Art Aware: ‘Embracing imperfection is key to artistic evolution’:

An interview with Iranian artist Sadegh Adham

‘These works invite humanity on an aesthetic journey, free from political and social biases’

Sadegh Adham, in his studio in Tehran, 2023. Image courtesy of the artist and Global Voices.

Sadegh Adham’s artistic journey began in the most unexpected of circumstances. The sounds of war marked his early years as he grew up during the Iran-Iraq war. Born in 1978 in Masjed Soleyman, a city in southern Iran in Khuzestan province, Adham’s childhood was shaped by the intensity of conflict and its lasting impact. He recalls how, at the age of five, a missile destroyed their home, and his family was forced to seek refuge in his maternal grandmother's house in Shushtar. Yet even amidst the chaos of war, Adham’s innate creativity began to take root.

Adham recalls the first sparks of his artistic journey — his father working with melted lead and his mother’s drawing book, where he first copied a mermaid. These early experiences laid the foundation for his passion for art.

Sadegh Adham, ‘Soldier Helmet,’ ‘War’ Series 2013. Image courtesy of the artist and Global Voices.

Growing up in a region with limited access to art education, Adham’s determination to create was unwavering. He fondly remembers gazing at a box of 96 colored pencils in a bookstore window, longing to own them. Eventually, after a year and a half of saving, he bought the set, fueling his artistic drive.

Later, Adham pursued formal education at the University of Fine Arts in Tehran, where he refined his skills. His works now explore themes of memory, identity, and culture, blending personal history with universal storytelling and inviting viewers to engage with the past and present.

Over the past decade, Sadegh Adham has held solo exhibitions in Iran and showcased his works in galleries across the U.K., France, and Canada, gaining international recognition for his ability to blend traditional themes with contemporary expressions.

Sadegh Adham, ‘Defiance.’ 10 x 10 x 15 cm (3.94 x 3.94 x 5.91 in), 2015. Image courtesy of the artist and Global Voices.

In an interview with Global Voices, Adham discussed how his childhood experiences shaped his art, focusing on themes of memory, trauma, identity, and the exploration of mythical figures to connect the past with the present.

Excerpts from the interview follow:

Omid Memarian (OM): How have your childhood experiences influenced your growth and development as an artist?

Sadegh Adham (SA): I grew up in Khuzestan, a region where the spirit and form of mythology resonate strongly. My childhood in this ancient city, with its unique architecture and civilization, inspired me and provided a foundation for creating works that are perhaps less explored today.

OM: How do mythical figures from the region, especially Iran, inspire your art, and how do you connect the past with the present through these characters?

SA: I believe we live on the surface of the past, experiencing something new. The more we value these roots in art and life, the more secure the foundations of artistic creation will be, as we can rely on the authenticity of our historical heritage and create works deeply rooted in culture and history. You are a product and definition of a specific political-social era, symbolically continuing and developing the culture of the past.

Sadegh Adham, ‘Rostam,’ Bronze, H183 x W57 x D31/5 cm (H72.2 x W22.4 x D12.4 in). Image courtesy of the artist and Global Voices.

OM: What motivated your “War” series, and how did you create a collection rooted in personal experience yet accessible to a global audience?

SA: I often create works based on my life conditions. Since this collection was my first experience in sculpting, and due to my life in southern Iran and the tangible experiences of war [between Iran and Iraq, 1980–1988] and its psychological and emotional toll, it was perhaps the birth of this malignant tumor within me, expressed through art. I have always wanted to interpret war differently, and these works result from my personal experience during the Iran-Iraq war.

OM: You mentioned that part of an artist's role is to create questions and that imperfection can evolve into something accepted and perfect. What inspired this perspective?

SA: In the early stages of my career, I created realistic sculptures, but my dissatisfaction with this style led me to contemplate how to create different forms and meanings. By introducing imperfections in the works and gradually achieving a deeper understanding of beauty, I aimed to create a work that transcended its flaws and became complete in its own right. Every day, I try to expand my perspective, merging meaning and form, so I can transcend the material world and embark on a journey of meaning. These works invite humanity on an aesthetic journey, free from political and social biases.

Sadegh Adham, No.2, 2020, 99 x 58 x 21 cm (39 x 22.8 x 8.3 in). Image courtesy of the artist and Global Voices.

OM: How do you manage the contradiction between imperfection and perfection in your creative process, and what is your concept of imperfection in art?

SA: I believe imperfection is inherent in us as humans. When imperfection is accepted consciously, it can be nurtured and developed. Denying imperfection is essentially the beginning of creativity in the works. The more we search for imperfection, the more we realize that there is a decisive and mysterious world behind it, and by accepting it, we come to understand that perfection is the end of the road.

OM: How did migrating from Masjed Soleiman to Tehran affect your artistic perspective, and what differences in themes, subjects, and the feeling of your works can be observed after this change in location?

SA: In 2009, when I frequently traveled between Tehran and Shushtar — one traditional and small, the other relatively modern with tall buildings — I experienced a contradiction and paradox. I found a sort of suspension in my works, somewhere between sleep and wakefulness, where this contradiction seemed to create a sense of uncertainty within me. I lived three days in one city and three days in another. This difference in space, with its ancient villas and modern high-rise buildings, seemed like time moved slowly in a town, while in Tehran and industrial cities, time was always in short supply.

Sadegh Adhma. Untitled. 2018. Image courtesy of the artist and Global Voices.

OM: In the “Sufi” collection, how did you arrive at a poetic and mythical perspective in your artistic expression, and how has this viewpoint affected the form and content of your works?

SA: Initially, the Shahnameh [The Persian Book of Kings] symbolized an epic for me, but the more I explored this work, I realized it was actually a journey of self-discovery. Even the moment when Rostam kills his son with his own hands seemed to me like Rostam killing his own breath to achieve a higher, transcendent path. The Simurgh symbolizes for me a form of witnessing, and for me, the Shahnameh became more about spiritual growth than heroism.

Sadegh Adham, ‘Cow,’ Bronze, H36 x D45 x W23 cm (H14.2 x D17.7 x W9.1 in). Image courtesy of the artist and Global Voices.

OM: How do you establish this global connection in your works, and what elements of Iranian culture and art do you showcase in them?

SA: In my works, particularly in the Shahnameh-inspired pieces, I have tried to use simple and complete forms such as circles, squares, and cylinders. By blending these forms with Iranian architecture — emphasizing specifically Iranian architecture — I have been able to achieve a unique expression within the Saqqā-ḵāna School. I believe the only genuinely impactful Iranian style, which unfortunately remained at the surface, is the Saqqā-ḵāna School. Through studying Iranian art in sculpture, I aim to elevate it to a different level.