“Inside of Hope” is an oil on canvas by Iranian-born artist Mehdi Ghadyanloo. First featured in the “Portals of Light” exhibition at Golsa gallery in Oslo in 2019, the work is distinguished by its subtle sepia tone, a singular play of light, and masterful tromp l’oeil, for which Ghadyanloo is well known.

Ghadyanloo’s work deeply connects to Eastern philosophy, where suffering is inherent to life, resonating strongly with a well-known quote by Rumi, a 13th-century Persian poet: “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.”

“I get inspired by the Persian poets, especially studying Rumi and the place of light in his poems. Sometimes you see a sudden shadow in my paintings that fights the light, that invades it. I love to explore these dualities.” - Mehdi Ghadyanloo for Gagosian Quarterly, Fall 2022