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MEET THE ARTIST!

Anahita Alavi / Artist / Muqarnas Art

I am the founder and artist behind Muqarnas Art!

Growing up in a historical city like Esfahan, where is still full of the reminiscent of the Safawid period both in buildings and mural paintings, ignited my passion and interest for Persian miniature and Islamic Illumination. Shaikh Lotfalah mosque is my favourite fascinating place that I still cannot get enough of this masterpiece.

As a teenage student, I attended the courses of the well-known Persian miniature masters in the city who helped me to build a groundwork of this practical field.

Painting is not my hobby, it's my passion and Profession

Anahita Alavi / Artist / Muqarnas Art
Anahita Alavi / Artist / Muqarnas Art

My undergraduate programme paved the way for me to enhance my knowledge in Islamic illumination, Islamic geometric design and Persian miniature.

After getting the undergraduate degree, I continued practising these fields and also experienced other kinds of traditional Persian arts; Lacquer painting and golo-morq (bird and flowers).

Before moving to London, I used to teach Persian painting and Islamic illumination at the Payame‐Nur University of Tehran and a number of schools and institutes in Iran. Aiming to enhance my theoretical‐historical knowledge about Iranian culture and arts, I did an MA in Art studies at the University of Tehran.

I have done another MA at SOAS University of London (2015) in History of Art and Architecture of Islamic Middle East.

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Subsequently, I started an entrepreneur project called Muqarnas Art sponsored by SOAS (2016). The project was concerned with teaching and producing Persian miniature and illumination. This aimed to preserve the tradition of Miniature painting and Islamic illumination and transmit the respective knowledge and skills to enthusiastic students. To this end, since October 2018, I am teaching Persian Painting and Islamic Illumination courses at the SOAS London Middle East Institute, British Institute of Persian Studies and Iranian Arts Society at SOAS I have also been teaching various private courses since 2015.  

Would you like to know more about me?

Watch my interview

with

ALNADI PODCAST

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 AWARDS & EXHIBITIONS

  • Winner of the Second place of “The Best Craftsman” Award, II International Handicrafts Festival, Kokand, Uzbekistan, 2023.

AWARDS

  • Winner of the Third place in “ Human Figure Drawing”, National Festival of Visual Art, 2003.

September 
2023

II International Handicraft Festival ,Kokand, Uzbekistan.

November
2021

III International Biennale of Applied Arts “ Contemporary Arts & Crafts: Decor & Style”, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

EXHIBITIONS

September 
2020

The International Symposium and exhibition dedicated to the 565th Anniversary of the great Painter, Kamoliddin Bekhzod, Uzbekistan

September 
2019

February
2003

The first International Handicraft Festival ,Kokand, Uzbekistan.

National Festival of Visual Arts, Iran.

ON INSTAGRAM!

@MUQARNAS.ART

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