Painter Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar Discusses His Latest Work, Les Jardins Éternels

Permanently installed at the Four Seasons at The Pearl-Qatar, the artist’s new works explore our relationship with nature, the land, and the rhythms of existence

For Sassan Behnam-Bakhtiar, painting isn’t about representation, it’s about energy, connection, and transformation. His latest works, Jardin de la Vie (Garden of Life) and Jardin de la Paix (Garden of Peace), created specifically for permanent installation at the Four Seasons at The Pearl-Qatar, encapsulate this philosophy. In Sassan’s words, the series Les Jardins Éternels forms “a bridge between nature, humanity, and the energy that binds us all.”

For the artist, the journey to these monumental abstract pieces began long before Doha. Over a decade spent in the south of France, from Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat to Les Trois Vallées, he developed an intimacy with landscapes that breathe and pulse with energy. The undulating hills, shifting skies, and still mountain peaks revealed a universal truth: as humans, we are but a single thread in the fabric of life, yet within this network of love and energy, we momentarily evolve into more authentic versions of ourselves.

This connection deepened when Sassan arrived in Qatar. The sweeping dunes, starlit skies, and vast expanse of the inland sea evoked an inexplicable sense of belonging—rooted in his Persian heritage yet equally spiritual and ephemeral. Wandering Qatar’s landscapes, he experienced an awakening akin to his explorations in France. The sea’s rhythm, the sands’ silence, and the communal warmth invited him to listen, to feel, and to paint.

“Nature is my greatest teacher,” Sassan explains. “It has shown me how everything is interconnected, bound by love, life, and energy.” This perspective shaped his ability to translate feelings of serenity and belonging into a distinct, abstract visual language. “Jardin de la Vie and Jardin de la Paix are about stepping back from the structures of modern society and rediscovering our true nature,” he shares. “They symbolise life’s unseen layers—energy, motion, and transformation.” For Sassan, these works remind us of what we often overlook: the essential beauty of life in its raw, interconnected form.

This is not the first time Sassan’s work has found a permanent home in a Four Seasons property. His paintings also adorn the lobby of the Grand-Hotel Du Cap-Ferrat in the south of France, close to his atelier. The choice of the Four Seasons at The Pearl-Qatar as the home for Les Jardins Éternels feels fitting. “Both places reflect the same balance of energy and elegance.”

Imagery supplied