Bita Vakili; From Christie's Record to Contemporary Abstraction

For the past few years, Bita Vakili, an Iranian painter with a remarkable track record in Middle Eastern auctions, has been moving her works from purely abstract themes to figurative ones on her well-known abstract platform.

Iran Art: Bita Vakili, a painter born in Tehran in 1973, has dedicated her life to the art form for the past 30 years. She studied at both the undergraduate and graduate levels before becoming well-known in the Middle Eastern art scene, winning numerous international auctions and having her paintings shown in over 80 exhibitions in the United Arab Emirates, Canada, America, China, Monaco, Armenia, Malaysia, France, Germany, England, Oman, and, of course, Iran.

Initially, it appeared like Vakili was staring down from the sky into her paintings, which reflected her distinct abstract style. Her works seemed to convey a sense of poetry and peace, as if the universe itself was perched on the canvas. Vakili's paintings evolved throughout time, becoming more earthy and using a variety of materials onto her canvases.

The paintings progressively transitioned from pure abstraction to a more conceptual style—perhaps even figurative abstraction—as the colors became increasingly intense. To make sense in today's world, Vakili's modern painting act requires figurative painting, abstract space creation, and color conversations between them.

Her current paintings have undoubtedly undergone two transformations: a new interpretation of form and aesthetics. Not to mention the thrilling look of her collages with a modern expressive style, which have enhanced the depth and dimension of her hues. Vakili's paintings are now three-dimensional instead of two-dimensional.

Vakili's ability to select diverse elements for the collage is indicative of her creativity and intelligence. Typically, she chooses items that are readily available and in daily life. Sticks and staples are good instances of this viewpoint; the former speaks of environmental respect, the latter of industrial ruin.

Nonetheless, it is impossible to deny that Vakili has relied heavily on color—both the mass and material aspects of color—from her first pieces to the present. These hues are custom-made by the artist and have a tone all their own.

Obviously, the magnificence and enormity of the paintings are another feature of Vakili. Her paintings have grown in size and dimensions as she has aged. Her work has become more engaging as a result of her fearless approach to the challenge. Vakili now creates enormous canvases that draw the spectator in like a sea.

Important assets like Bank Pasargad, Tourism Bank, and the most prominent Iranian collectors all hold Vakili's paintings. Tourism Bank paid $105,000 for Vakili's 200 x 300 cm piece "The Garden of History" in 2023 at the 17th Tehran Auction. The piece is now on display in the bank's museum gallery.

Christie's Dubai has seen six noteworthy sales for Vakili. Her piece of art "Dream of New York" broke the record on April 18, 2012, selling for $45,000. One of her untitled works sold for $40,000 on October 21, 2014. Another of Vakili's untitled pieces was acquired for $35,000 in October 2011. Additionally, in October 2010, her artwork "This Is Me" sold for $31,000. In the meantime, two untitled paintings of her sold for $25,000 and $26,000, respectively, on April 27, 2010 and April 2011.

Thus far, Vakili's artwork has been included in 10 Tehran Auction editions. A three-panel piece from the collection "The Garden of History" set a new sale record for her when it sold for $130,000 during the 20th edition of the art event in July.

Vakili will present a selection of her latest pieces at the Nian Art Gallery in Tehran in the final days of September, following a three-year break.

She presents a fresh interpretation of her own abstract this time, bolder and more imaginative, and her figures have a distinct expression.