Born in 1976 in Tehran, Iran, Ali Banisadr is a Brooklyn-based artist known for his dynamic, multilayered paintings that merge figuration and abstraction. His work, influenced by synaesthesia (a condition where sound and color intertwine) translates personal, historical and mythological narratives into rhythmic, visually immersive compositions.
Banisadr’s paintings depict shifting landscapes, where elements blend and collide in a state of perpetual motion. His fascination with history, war and global events, shaped by his childhood experiences during the Iranian Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War, infuses his work with themes of conflict and transformation. Drawing inspiration from art history, he references figures like Hieronymus Bosch, Francisco Goya and Persian miniatures, as well as Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism. Through his paintings, Banisadr constructs intricate worlds and visual symphonies that invite viewers to interpret and engage, reflecting both ancient mythologies and contemporary realities.
Major solo exhibitions include Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton, USA (2024); Museo Bardini and Palazzo Vecchio, both in Florence, IT (2021); Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT, USA (2020) and Benaki Museum, Athens, GR (2020) amongst others.
Ali Banisadr’s works are housed in some of the most prestigious public collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), USA; the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C., USA; and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA. In Europe, his work is held by the Centre Pompidou in Paris; the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London; as well as the Museum der Moderne in Salzburg.
Portait of Ali Banisadr, Photo by Charlie Rubin, Courtesy of the artistBorn in 1976 in Tehran, Iran, Ali Banisadr is a Brooklyn-based artist known for his dynamic, multilayered paintings that merge figuration and abstraction. His work, influenced by synaesthesia (a condition where sound and color intertwine) translates personal, historical and mythological narratives into rhythmic, visually immersive compositions.Banisadr’s paintings depict shifting landscapes, where elements blend and collide in a state of perpetual motion. His fascination with history, war and global events, shaped by his childhood experiences during the Iranian Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War, infuses his work with themes of conflict and transformation. Drawing inspiration from art history, he references figures like Hieronymus Bosch, Francisco Goya and Persian miniatures, as well as Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism. Through his paintings, Banisadr constructs intricate worlds and visual symphonies that invite viewers to interpret and engage, reflecting both ancient mythologies and contemporary realities.Major solo exhibitions include Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton, USA (2024); Museo Bardini and Palazzo Vecchio, both in Florence, IT (2021); Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT, USA (2020) and Benaki Museum, Athens, GR (2020) amongst others.Ali Banisadr’s works are housed in some of the most prestigious public collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), USA; the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C., USA; and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA. In Europe, his work is held by the Centre Pompidou in Paris; the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London; as well as the Museum der Moderne in Salzburg.