ArtDayMe : The collaborative project between Vesta Color and Mojdeh Art Gallery is designed to support artistic talent and create a new artistic ecosystem that advances art. Behdad Najafi, a professional painter for 20 years and an active figure in art gallery management, has taken part in this initiative. Based on this project, he has created a work using Vesta’s diverse paint products and dedicated it to the company.

The work is No. 11 from the Waves of Colors series, created in 2024 using acrylic on canvas.

we had the chance to speak with the artist:

_Could you tell us about your artistic biography?

Behdad Najafi: My name is Behdad Najafi Asadollahi, and my main field of activity is painting. Alongside that, I also pursue independent and distinctive photography projects. My mother is a sculptor and the founder of a private ethnographic museum, while my father established and owned the first—and one of the largest—industrial silk-screen printing facilities in Iran, with international reputation and prestige. From birth, I grew up in an artistic environment filled with colors, raw materials, and art-making tools. Throughout my life, I have interacted with many art forms to a near-professional level.

I have been painting in a focused and structured way for about 30 years, and for over five years now, painting—together with art gallery and museum management—has been my main professional pursuit. Today, art has become my lifestyle: not only is my professional work centered on painting and active engagement in the art world, but my social and even daily life are shaped, planned, and carried out under the influence of art.

The primary reason I chose painting was my innate passion and deep attraction to it. Success in this path has only increased my focus and determination to continue. My formal education is in management, which I pursued up to the doctoral level, and I also studied agricultural engineering up to a master’s degree, though I never worked professionally in that field.

Over the past five years, as art—especially painting—has come to define the main pillars of my life, I have also turned to formal art studies. Today, in addition to continually creating new paintings, I manage an art institution and a gallery. For me, the most important principle is ensuring that the executive and managerial aspects of my work in art never distance me from painting, photography, and research. That is why I always prioritize these and start my day—no matter the circumstances—with painting, creating, reading, and writing in my personal studio.

_Could you introduce your painting series?

Behdad Najafi:  So far, I have created around 12 series in abstract, abstract expressionist, and minimal styles. The main characteristics of my personal approach are diversity in color, form, and rich textures, all brought together through distinctive and inventive compositions that define the overall structure of each work.

_What series are you currently working on?

Behdad Najafi:  One of the series I’m currently developing is titled Mason, inspired by architecture. These works are close to the minimal style within abstract art.

_What are your most important upcoming plans?

Behdad Najafi: I have designed a comprehensive program for my artistic activities, based on four key pillars, which I am currently implementing:

• Uninterrupted creation of artworks and related research as the main activity of my life—art has truly become my lifestyle.

• Focusing on my position in the art world, particularly through participation in artistic activities and events connected to both accessible domestic and international primary art markets and artistic communities.

• Continuous work on personal branding, developing my artistic identity through a defined and ongoing program.

• Introducing my own work and that of other Iranian artists to international markets—as a gallerist, museum director, and head of an art institution, this is one of the most important aspects of my art and art management mission.

_Could you tell us about the work you created for the Vesta Paints and Mojdeh Gallery project?

Behdad Najafi:  This work is part of my Waves of Colors series, created specifically for the Vesta project as Work No. 11. Earlier works from this series have mostly been acquired by collectors, international clients, and the embassies of European countries in Iran (Spain and Poland). The series fully reflects my personal style.

For a better understanding, I’d like to share the statement for Waves of Colors:

A world of abstract arabesque motifs where the interplay of form and hue reveals endless waves of color to the outside world—a theme that, beyond displaying visual beauty, evokes the rich history and culture of Iran. Each work in the series can express a unique narrative drawn from stories, philosophies, and cultural beliefs. The colorful waves and multiple circles of the compositions, with their harmonious balance, create a space of tranquility and beauty, symbolizing perfection and infinite transcendence, inviting the viewer to contemplate deeper concepts of existence.

Artistic and visual analysis of the series:

These works feature dynamic and exciting compositions, employing abstract arabesque lines and a rich palette of diverse colors. The variety of colors conveys movement and energy, inviting the viewer to explore the meanings and emotions embedded in their intricate, interwoven patterns.

The textured surfaces, combined with multiple layers of paint, bring a striking visual allure, while the works’ energetic nature keeps the eye moving and prevents monotony or fatigue. Negative spaces guide the viewer’s gaze through the complexity of the designs, preventing disorientation, and simultaneously enhance the clarity of the forms, adding balance to the composition.

The series successfully engages the viewer’s emotions from various angles, sparking curiosity to further investigate the composition, texture, structure, and color schemes. The rich and varied palette of complementary colors creates beautiful contrasts that can evoke a range of emotions—passion and calm, motion and stillness, ascent and descent—depending on the viewer’s inner state and interpretation.

This striking variety, together with the works’ rich textures, imparts a three-dimensional quality to inherently two-dimensional paintings. Conceptually, the abstract arabesque patterns can be seen as symbols of the fascinating complexities of life, the turbulence of emotions, and the thoughts and experiences of contemporary humans in today’s vibrant societies. The abstract nature of the series gives viewers complete freedom to interpret the works in their own way, allowing each encounter to reflect personal ideas and emotions.

Overall, each member of the Waves of Colors family succeeds in engaging, stimulating, and intensifying the viewer’s emotions through strong visual elements, inviting them to dive deep into a sea of meanings.

_How long have you been familiar with Vesta products?

Behdad Najafi:  I’ve known Vesta products for over a decade, occasionally using them in various projects, and they have always met my expectations. To be honest, until recently—before my professional and extensive experience creating several works with Vesta paints—I preferred foreign brands. However, my latest experience with Vesta’s acrylics truly surprised me, both in terms of the diversity, brilliance, and beauty of the colors, and in the quality during application and in the finished results. With this level of quality and variety, I believe I will remain a Vesta customer.

_If you could recommend just one Vesta product to other artists?

Behdad Najafi:  Given my personal style, which features diverse colors and rich paint textures, I have used almost the entire range of Vesta acrylic paints—enough to form a solid opinion—and with their current quality and variety, I would definitely and confidently recommend Vesta acrylics to artists in all disciplines.

I have also had excellent results with Vesta varnishes, mediums, and binders. I’ve used several of their oil paints as well, with highly satisfying results.

_What is your opinion of the joint project between Vesta Color and Mojdeh Art Gallery?

Behdad Najafi: I believe it is a creatively conceived and well-structured project that is being implemented with precise, organized planning. In terms of its nature and objectives—strengthening the relationship between artists and Vesta products—it is, in my opinion, the best possible strategy, and it is being carried out effectively.

The best way to connect paints and art products with artists is to actually create works using those products. Choosing Mojdeh Gallery was a wise and commendable decision, as it is one of the most respected and well-known galleries, with an exemplary reputation and continuous, active presence in the art community and market.