ArtDayMe : The Middle East Raha Gallery Collection houses a wide selection of modernist and contemporary classics by Iranian and Arab artists. It has been actively involved in cultural events for more than 20 years, with a focus on supporting regional art.

One of these artworks is a stunning item by the late Iranian artist Iran Darroudi, an untitled piece measuring 60×90, produced in oil on canvas.

Iran Darroudi (1936–2021) is a female pioneer of contemporary art in Iran and the Middle East. She was one of the first women in the Middle East to pursue academic art studies, and she has shown her paintings all over the world for over 60 years.

Along with a number of other women of her day, Darroudi is actually regarded as one of the first female painters in the Middle East, second only to Fahrelnissa Zeid (1901–1991).

From 1954 to 1958, Darroudi attended the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris to study painting. Following graduation, she studied at the École du Louvre, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels (stained glass), and the RCA Institute in New York City (television direction and production). Afterwards, Darroudi went back to Tehran and made his home in Iran. She displayed her artwork in Tehran's Farhang Hall in April 1960.

She is reputed to be the only Oriental lady to have studied directly under Salvador Dalí.

Although the artist herself refused to be labeled into categories, several commentators characterize her work as existing midway between surrealism and symbolism. 

Darroudi conveyed cultural ideas that occasionally defy categorization while illustrating the world, mental pictures, and aspirational dreams amidst blossoming flowers and odd glowing landscapes.

This untitled painting by her, housed in the Raha Gallery collection, depicts flowers and branches in a dreamlike and surreal scene.

 One could argue that it reflects a poetic perspective on life and time, which spectators may perceive as a tale of decay or glory based on their own experiences.

Darroudi's paintings were heavily affected by emotions, nature, light, and mystical waves, and this painting falls into that category.

She appears to have generated a sense of dynamism and uncertainty by employing color spots as well as controlled splashes, causing the work's elements to take on a fluid and floating appearance. Moreover, textures are crucial for producing visual depth.

The work's color scheme is dominated by warm and cold tints. The use of vivid blues, deep reds, and bright whites provides a contrast that heightens the piece's dramatic effect. Darroudi employed saturated and bright colors, yet the gentler tonalities in the backdrop served to balance the piece and make it more readable.

This painting, which is part of the Raha Gallery collection, features light dots, branches, and flowers in vague but recognizable shapes. Natural disorder and visual balance have been integrated through the employment of intricate, asymmetrical branches and abstract, glowing flowers. Unconsciously, the viewer's eyes shift between the lines and color patches.

Darroudi's works frequently emphasize themes like hope, light, life, and spirituality. There is also a dichotomy of life and decay. In the midst of gloom, bright flowers growing against a dark, abstract background might symbolize hope. The piece also makes a strong connection between the artist's inner feeling and nature.

This painting exemplifies Darroudi's distinct style, which emphasizes abstraction, light, color, and movement. The compositional approaches, emotional color palette, and poetic thoughts combine to deliver an artwork full of wonder and contemplation. The Raha Gallery's Collection is home to this piece of art.