver Art Museum, Denver; Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove; and the Devi Art Foundation, New Delhi amongst others.

For sales enquiries please contact: Or call + 44 (0)20 7242 7367
View below for career highlights and works for sale by the artist.

 

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS


Golnaz FathiGF041
Untitled (41) (triptych), 2010.
Golnaz FathiGF027
Untitled (27), 2014.
Golnaz FathiGF042
Untitled (42) (triptych), 2017.
Golnaz FathiGF017
Scrolls (triptych), 2006.
 

SELECTED WORKS


Golnaz FathiGF054
When the rain comes we can be thankful, 2021.
Golnaz FathiGF055
Sunset, 2021.
Golnaz FathiGF051
Sunlight, 2022.
Golnaz FathiGF045
No rain will put out this fire..., 2022.
Golnaz FathiGF050
Bang bang, my baby shot me down..., 2022.
Golnaz FathiGF056
Redemption, 2023.
Golnaz FathiGF052
The colour of the sky is blue!, 2022.
Golnaz FathiGF053
The black cloud is crying..., 2021.
Golnaz FathiGF047
The water has carried them away, 2022.
Golnaz FathiGF049
There is no handwriting on the wall..., 2022.
Golnaz FathiGF058
Untitled, 2023.
Golnaz FathiGF059
Untitled, 2022.
Golnaz FathiGF063
Untitled, 2021.
Golnaz FathiGF060
Untitled, 2021.
Golnaz FathiGF019
Untitled (19), 2012.
Golnaz FathiGF018
Untitled (11), 2011.
Golnaz FathiGF006
Untitled (5), 2010.
Golnaz FathiGF033
Untitled (33) (triptych), 2014.
Golnaz FathiGF021
Untitled (21), 2013.
Golnaz FathiGF022
Untitled (22), 2013.
Golnaz FathiGF024
Untitled (24), 2013.
Golnaz FathiGF034
Dance Me to the End of Night, 2014.
Edition of 4 plus 1 artist's proof
Golnaz FathiGF037
Let's Blow Them Away, 2014.
Edition of 4 plus 1 artist's proof
Golnaz FathiGF041
Untitled (41) (triptych), 2010.
Golnaz FathiGF042
Untitled (42) (triptych), 2017.


 

MEDIA



 

GOLNAZ FATHI

Born in 1972, Tehran, Iran. Lives and works in Tehran, Iran.
Education
1996    Diploma of Iranian Calligraphy, Iranian Society of Calligraphy, Tehran, Iran
1995    Bachelors of Art in Graphics, Azad Art University, Tehran, Iran
Selected solo exhibitions
2023   No rain will put out this fire, October Gallery, London, UK
2022   The Road Forward, Sundaram Tagore gallery, Chelsea, New York, USA
Golnaz Fathi: Untold Symphony, Opera Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
2019   Let’s pretend everything is alright, Sundaram Tagore gallery, New York, USA
2018   A Long Line Without a Word, PearlLam Galleries, Shanghai
2017   Golnaz Fathi: Traces of Yesterday, AB43 Contemporary ,Thalwil, Switzerland
2016   Kaht/Line, The Third Line Gallery, Dubai, UAE
Contemplations, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, Singapore 
In Silence, PearlLam Galleries, Singapore (Gillman Barracks), Singapore
2015   Every Braking Wave, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, Hong Kong
2014   Dance Me to the End of Night, October Gallery, London, UK
2013   The Living Road, PearlLam Fine Art, Shanghai, China
Golnaz Fathi, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York, U.S.A
Falling Leaves, The Third Line Gallery, Dubai, UAE<
2010   Liminal-Subliminal, October Gallery, London, UK
Ride Like the Wind, Sultan Gallery, Kuwait
Controlled Chaos, The Third Line, Dubai, UAE
2009   Doha series, The Third Line, Doha, Qatar
2008   My Freedom, Xerxes Gallery, London, UK
    Sleepless Nights, The Third Line, Dubai, UAE
2007   Beyond Words, La Fontaine Centre of Contemporary Art, Bahrain
2006   Golnaz Fathi, The Third Line, Dubai, UAE
2005   Golnaz Fathi, Space SD, Beirut, Lebanon
    Un-Written, The Third Line, Dubai, UAE
    Virtual Painting Exhibition, ArteEast
Maison des Jeunes et de la Culture de Neuilly, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
2004   Agence Le Carré Bleu, Paris, France
    L’oeil du Huit, Paris, France
    Golestan Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2002   Golestan Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2000   Golestan Gallery, Tehran, Iran
    Shahr-e-Ketab Bookstore of Niavaran, Tehran, Iran
1999   Seyhoon Gallery, Tehran, Iran
1998   Seyhoon Gallery, Tehran, Iran

