About
The interplay between dense and transparent strokes, structured grids versus spontaneous, ad hoc constructions, weight distribution from bottom to top, light versus dark, and the contrast between choppy and continuous brushwork—all serve as powerful expressions of meaning and emotion.
Monir Zende’s emotionally charged style, characterized by gestural brushwork, draws inspiration from 20th-century post-abstract painters, notably Joan Mitchell. Her compositions are influenced by art history memories.
As one of the few female painters of her time to gain recognition in the Tehran art scene, Monir remained dedicated to abstraction throughout her career, including her recent works in 2024.
Her expansive paintings often span multiple panels, drawing from memories and emotions associated with landscapes. Monir primarily used oil paints on primed canvas or white ground, employing gestural and occasionally rough brushwork. She once described painting as “an orgasm that turns in my mind”
