Bahman Mohasses studied painting under the tutelage of the Russian Academy of Arts-trained teacher Seyyed Mohammed Habib Mohammedi before pursuing formal studies at Tehran University’s Faculty of Fine Arts. Imbued with symbolism, Untitled (Personages) (1966) depicts a muscular human–alien hybrid figure resembling a mythological minotaur, with no features other than hollow eyes. The minotaur is a recurring character within Mohasses’s portraits and frequently signifies his feelings of alienation while working against identity politics. The piece is also a nod to Persian fables in which animals are allegorised to convey moral tales – a tradition rooted in the ancient Sanskrit Hindu fable Panchatantra. Translated into Middle Persian in the sixth century, Panchatantra subsequently influenced Iranian theatre and performance.
—Sara Raza
