Merging artistry with sustainability and meditation in search of a deep connection with nature and a true understanding of energy and human evolution, French-Iranian artist Behnam-Bakhtiar’s creative practice has gone through a transformation over the past few years. Committed to the preservation of the planet, Sassan now predominantly uses natural pigments sourced from minerals, wood, roots, flowers, rocks and soil, while the wood and linen used for his chassis are sustainably sourced and naturally treated - a true commitment to creating art in harmony with nature, and a first for any contemporary artist painter today.

Sassan’s recent Fari Art Atelier residency focused on sustainable creation and honouring nature. Inspired by the old masters’ traditional use of natural pigments, the resulting series of 20cm x 20cm miniature ‘Living Paintings’ was created using sustainably sourced and natural materials, including ground washed out shells and corals gathered from around the island - a reminder to the art world of a necessary alternative method to creating meaningful art.