Mohammad Ehsaie
Mohammad Ehsai was born in Qazvin, Iran in 1939. Ehsai was classically trained in traditional calligraphy, such as Nastaliq and Muhaqqaq. He was one of the leading artists incorporating Persian script, into new artistic expressions shaped by symbolic art forms found in Shi’i religious works.
As an intellectually curious artist, his desire to know more about the way in which art is expressed in different cultures led him to travel and study in several European and Asian countries, where he also exhibited widely. Ehsai has been prolific in all areas of art-making, from teaching students to consulting on various art projects.
His artwork ranges from calligraphic paintings to calligraphic murals on architectural structures such as the Iranian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (1988-1991), and other important architectural spaces in Tehran (Natural Museum of Iran and University of Tehran Academy of Theology).
Over the course of his career, he has moved from traditional calligraphy to the development of a blending of traditional with contemporary modes of artistic production. His importance to the development of modern graphic design in Iran and elsewhere should not be underestimated.