Selected group exhibitions
2024   Transvangarde: Free Style Cipher, October Gallery, London, UK
2023   Abstraction, Salons du Trocadero, Paris, France
The Orange River, Sixty Six Gallery, London, UK
Back to the Future, Galerie Nicholas Flamel, Paris, France
Meaning & Materiality: Art of and Inspired by Asia and the Subcontinent, Sundaram Tagore, New York, Chelsea, New York, USA
Reorientation: The Space In-Between, Sundaram Tagore, Singapore
In Conversation: Historic And Recent Works By Women, Sundaram Tagore, New York, Chelsea, New York, USA
2022   Surface Appeal, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, Singapore
20+, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York, USA
Spring Group Show, Sundaram Tagore, Singapore
Collaboration, Sundaram Tagore, New York, Chelsea, New York, USA
2021   Sundaram Tagore Gallery Survey, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, Singapore
Painting Unbound, Online Exhibition, October Gallery, Bloomsbury, London, UK
2020   Metamorphoses, PearlLam Galleries, Shanghai, China
Atmospheres, October Gallery, London, UK
Sundaram Tagore Gallery Survey, Sundaram Tagore, Singapore
For Beirut with Love, Opera Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
2019   Writing non Writing, Modern Calligraphy Festival, Museum of Contemporary Art , CAA Hongzhou, China
The decorated word, writing and picturing in Islamic calligraphy, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
Winter Group Show, Sundaram Tagore, New York, Chelsea, New York, USA
Dream No Small Dream: 40 years of the Transvangarde, October Gallery, London, UK 
Women’s Work: Contemporary Art from Asia and the Middle East, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, Singapore 
2018   Transvangarde: Contemporary Art from around the planet, October Gallery, London, UK 
Infinite Present: The Revelatory Art of Islamic Design, Gallery 344, Cambridge Arts Council, Massachusetts, USA
Sundaram, Tagore Gallery, Singapore
Duo exhibition: Crossfades and Drawn Forms, Golnaz Fathi and Lan Zhenghui, PearlLam Galleries, Singapore 
2017   All Happens After Sunset…, MoCA Pavliion, Shanghai, China
Group Show (winter), Sundaram Tagore Gallery, Singapore
Group Show (summer), Sundaram Tagore Gallery, Singapore
INK ASIA, PearlLam Galleries, Hong Kong
Quotidian, PearlLam Galleries, Shanghai, China
Appearance, White Line Gallery, Tehran, Iran 
2016   In Silence, Pearl Lam Galleries, Singapore
AB Discovery 2016, AB Gallery, Lucerne, Switzerland
Labyrinths, Pearl Lam Galleries, Hong Kong
2015   Frontiers Reimagined: Art That Connects Us, Museo di Palazzo Grimani, Venice, Italy
International Calligraphy Exhibition, Wafi, Dubai, UAE
Writing non writing, Museum of Contemporary Art, CAA Hongzhou, China
2014   35 Years of Transvangarde: Contemporary art from around the planet, October Gallery, London, UK
Approaches to Tradition, Neo-traditionalism in contemporary Iranian art, Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran, Iran
Marked: Contemporary takes on mark -making, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, Hong Kong
Marked: Contemporary Takes on Mark-Making, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York, USA
2013   Nun Va Al Qalam Contemporary Muslim Calligraphy, The Islamic Arts Museum, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Qalam: The Art of Beautiful Writing, Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery, Birmingham, UK
To be a Lady: An International Celebration of Women in the Arts, Curated by Jason Andrew, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, Singapore
2012   Masters of the Transvangarde, October Gallery, London, UK
    Alternative view: Three Generations of Iranian Women, Mellat Gallery, Tehran
    Written Images: Contemporary Calligraphy from the Middle East, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, HK
    The Other Half of Iran, Sem-Art Gallery, Monaco
    World Stories- Young Voices, Brighton Museum, UK
    The Elephant in the Dark, Devi Art Foundation, New Delhi, India
2011   Hong Kong Art Fair, PearlLam Fine Art Gallery, Hong Kong
    Written Images: Contemporary Calligraphy from the Middle East, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York, USA
    The Art of Writing, Art Forum of Wiesbaden, Germany
    Transvangarde: Contemporary Art from Around the World, October Gallery, London, UK
2010   Iran Inside Out, Farjam Collection, Dubai, UAE
2009   International Woman Artists’ Biennial, South Korea
    Iran Inside Out, Chelsea Art Museum, New York, USA
