Spring
Emotions on glass
Reverse-glass painting by Mahin Azima
September 7, 1999
The Iranian
Since 1973 Mahin Azima has been trying to revive and modernize "reverse-glass"
(posht-e shisheh) painting in Iran.
Reverse-glass painting is an ancient art form that originated in China
and was first seen in Iran during the 15th century. It is unique in the
sense that the top layer finish is painted first, while the background
and built-up colors come second. She has tried to use this form to give
depth and a three-dimensional effect to the final work.
Azima was one of the first women in Iran to graduate from the Faculty
of Fine Arts at Tehran University (1954). She later studied Indian painting
at the Tagor University in Calcutta before working as an art teacher for
over 20 years.
In the past three decades she has held a number of individual and group
exhibitions in Iran, France, Belgium and Turkey.
Two of her works are now kept at the Museum of Contemporary Arts (Tehran),
one at Mrs Indira Gandhi's Collection (India), one at the Iran's Ministry
of Culture, and two at the Tehran Museum of Glass.
Click on images to see larger paintings
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