Shahpour Pouyan on Ceramics, Architecture, and Personal History

In an interview with Dr. Penny Dan Xu for Canvas, commissioned by Lawrie Shabibi, Shahpour Pouyan reflects on his artistic path. Born in Isfahan in 1979 and currently residing between London and New York, Pouyan initially pursued painting at Tehran University of Art and Pratt Institute. He also studied philosophy at the Iranian Institute of Philosophy and honed his skills in painting and armor-making under various masters. After earning his degree from Pratt in 2013, he was inspired by a PTSD leaflet to explore pottery, studying with Guangzhen Zhou in California. His notable works include Failed Object (2014), Still Life (2014), and Tzar Trauma (2014). His ongoing series, My Place is the Placeless (2017-present), incorporates domes from a DNA test. His solo exhibition, Skyhigh is My Place (Nov 2021-Jan 2022), recreated an air control tower from his father's military base. Additionally, his Miniatures series (2008-present) eliminates figures from Persian miniatures, and he has crafted gargoyles of historical figures such as Xerxes, Hannibal, and Vladimir Putin at Galerie Nathalie Obadia. Pouyan perceives great art as a mystery, comparable to Persian poetry.