Dowlatshahi, Bijan

Bijan Dowlatshahi moved to Minneapolis to study at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) in 1968 upon the recommendation of his former teacher Parviz Tanavoli and Abby Weed Grey. Like Siah Armajani, his teacher in Minneapolis, Dowlatshahi explored the familiar theme of writing as a visual language during his years at MCAD. The physicality of the dyed canvas contrasts with the opaque background and hard edges of the acrylic-and-masking-tape method seen in the artist’s Acrylic series from the same year.