Janet Rady Fine Art is pleased to present Decoding Time, a solo presentation of works by Iranian artist Pantea Mahrou, in the Encounters section of London Art Fair 2026 from January 20th 2026 to January 25th, curated by Pryle Behrman.
Mahrou’s practice unfolds through the Amlash world—a parallel, symbolic realm inhabited by timeless figures inspired by ancient mother goddesses, sacred guardians, and archetypal beings associated with fertility, abundance, protection, love, and rebirth. Drawing on ancient cultures, Persian heritage, and early systems of belief, her works operate as contemporary talismans: visual fields charged with symbols, numbers, scripts, and signs that resist literal reading.
In Decoding Time, time is approached not as a linear progression, but as a field of fragments, memories, and silent codes. Ancient-inspired writings, cuneiform- and Avestan-like scripts, celestial references, and symbolic numbers such as 11:11 and 777 function less as language to be deciphered than as vessels of positive energy, luck, and abundance. Meaning is not delivered directly; it emerges gradually through intuition, attention, and presence.
Across paintings and bronze sculptures, recurring motifs—horses, lions, lotus flowers, winged figures, and maternal forms—act as quiet guardians within this symbolic space. They invite the viewer to slow down, to sense continuity beyond chronological time, and to engage with the work through feeling rather than instruction. Forms rise like pillars or totems, evoking parallel realms where past and present coexist, while painted architectural spaces suggest sanctuaries suspended outside historical specificity.
The works trace intimate narratives of connection: between mother and child, lovers, families, and communities. Through these relationships, Mahrou bridges ancient belief systems with contemporary human experience, allowing myth, memory, and emotion to resonate within the present moment. Cultural memory is not treated as relic or reference, but as living energy—activated through form, symbol, and repetition.
Decoding Time offers a contemplative counterpoint: an immersive environment in which ancient wisdom quietly re-enters modern consciousness. Mahrou’s practice proposes that symbols of hope, harmony, and continuity remain deeply embedded in the collective imagination, waiting not to be explained, but to be felt.
