SAHAR SAKI

PERSIAN TOUR PROJECT

An immersive exhibition series by artist Sahar Saki, celebrating Persian cultural heritage through installation, painting, and calligraphy.

Persian Tour brought together four exhibitions across South Wales, each one transforming its gallery into a living space of colour, installation, and movement. From Llantarnam Grange to Cardiff, the journey grew and evolved, blending traditional Persian forms with contemporary forms.

Across all venues, the exhibitions were accompanied by workshops, live calligraphy sessions, dance, and poetry readings, creating moments of connection and shared celebration inspired by Persian culture.

This project was made possible with the support of the Arts Council of Wales.

Poster for Sahar Saki’s Persian Tour exhibition at Elysium Gallery, Swansea, showing her painting large Persian calligraphy on a blue and white mural..png

Wide view of the Persian Tour exhibition by Sahar Saki at Elysium Gallery, Swansea, with painted scrolls suspended through the space and vivid Persian calligraphy covering the walls and ceiling.jpeg

Side view of Sahar creating Persian calligraphy on a wall with a long brush, black paint swirling on a yellow and turquoise background.jpeg

Panoramic view of the Elysium Gallery interior, with layers of red, blue, yellow, and black Persian calligraphy painted across the walls and ceiling.jpeg

Sahar Saki stands behind a suspended white scroll painted with black calligraphy, surrounded by vivid walls and painted pillars.jpeg

Sahar reaches high up with a long brush to paint the gallery ceiling as she stands on a ladder amidst black, yellow, and green calligraphic walls.jpeg

Visitors stood with Sahar, looking at camera, in front of the gorgeous colourful calligraphic walls.jpeg

View through the open doors of Elysium Gallery showing flowing Persian calligraphy across the walls and ceiling in blue, black, yellow, and red.jpeg

View from behind a large, hanging, suspended black and white scroll to where Sahar and Mab are chatting onstage at the opening event.jpeg

View along a corridor within the gallery where Persian calligraphy in red, blue, and yellow flows across the walls and ceiling.jpeg

View from behind Sahar Saki and Mab Jones as they chat in front of a full gallery of guests, Persian calligraphy gracing every surface beyond.jpeg

Close up of Sahar's face, torso, and hand, as she stands, wearing a black jumper, painting red detail onto a black, yellow, and red calligraphic wall.jpeg

Wide shot from behind a large hanging scroll painted with black Persian calligraphy.jpeg

Sahar Saki sat at a table with workshop attendees amidst beautiful colourful calligraphy flowing over the walls and ceiling.jpeg

Sahar Saki from the side as she stands with long brush painting the floor in an entirely white space.jpeg

Side view of Sahar wearing a grey vest top as she paints black calligraphy outlines on a red, green, and yellow wall.jpeg

Image from behind the stage at Elysium Gallery opening event, showings guests, speakers, and poets.jpeg

Downward view of colourful closed paint tins and Sahar Saki's black shoes and white painting trouser ends as she stands behind camera.jpeg

Sahar Saki sits in Elysium Gallery, surrounded by walls filled with bold blue, yellow, red, and black Persian calligraphy.jpeg

Close up of colourful paint trays, pots, and brushes, covered in blue and yellow paint.jpeg

Long view across the Elysium Gallery from behind a hanging scroll, showing calligraphy wrapping around every surface..jpeg

View of Sahar painting a scoll on the gallery floor with a long brush amidst colours immersive calligraphy.jpeg

Long view of a suspended scroll in the gallery space, swirling black calligraphy all along it, and on the walls, and very condensed in a far corner.jpeg

View from behind guests as they listen to Sahar Saki being interviewed by Mab Jones.jpeg

Wide view of guests at a Elysium Gallery opening event, listening to the Q+A with Sahar (out of view).jpeg

Sahar teaching calligraphy, sat at a table, colourful calligraphy on the walls behind and participants sat and standing with her.jpeg

Sahar standing to paint black Persian calligraphy detail on a gold, green, and red wall.jpeg

Detail of a hanging scroll, with black calligraphy on white paper, and a male face looking through a hole in the scoll.jpeg

Sahar Saki painting a red, black, and blue Persian calligraphy mural on walls and ceiling.jpeg

Sahar Saki smiles while sitting onstage at a microphone at the Paradise Garden event in Cardiff, she is wearing a sleeveless black and red floral waistcoat and short black skirt.jpeg

Downard view of an open paintbox and paints, with a Persian carpet and Sahar Saki's unclothed feet.jpeg

