Each work in Ostovany's Chelleneshin series is grounded in mystical reverence, introspection and meditation. The name is derived from two Persian words that, when blended, refer to forty days and nights of prayer and meditation. This piece uses a bold palette of colors to evoke the emotions of metamorphosis and transition ever present in Persian and Taoist/Zen traditions. The reds, oranges and ochre colors in this work connote tumult and churn while the darker tones suggest stability and centeredness in the face of all that movement.

Ostovany categorizes his work as Atmospheric Abstraction, navigating the terrain between Abstract Expressionism and Eastern Mystical traditions. The works featured in this show are original oil paintings influenced by Ostovany’s lifelong fascination with Sufi fables and Persian myths.

Born in Iran, Yari Ostovany moved to the United States at the age of 16 and pursued his studies in Art first at the University of Nevada - Reno and then at the San Francisco Art institute where he received his MFA in 1995. His work is in the permanent collections of many institutions including the New Britain Museum of American Art (New Britain, Connecticut), Pasargad Bank Museum (Tehran, Iran), Chateau d'Orquevaux (Champagne-Ardenne, France), Permanent Collection of the University of Nevada - Reno Art Department. Ostovany now lives and creates in the East Bay