2018 Catalogue Archive

Born in the US, Andisheh Avini subtly combines elements of his Iranian and Persian heritage with a US and European minimalist aesthetic. The influence of Avini’s ancestry can be seen in his attention to detail and the luscious materiality of his disparate works, whether in his use of the traditional Iranian inlaid woodworking practice called marquetry (or Khatam), in the roughness of raw precious and semi-precious stones, or when he draws on his childhood memories of sitting on rugs. For this body of work, Avini saturates plain, white carpet circles or squares with amorphous pools of ink. The deep jewel tones evoke Islamic prayer rugs or ornate Persian rugs, and enrich the mass-produced material. Avini has exhibited his work in solo and group shows in the US and Europe.