Some art opens our eyes to earth-shattering truths, some art teaches us the language and vocabulary of colour and form.

But some art simply transports us into those silent moments where the world is a good, warm and forgiving place.

Those moments when we as humans can, for the shortest amount of time, leave our issues at the door and experience feelings which make life worthwhile: friendship, companionship and the assurance that we are not alone.

For me, that is what the art of Young Persian Artist, Shantia Zakerameli, does. In a country where 1 in 4 faces guaranteed joblessness, injustice is a fact of life and insecurity and confusion a daily obstacle. People seem to me to get through it all by simply being “together”.

Shantia’s work is large, the skies are vast, and the scerenity of it all is absolutely alluring.

The people look like family or close friends, but are also waiting for you to join them. There is no voyeurism about his work. Rather wholesome goodness and a reminder that sharing moments with people you love makes life bearable, or indeed colourful.

When you live in the big Iranian metropolises, Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, getting together and getting out of the city is an absolute part of life. Shantia’s depiction of this part of Iranian life is beautiful, poetic and movingly true.

In my view, the soundtrack to this body of work should be: Fun We are young

Lucky me, I saw Shantia’s work face-to-face at Etemad gallery in Tehran.

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Interview with Shantia, pictured here in front of his paintings, coming soon …….