Sahar sat outside on a long scroll of black Persian writing on the white scroll, all set on the pavement.jpeg

Sahar from behind, standing and stretching with a long brush to paint a gallery ceiling and wall.jpeg

Sahar bending to paint red calligraphy details on a gold wall in a gallery.jpeg

Persian Tour poster with Sahar Saki standing, smiling, in front of sweeping Persian calligraphy on walls in black, green, and yellow.png

Attendees seated at a workshop enjoying creating Persian calligraphy.jpeg

Participants sit at a long table to enjoy creating Persian calligraphy in the gallery.jpeg

Close up of Persian calligraphy pens, ink, and white paper with Persian lettering, all on a wooden table.jpeg

A large white scroll with black calligraphy across it sits in the gallery space with black calligraphy on the turquoise walls behind.jpeg

Sahar Saki with arms outstretched, looking down, as she moves through the colourful, immersive gallery space, a guest stands watching behind.jpeg

Sahar greeting visitors in a gallery space with all surfaces covered in gorgeous, sweeping Persian calligraphy.jpeg

Door detail in a gallery, with wall, floor, and door covered in sweeping Persian calligraphy.jpeg

Sahar Saki from behind as she sits and draws black Persian calligraphy on a white sheet of paper.jpeg

Workshop participants stand together, smiling at camera and showing their Persian calligraphy with a beautiful calligraphic gallery backdrop.jpeg

Sahar squats outside in sunshine, back to camera, as she paints a long, unrolled black and white scroll on the pavement.jpeg

Sahar and exhibition visitors stand together, smiling at camera, with a beautiful calligraphic gallery backdrop in yellow and green.jpeg

THE LIGHT OF THE WINTER

The Light of Winter, a free immersive trail, has transformed Cardiff city centre, guiding visitors through the festive season. One of the highlights of this event is the Cardiff Aurora projection at Cardiff Central Station, visible nightly between 5pm and midnight.

As part of this stunning display, I contributed alongside three other Welsh artists—Jack Skivens, Frank Duffy, and Beth Blandford—with my illustrations showcased in a visual and audio projection that celebrates Welsh art, tradition, and folklore. My designs blend elements of my Persian heritage with Welsh culture, offering a unique perspective to the projection.

OF THE WALL

Off the Wall / Ar y Wal

This immersive exhibition, commissioned by Mission Gallery in Swansea, explores themes of identity and cultural narratives. Featuring vibrant, hand-painted artwork directly on the walls and floors, the space was transformed into an engaging visual experience that challenged traditional gallery conventions.

By weaving personal stories and shared cultural motifs into its design, Off the Wall / Ar y Wal invited viewers to step into a dynamic environment where art became part of the architecture. The exhibition celebrated diversity and creative freedom, making it a bold reflection on identity and belonging.

CARDIFF MARKET MURAL

Cardiff Market Mural

The Cardiff Market Mural is a vibrant public artwork in one of Cardiff’s most iconic landmarks, funded by the Arts Council of Wales. Created as part of the PWSH project, it celebrates the city’s diversity and cultural richness.

The design is inspired by traditional Persian rug patterns and ceramics, blending these elements with a modern style. The mural brings color and life to the market, creating a welcoming space.

Chapter Art Centre

Painting a Persian mural representing the diverse community in Cardiff for Chapter Art Centre.

RADIO PLATFORM MURAL

The mural mural has been installed in the Wales Millennium Centre to celebrate the radio station Radio Platfform’s history since their very first broadcast at Festival of Voice in 2016.

Plasmawr secondary school mural

A collaboration with the students at the Plasmawr secondary school.

PERSIAN WALLS

A private commision for a bedroom, designing a Persian mural inspired by Iranian mosques patterns, rugs and tiles.

Railway Garden Mural

PERSIAN MURALS

This project has been funded with Art Council of Wales. Sahar is hoping to bring some visual diversity in the streets of Cardiff.

She is interviewing Iranian community, and then based on their stories about living in wales, she would design a set of Persian murals around Cardiff.

DECK OF CITY ROAD

This project was commissioned by madeinroath, to design a deck of card for City Road in Cardiff. This road is the multicultural road in the UK, I interviewed about 20 business and researched about different cultures, their arts, handicrafts, then based on my research, I designed the deck, every card is different.

EXPLORING NEW BOUNDARIES IN PERSIAN CALLIGRAPHY

Sahar got a grant from Art Council of Wales for her recent Project called “Exploring The New boundaries in Persian Calligraphy”. She had 3 interns during this project, also collaborated with international dancer to combine Persian calligraphy with movement of bodies.