    Selseleh/Zelseleh: Movers & Shakers in Contemporary Iranian Art, Curated by Dr. Layla Diba, Leila Taghinia-Milani Heller Gallery, New York, USA
2008   Look what love has done to us, Cramer Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
    Word into Art: Artists of the Modern Middle East, British Museum at DIFC, Curated by Venetia Porter, Dubai, UAE
2007   Cutting Edge: Spotlight on the avant-garde of emerging countries, Artcurial, Paris, France
    Collected Memories, ArtSpace Gallery, London, UK
    Within and Without, Nomoregrey Gallery, London, UK
    Group exhibition, Mah Gallery, Tehran, Iran
    Group exhibition, Unnamed Gallery, Amman, Jordan
    Wishes and Dreams, Meridian International Centre, Washington DC, USA
    ARTPARIS 07, Grand Palais, Paris, France
    Group Exhibition, Niavaran Artistic Creation Foundation, Tehran, Iran
2006   Transit, Istanbul Improvisation Days, Istanbul, Turkey
    Group Exhibition, Don O'Melveny Gallery, Los Angles, USA
    Word into Art: Artists of the Modern Middle East, The British Museum, London, UK
    9th International Open Exhibition, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, USA
2005   Group Exhibition, Espace SD, Beirut, Lebanon
    Group Exhibition, Mah Gallery, Tehran, Iran
    Group Exhibition, Italian School of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2004   Group Exhibition, Depot Square Gallery, Boston, USA
    Group Exhibition, Elga Wimmer Gallery, New York City, USA
    Group Exhibition, Fatima Gallery, Tehran, Iran
    Group Exhibition, Italian School of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
    Group Exhibition, Royal Mirage Hotel, Dubai, UAE
2003   Group Exhibition, Williams Tower Gallery, Houston, USA
    6th Tehran Contemporary Painting Biennial, Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran, Iran
    Group Exhibition, The National Arts Club, New York, USA
    Group Exhibition, Lo Sguardo Di Luce, Padova, Italy
    New Art from Iran, Art Centre of Plano, Plano, Texas, USA
    New Art from Iran, Museum of Arts and Science, Daytona Beach, Florida, USA
2002   Group Exhibition, Golestan Gallery, Tehran, Iran
    Group Exhibition, Don O'Melveny Gallery, Los Angles, USA
    New Art from Iran, Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Beaumont, Texas, USA
    New Art from Iran, Queen Library Gallery, Jamaica, New York, USA
2001   Group Exhibition, La Maison du Livre, Brussels, Belgium
    Group Exhibition, Hôtel de Ville de Saint-Gilles, Saint-Gilles, Belgium
    Group Exhibition, Golestan Gallery, Tehran, Iran
    Group Exhibition, Courtyard Gallery, Dubai, UAE
    Group Exhibition, Meridian International Centre, Washington DC, USA
2000   Group Exhibition, Azteca Gallery, Madrid, Spain
    Group Exhibition, Seyhoon Gallery, Tehran, Iran
1998   Group Exhibition, Seyhoon Gallery, Tehran, Iran
1997   1st Islamic World Calligraphy Festival, Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran, Iran
    Group Exhibition, Seyhoon Gallery, Tehran, Iran
1996   Calligraphy Exhibition, Reza Abbassi Museum, Tehran, Iran
    Calligraphy Exhibition, Seyhoon Gallery, Tehran, Iran
1995   Exhibition of Art University Students, Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran, Iran
1994   Exhibition for Iranian Women Painters, Turkey
1993   2nd Painting and Miniature Exhibition, Tehran Exhibition Centre, Tehran, Iran
    2nd Tehran Contemporary Painting Biennial, Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran, Iran
Grants and Awards
2012   Visiting artist at “Art Campus”, Meissen Porcelain Factory, Germany
2011   Chosen as a Young Global Leader - World Economic Forum, Geneva, Switzerland
2010   Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial, UAE - Selection Committee
2007    Residence scholarship, Fabrica, Treviso, Italy
2004    Residence Scholarship, Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, France
2003    Residence Scholarship, Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, France
1995   Best Woman Calligraphist in Ketabat style, Iranian Society of Calligraphy, Tehran, Iran
1993   Diploma of Honour in Graphics and Painting, Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran, Iran

Collections

Asian Civilization’s Museum, Singapore
Brighton & Hove Museum, UK
The British Museum, London, UK
Carnegie Mellon University in Doha, Qatar
Denver Art Museum, Denver, Colorado, USA
Devi art foundation, New Delhi, India
Farjam Collection, Dubai, UAE
Islamic Art Museum, Malaysia
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Salsali Foundation, Dubai, UAE
World Bank, Washington. DC, USA

OCTOBER GALLERY ARTISTS