Javad Hamidi

Javad Hamidi, a painter and educator, was born in 1918 (1297 SH) in Hamedan. He is considered one of the pioneers of modernist art in Iran. At the School of Fine Arts affiliated with the University of Tehran, Hamidi was among the most prolific painters of his generation. As one of the first professors at the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Tehran, he is regarded as one of the most loyal painters to the modernist style. Hamidi had a particular interest in still life and paintings of solitary human figures. In his works, he expressed his mastery of drawing. He explored various styles, ranging from naturalism to pure abstraction. At times, he painted still lifes and landscapes; at others, he turned to allegorical and religious themes. His paintings are typically harmonious in terms of form and color, and are structurally strong from a compositional standpoint. He described the diversity in his work as follows: "My sensitivity today is different from yesterday and will be different from tomorrow. When an idea comes to mind, I look for the style that can best express it. Another reason for this diversity relates to my teaching at the university, as I need to learn different methods in order to teach them to my students. Not choosing a single style is, in itself, a kind of style."