Mahmoud Meraji
Home: North York, Ontario
Title: Untitled
Media: Oil on board / huile sur panneau
Dimensions: 106 x 116 cm
My true understanding of portraiture is to look beyond just the model’s appearance.
I usually plunge into harmonizing backgrounds and foregrounds. However, I mostly try to consider contrast between the lights and the shades, as well as different tones and textures. In addition, I have to say that one of the most important things that motivates me, as an artist, and draws my attention is the human figure. It is the different posses of hands and gestures that encourage me evaluate different characters in models. For instance, the eyes symbolize open window which reveal the inner being of every model. I always try to achieve the harmony and balance that exits between the artistic side and human psychology. According to Edward Monet there is a long way to go in order to obtain the status of: The Painter’s Painter”.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2009 Trilogy, Mekic Galerie d’art , Montreal QC
2009 ab strack’tid, Headbones Gallery, Toronto, ON
2009 The Canadian Portrait: Today and Tomorrow Toronto, ON
2008 International Arts Festival- Miracle of the Portrait Toronto, ON
2008 Pass the Buddha, Museum of Northern History, Kirkland Lake, Ontario
2008 Tirgan, Iranian Art Festival ,Harbourfront Centre, Toronto
2008 2008 International Portrait Arts competition
2008 Buddha Composed (collaboration with Julie Okes), Varley Art Gallery of Markham
2007 Iranian artists’ cultural reunion, Six weeks of Iranian Art , Toronto, Ontario
2007 Canadian Artists without Boarders, Varley Art Gallery of Markham
2006 Under the Azure Dome – Persian Festival,t Harbourfront Centre, Toronto
2004 Metamorphosis, Scarborough Art Council, Toronto
2004 Arta Gallery, Toronto, ON
2003 Drawing 2003, John B. Arid Gallery, Toronto
2002 Illuminary Art Gallery
2002 Scarborough Art Council, Annual Juried Show Scarborough, Toronto
2001 Art at the heart (Arts week2001), Toronto
2001 Odyssey (S.A.C) Scarborough, Ontario
2001 Art at the heart, Toronto, Ontario
1997 The Third Iranian painting Biannual, Tehran
1993 Fair of Flowers and Nature, Tehran
1993 The Second Iranian Painting Biannual , Tehran
1992 The First Iranian Painting Biannual, Tehran
1988 Tehran Museum of Contemporary Arts, Tehran
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2007 Mystic Iranian Curves, Six weeks of Iranian Art Toronto, Ontario
1997 Iranian Community Association of Ontario, Toronto
1997 Arya Art Gallery, Tehran
1996 Arya Art Gallery, Tehran
1995 Golestan Art Gallery, Tehran
1991 Golestan Art Gallery, Tehran
AWARDS:
2008 Grand prize winner, 2008 International Portrait Arts competition, Toronto, ON
2008 Art and Humanities, Ethnic Press
2002 Honorable mention Award, Scarborough Art Council, Toronto, Ontario
2001 Honorable mention Award, Art at the heart, Toronto, Ontario
1993 First Prize Winner, Iranian Fair of Flowers & Nature, Tehran