Mohsen Sadeghian (1970–2024) was a painter, sculptor, and art teacher. He is one of those artists who traversed the strange and remarkable world of the 1960s. He left behind a family life set in a different atmosphere and experienced the art university environment of the 1970s, where he met professors, friends, and companions who changed the course of his life. He is a remarkable example of an artist with a personal and distinctive approach.
During a period, Mohsen spent most of his time creating “boxes.” These boxes carry a mysterious and enigmatic quality, resembling a world in which understanding their contents, relationships, and meanings is not simple. The boxes can be seen as a prelude to his later works in recycled art.
His works from the late 1980s take on a documentary quality, with a strong focus on political events and clear criticism of social conditions. Mohsen’s personality led him to dedicate many years of his life to teaching art. His different perspective on the artist’s role, combined with slow and continuous activity, caused him to distance himself from mainstream trends while quietly focusing on personal interests, becoming somewhat less active in the public art scene.
Living and working in two studios in Lavasan and Jajroud inspired Mohsen’s later works, which he called “mountains.” These works are unique, large-scale structures made entirely from recycled materials. The mountains can be seen as the result of a period when Mohsen was immersed in the natural environment of the Central Alborz region. Daily life and travel along the mountainous roads of this area had a profound impact on his work.
The relationship between humans and mountains is ancient and multidimensional. In many cultures around the world, mountains are considered sacred places—intersections of earth and sky, and abodes of deities. In myths and legends, mountains are sources of primordial waters and symbols of fertility; people ascend mountains in search of gods, solitude, or immortality. A journey to the mountain symbolizes reaching higher realms and ascending toward the sublime and the infinite. For this reason, mountains embody images of eternity, permanence, and stability.
Mountains are vital components of the biosphere and play a central role in providing fresh water and sustaining ecosystems that significantly affect the quality of life for millions of people on Earth. However, compared to oceans and forests, mountains receive less attention in environmental discussions.
Mohsen’s focus on these ecological centers in his later works reflects his environmental concerns as he engaged with these powerful natural forms. The mountain symbolizes humanity’s desire for freedom and life in nature. Mohsen Sadeghian’s mountains express a visual resistance—perhaps even stubbornness—against the rapid changes and bewildering aspects of the modern world. From another perspective, they offer an alternative path for contemporary human life, inviting reflection on environmental crises and the future of our planet.
Lajevardi Foundation 