Rahimi had a distinguished academic and artistic career in Afghanistan. He began his training in Herat, a town famous for the vivid and humanised nature of its miniature painting, and then completed degrees at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kabul. He was Associate Professor at Kabul University (for 14 years until 1992) where he wrote several books on Afghani miniature art. In 1990 Rahimi was awarded the title ‘Distinguished Cultural Figure of the Republic of Afghanistan’.
During the time of the Taliban, artists in Afghanistan could not include depictions of living beings — animals or people. Rahimi and family lived in Pakistan for several years before migrating to Australia in 1998. Rahimi now lives in Sydney, and his works incorporate images of his new country and its contradictions, landscape and suburban life, into the rich colour and design of miniature art. He has held over forty-five group and solo exhibitions in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Australia. After learning English, Rahimi completed a Masters in Art at the College of Fine Arts, UNSW. He now teaches an adult education course in miniature painting (at COFA, UNSW) and is artist in residence for the Rajput: Sons of Kings exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW and was a finalist in the Archibald Prize. Rahimi hopes that his unique training and experience of displacement and migration can add to a truly multicultural perspective for Australia.
- Writers:
-
fulleg
- Date written:
- 2015
- Last updated:
- 2015
