One of Iran’s leading artists, Khosrow Hassanzadeh produces figurative paintings in a range of mediums, from ink and collage to silkscreens and ceramic tiles. Drawing from the Persian calligraphic tradition, Hassanzadeh’s figures are often set against Farsi text or ornate, colorful patterns. He takes his themes from the Iran-Iraq War (in which he fought), Islamic society, and Western perceptions of the Middle East—as well as less political subjects such as seated or reclining nudes. Hassanzadeh is known for bringing under scrutiny not only Islamic iconography and gender politics, but also the reductive stereotypes used by the West to brand Muslims as terrorists. In his series, “Terrorist” (2004), the artist questions Western concepts of Islam by portraying himself, his mother, and his sisters—observers of the Muslim faith—as terrorists.