Parviz Tanavoli, the renowned and foremost Iranian artist, is known not just because of his role in Iranian modern art but for his very wide range of activities in history, art, culture and Iranian heritage. More than six decades of working as sculptor, painter, printmaker, writer, collector, researcher and patron of modern and contemporary art makes him the “Renaissance Man” of his motherland, Iran.

Most of his research and collections are focused on tribal and commoners’ art, their beliefs and its role in people’s everyday lives. His books on subjects such as Talismans, Persian Locks, Kohl Containers, Scales and Weights, and more than 10 books on Persian tribal rugs and carpets, shows his knowledge, understanding and interest in the importance of people’s art.

Tanavoli had an important role in the founding of Saqakhaneh, the most important Iranian artistic movement begun in the early 1960s. His intellectual support and his ideas of importing popular culture and common people’s life elements into art which, back in those days was limited to the elites of society, the highly educated and aristocrats, shows his deep feeling of culture and cultural heritage as well as modern art movements all over the world.

Locks have played an important role in Tanavoli’s sculpture to an extent that they have become part of the anatomy of his art. For more info see: www.Tanavoli.com