Hamid Mahdavi

Acrylic and Ink on Unprimed Canvas

14*  38 inches

2026

This painting refers to Hamid Mahdavi, a firefighter who carried a wounded protester on his shoulders during the protests in Iran. He could have escaped, but instead he chose to save another person. While he was running with the injured man, he was shot and died. The central figure represents that moment of sacrifice. The intense red paint suggests blood and violence, while the chaotic drips reflect the urgency of the streets during the protests. I also wrote the Persian line “Az khoon-e javanan-e vatan, laleh damideh,” which refers to the idea that from the blood of the youth of the homeland, new life and remembrance emerge.

Immortal Blossoms I (Iran)

Mixed Media on Canvas

40* 40 inches

Mahfam Barzegarpour, 2026

Sun and Lion Flag

Gouache and Acrylic on Watercolour Paper

A3

Mahfam Barzegarpour, 2026

Kahrizak: They Still Remain

Oil and Acrylic on Canvas

40* 40 inches

Mahfam Barzegarpour, 2026

Kahrizak, a recent painting responding to memory, violence, and collective trauma connected to contemporary Iran, will be presented in the upcoming Healing Arts Birmingham exhibition in June 2026.