SLATE is pleased to present works by Seyed Alavi, on view in Oakland City Center's lobby through May 12, 2022. Visiting Hours are Monday–Friday from 8:30am–5pm

Location:

Oakland City Center

555 12th Street Oakland CA, 94607

Impromptu explores the inter-relationship of color, shape, rhythm and harmony within a setting of geometric abstraction. The canvas is divided into simple geometric shapes that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. Though seemingly random, there is an underlaying pattern to the placement of shapes, creating a familiar scaffolding which provides a harmonizing structure to the piece as a whole.

The compositional relationship between the different colors is highly dependent on the order in which they are perceived by the viewer. One might see red, then orange, or perhaps start with orange and then notice teal–in this sense, the observer completes the work and on each viewing, creates a new version of the piece themselves.

Seyed Alavi received a Bachelor of Science degree from San Jose State University and a Masters of Fine Art from the San Francisco Art Institute. Alavi has achieved extensive accolades including site-specific installations for the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York City, along with grants from seven institutions including the NEA/Us-Japan Creative artists’ Fellowship. He has created numerous public art projects ranging globally from California to Japan. Alavi taught at the San Francisco Art Institute, California College of the Arts, San Francisco State University, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Yerba Buena Arts center. He resides in Oakland continuing an active art practice.