Bio

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Roya Akhavan is known for monumental paintings with stylized and repeating geometric patterns that serve as intricate layers for meticulously-drawn character figures and objects, evoking European and Persian artistic traditions, yet remain while remaining distinctly contemporary. As the renowned New York-based art scholar and curator Dr. Layla S. Diba notes, Roya Akhavan's works yield "special rewards for the viewer—beyond the feast for the eyes—a feast for the soul".

Roya Akhavan's works have been exhibited internationally, including in cities including New York, London, Paris, Istanbul, and Dubai, as well as at prominent institutions such as the Mana Contemporary Art Center in New Jersey and the Chelsea Art Museum in New York. Her works are held by numerous collectors in North America, Europe, and the Middle East, and have been sold at major auction houses including Sotheby's, Christie's, and Bonhams.

 

Born in Tehran, where she lived until her teenage years, she was educated at Simmons College, Boston Massachusetts, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Art and in Psychology, later at l'École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, and eventually the Art Students' League in New York (with a merit scholarship). Roya Akhavan currently lives and works in Europe.