Background
Bahman Mohasses was born in 1931 in Rasht. In his autobiographical documentary "Fifi Howls from Happiness", Mohasses mentions that he is descended from the Mongols on his father's side and the Qajars on his mother's side.
Rome, Lazio, Italy
Bahman Mohasses studied at the Academy of Fine Arts.
Bahman Mohasses
Bahman Mohasses was born in 1931 in Rasht. In his autobiographical documentary "Fifi Howls from Happiness", Mohasses mentions that he is descended from the Mongols on his father's side and the Qajars on his mother's side.
Bahman Mohasses studied under Habib Mohmmadi, and planned to study at the Fine Art Academy in Tehran, but due to political instability, fled to Italy where he studied at the Fine Art Academy in Rome, and for a few months attended the art studio of Ferruccio Ferrazzi.
Bahman Mohasses participated in various collective shows in Italy and abroad such as the Bienniale of Venice, and exhibitions in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Paris, France. He also had a series of one-man shows. His works in style ranged from Abstract Expressionism early on and then to Expressive Figurative. He also did sculpture.
In 1964, Mohassess returned to Iran, hoping to create a stimulating and creative art environment in Iran, one following the European Art movements and scene. He spent four years in Teheran between 1964 and 1968, before finally returning to Rome.
Mohassess left Iran in 1969 only to return periodically to Iran. After the Iranian revolution of 1979 a majority of his work was destroyed by the Islamic Republic or was destroyed by himself.
Bahman was a translator, poet and contributor to several literary journals of the day, and for a time was editor of the publication Panjeh Khoroos (Rooster Foot). Mohasses was also a theatre director, and a great many of his artworks are characterised by their surreal subject matter, alluding to the theatrical narratives which captivated him.
A humanist and an animal lover, Mohasses' works were often a metaphor for Iranian society's mistreatment of nature, a very topical subject in today’s modern world.
Bahman Mohasses was proud of his homosexuality.
Bahman Mohassess married his father's cousin's daughter Nezhat-al-Molook, who was in Bandar Anzali manager and later in Tehran, the head of the girls' high school. It was supposed to be married to them much earlier, but it was postponed due to the departure of Mohasses to Italy. Their connection was mostly telephonic because Mohassess lived in Italy and his wife in Tehran. Nizhatolmolok, who lived independently, died about 1996 or 1997 due to brain cancer.