Wahed Khakdan and the Localized Neo-Realism in Raha Gallery Collection

This painting is among the most dramatic and yet hopeful works of Wahed Khakdan—an exquisitely melancholic and subtly humorous piece held in the Raha Middle East Gallery Collection. Khakdan, with his distinctive mastery, avoids depicting superficial joy; instead, he evokes a forgotten but resilient kind of happiness—one that lingers quietly within ordinary objects, faded memories, and muted colors. Embedded within the painting are layers of Iranian culture—carpets, traditional letters, the…

Wahed Khakdan at Mah Gallery: A Captivating Neo-Realism of Absence and Memory

Wahed Khakdan is undoubtedly one of the most prominent figures of neo-realism in Iran and the Middle East. A melancholic sorrow pulses through his work—standing before his paintings feels like opening an old cupboard of childhood memories from a father’s house, filled with the scent of love, life, and affection—fragrances that today may no longer be so easily found.

22nd Tehran Auction Art Sale Totals $2.6 Million | Photos