Brussels, Oct 24, IRNA -- Iranian painter Reza Laal Riahi completed
86 years of his life last September. He was born in Mashhad on
September 26, 1918 but has been living since 1963 in Brussels, where
he creates oil paintings.
Six of his paintings were recently put on display in an art
exhibition in the Wezembeek-Oppem suburb of Brussels.
"I paint everything and all subjects, portraits, scenery animals,"
Riahi told IRNA.
A former colonel in the Iranian Army, Riahi studied at the Royal
Academy of Fine Arts in Tehran and taught there from 1953-1960.
Riahi is also an accomplished sculptor. His Iran-made sculpture,
'Mountaineer Statue', is still on display in Darband, north of
Tehran.
In 1947, he enrolled at a military school in Belgium where he
met a Belgian lady who was later to become his wife. They now have
two daughters and a son who are all living and working in Belgium.
In 1961 he published a book on his paintings -- The painting
Collection of Reza Laal Riahi -- and opened a website on his
activities (www.laalriahi.com).
"I feel deeply honored," Rihai told IRNA in the presence of
Iranian Ambassador to Belgium Ali Ahani during the opening ceremony
of the exhibition Friday night.
The 3-day art exhibition was organized by the municipality of
Wezembeek-Oppem.
... Payvand News - 10/25/04 ... --
