Bahman Mohassess

Bahman Mohasses (1931–2010) was born in Rasht into a wealthy family of about fifteen households, who were prominent landowners in Lahijan and active in the tea and silk trade. Known for their eccentric personalities, Bahman was regarded as the most complex among them. His cousin, Ardeshir Mohasses, also became an important figure in modern Iranian art.

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In the documentary Fifi Howls from Happiness, it is noted that his father descended from Mongol lineage and his mother from a Qajar family. His father worked as a telegraph and telephone officer, which later brought the family to Tehran. Bahman began his artistic training at age 14 in the workshop of Mohammad Habib Mohammadi, a Gilani painter educated at the Moscow Academy of Arts.

After moving to Tehran, he briefly studied at Tehran Art University and joined the Khorus Jangi Society, founded by Jalil Ziapor. There, he edited the literary weekly Panjeh Khoros and connected with leading figures of Iran’s modernist movement, including Nima Yushij, Sohrab Sepehri, Hooshang Irani, Forugh Farrokhzad, and Jalal Al-e Ahmad.

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In 1954, Mohasses traveled to Europe, eventually settling in Rome. At the Academy of Fine Arts, he studied under Ferruccio Ferrazzi. His years in Italy brought him international recognition, with solo and group exhibitions in major venues such as the Venice Biennale, São Paulo, and Paris.

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Later, the lifestyle magazine Out referenced Mohasses while reviewing the documentary Fifi Howls from Happiness, which explored his life and legacy.