We view the world through our eyes, limited by a narrow color spectrum and depth of vision. But what if we had compound eyes like insects, sonar like dolphins, and used other senses to enhance our vision? In his exhibition Hybrid Baroque, Bahadori explores new sensoria by abstracting and recomposing elements of nature, architectural structures, and human figures.  

Inspired by Western Baroque architecture and music, and the rich traditions of Eastern miniatures, the works in this exhibition combine grandeur and movement to evoke a feeling of awe by blending abstract color fields with recognizable elements. Bahadori invites the viewers to visualize the world through a prism of broken objects and grids.  

From his early beginnings in his hometown of Tabriz, Azerbaijan, Iran, to his teenage years sketching alongside masters in Paris, Bahadori’s story is rich in art experience. He graduated as a textile designer and obtained his master’s in digital application design for textiles from The University of Manchester, UK. Bahadori settled in his current home in the DC area in 1992, where he studied under the founders of the Washington Color School. A prizewinning hybrid media colorist painter, recognized as one of the 51 living and working artists who have shaped, inspired, and impacted the DC art scene — as per the 2024 District 51 Exhibit — Bahadori’s multicultural upbringing is evident in his vibrant, abstract works.  Currently, he works at the Torpedo Factory Art Center, where he began, and continues to, develop his unique contemporary series. He is frequently featured by The Washington Post, local media and at DC auctions—WPA, Hickok Cole, and Transformer.

Art is a doorway to the subconscious, and color opens the path. I’m drawn to the space between the known and the unknown—the recognizable and the abstract. My artistic process is a journey through the colors that appear to my eyes, much like composers hear the notes in their ears. The process is spontaneous. It occurs beyond the realm of self and intellect. Forms come in to represent the colors. More than an artist, I consider myself a medium to provide the observer (including myself) access to the unknown or the forgotten. My art is successful only when viewers see their own story in it and connect to themselves and the universe through it. Listening to what others see in my paintings, I am continually surprised by our shared collective memory.

An Artist Talk with Abol Bahadari

Saturday, March 21, 1pm

Featured solo artist Abol Bahadori will lead an artist talk about his exhibition Hybrid Baroque. He will discuss his inspirations, ranging from Western Baroque architecture and music to the rich traditions of Eastern miniatures, and invite audiences to step into his unique, abstracted worlds of color.

Free to the public (A suggested donation of $10)