Inside Ocean, Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar’s Captivating New Solo Exhibition

The collaborative project with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and Sotheby’s Monaco harnesses the power of art to champion ocean and planetary health

Following his recent solo exhibitions at Sotheby’s, Monaco, and Phillips, London, Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar returns with a new, globally conscious body of work. Exhibited at the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, Ocean, is a site specific series that serves as a platform to raise collective awareness about the health of our planet.

Housed within the historic Villa Girasole, the Foundation’s headquarters in Monaco, Sassan has attempted to draw the boundless energy of the ocean into this iconic space. By highlighting the importance of water and its critical role in moderating the Earth’s climate, influencing weather patterns, and impacting human health, Sassan’s work inspires viewers to understand and protect this invaluable resource.

Inside the Villa, the audience will have the opportunity to encounter eleven paintings and a striking human-sized enamel sculptural work created by Sassan. “The works embody Sassan’s signature energy and spirituality,” says Louise Grether, director of Sotheby’s Monaco. “It’s fantastic that he is once again helping to raise funds for the Foundation’s important mission to support planetary health.”  

Each painting has been created using Sassan’s signature peinture raclée style. The artist’s approach involves the painstaking layering of pigmented and vivid colours onto linen canvas which are then scraped back in order to establish dynamic textures reminiscent of the depths of the ocean. These intricate works serve as a metaphor for the ocean as humanity’s birthplace and the lifeline of our planet.

Olivier Wenden, director of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, underscores the significance of Sassan’s commitment to raising awareness through art, emphasising the need to convey ecological narratives that resonate with our emotions and foster a sense of connection to our environment. “Works like Sassan’s Towards the Ocean painting spark questioning about the place of the ocean in our life,” says Olivier. “The ocean is our best ally in tackling the issue of climate change and at the same time, it needs all our attention because it is threatened by many human-induced pressures. We can’t save our future without saving the global ocean. So, let’s take a collective step towards the ocean and act to protect it.”

As part of his ongoing commitment to philanthropic causes, Sassan has pledged to donate around 50% of the sales of works from this exhibition to the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.

Ocean will be on display at Villa Girasole, Monaco, between June 30th to September 15th 2023.

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