Abbas Shahsavar (b 1983, Kermanshah, Iran) One of the most conceptually stimulating artists working in the miniature painting tradition in Iran today. His sumptuous illustrations of intimate scenes between couples, humorous observations of social mores and biting critiques of political violence infuse the revered historic medium with contemporary issues.

Following an old tradition in Persian miniature painting, works of Abbas Shahsavar can be considered modern renditions of miniature painting so familiar to Iranian artist and aficionados of the art of book-making in Iran. While the excruciatingly delicate brush strokes are reminiscent of traditional miniature painting, the themes the artist chooses belong to his time and space. Some are scenes from middle-class life in Iran. He uses his personality as a model to explore the issues in his life. Others are socio-political commentaries. Next to portraits of political figures of prominence a pears a calligraphed caption stamping the time of the drawing and the name of the figure.

In his Fall in Dopamine, a dark mood lingers over a domestic scene. The protagonists’ faces are rendered with a subtle fuzziness contrasted by the clarity of the rest of the image, suggesting their desire to escape the confines of a claustrophobic apartment. Wanting to demonstrate their autonomy, the characters attempt to escape through mind- altering and illicit substances. Persian poetry, Sufi philosophy and the Zoroastrian faith document the useof wine, opium and mystical potions for the easing of troubles or communicating with otherworldly forces: the afflicted characters in Fall in dopamine could be viewed as continuing this long tradition of seeking refuge in alternative states of mind and knowledge in the esoteric ideas.