Davood Roostaei – Favourite Things

Davood Roostaei is an Iranian artist. In the late 1970s, during the Iranian revolution, Roostaei was thrown in jail for two years for creating art that was considered subversive. Upon his release, he sought asylum in Germany and started his career as an artist in 1984 before later moving to America.

Best known for painting with his fingers, rather than brushes, and his development of the Cryptorealism style, his art overlays images and perspectives to create hidden meanings within his work and has attracted the support of celebrities and politicians such as Paul McCartney, Sir Anthony Hopkins and Hillary Clinton. His latest painting was inspired by the conflict in Ukraine and is a call for peace. He hopes to sell the painting for $1 million and donate the profits to Ukraine relief.

These are a few of Davood Roostaei’s favourite things…

Painting 

Painting is my life. Time stops when I am working with colour, bringing my visions to life on the canvas. They say “do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life”; I am fortunate enough to say that is true for me. There is nothing else in this world that makes me happier than painting. I feel like I was born a painter — I completed my first oil painting when I was six years old. My life has been incredibly turbulent at certain stages and I would say painting has always brought me a certain kind of peace and joy, but I always wanted to develop my own unique way of depiction and that led to the creation of Cryptorealism. Cryptorealism is a painting method that I developed in the late 1980s. It is an expression of hidden meaning, revealed through layered imagery, which requires active participation by the observer. It is all about making the observer look beyond what is readily perceptible in both art and in life. In a way, I play a game of visual hide and seek with the viewer in my paintings.  

Music 

I find music to be inspiring and enchanting. I use it as the backdrop to my painting; it energizes my work. You can see this influence in some of my more intense pieces. Classical is typically my genre of choice, though there are certainly modern musicians with whom I connect and appreciate their work. I think in many ways compositions in music are similar and connected to compositions in art. 

History 

As Andy Warhol once said, “the world fascinates me.” Having lived in many places, experiencing different cultures and even various political climates, I have come to be quite interested in history. In a way, I would say I have lived many lives and imagined many worlds. I see patterns over time, and I certainly think there is much to learn from the past, as well as much to look forward to in the future. History is in the making every day–we just have to open our eyes to see it.

Chess 

I enjoy chess for its contemplative nature. It’s a challenge, requiring strategy and pattern recognition. It continues to challenge me to find alternative viewpoints and look at things from many angles. I think of chess as an exercise for my mind. The more I can expand my thinking, the more my mind is able to consider alternative perspectives when it comes to my art. I believe that if we as a human race were more open-minded, we would be able to solve more global issues together. 

Horses 

Horses are glorious and magnificent creatures. They are incredibly attuned and aware of everything. I have always loved everything about horses; their movement, their fluid bodies, their unique personality traits, the way they smell and their strength. This fascination has led me to paint a number of paintings of horses. 

Enjoyed Davood Roostaei’s favourites? Explore last week’s Favourite Things here.