The chronological quality of the elaborate paintings of Kamyar Kafaie covers diverse subjects. Infused with sly humor, they reflect our society’s past and present. By adapting a flamboyant and accessible aesthetic, he criticizes the behaviors of the middle class of Iran. Some paintings have autobiographical references, and some are commentaries on the hypocrisies of society. Characters are developed in his sketch book and are transferred onto canvas, and more often than not same characters appear in different paintings. Serious Environmental issues that the country faces are one of the traits in his paintings, as are historical and current social events. In his Radioactive Library, every painting is a book that tells its own story. The narrative flow of these intricate scenes is reminiscent of the fabulous manuscript paintings of Persian art of book making.
The daily strains of life in Iran and undue pressures from the outside world are easily detectable in our current art scene. Kamyar Kafaie prefers to turn away from the negativity and show other aspects of life in Iran. Like many Iranian artists and poets, he chooses the language of satire to deny darkness. He paints his surroundings and creates his own allegorical and alternative universe where he is allowed to push the boundaries.