{{short description|English painter}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Partou Zia | image = Partou Zia self portrait.jpg | imagesize = | caption = ''self portrait'', 2008 | birth_name = | birth_date = 9 October 1958 | birth_place = [[Tehran]], [[Persia]] | death_date = {{death-date and age|19 March 2008|9 October 1958}} | death_place = | other_names = | occupation = }}
'''Partou Zia''' ({{langx|fa|پرتو ضیاء}}; 9 October 1958 – 19 March 2008) was a British-Iranian artist and writer. Born in Tehran, she emigrated to [[England]] in 1970, completing her secondary education at Whitefields School near [[Hendon]], [[London]] (1972–78). She studied Art History at the [[University of Warwick]] (1977–80) and Fine Art at the [[Slade School of Fine Art]] (1986–91).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=British Museum Collections |url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG85095}}</ref> In 1993, Zia moved to [[Cornwall]], where she lived and worked with her husband, the painter [[Richard Cook (painter born 1947)|Richard Cook]], for the remainder of her life.<ref name="Obituary">{{cite news |last=Florence |first=Penny |date=4 April 2008 |title=Obituary: Partou Zia |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/apr/04/2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218052742/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/apr/04/2 |archive-date=18 February 2019 |accessdate=3 July 2012 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |location=London}}</ref>
In 2001, she completed a practice-based from [[Falmouth College of Arts]] ([[University of Plymouth]]) with the dissertation ''[https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/foahb-theses-other/103/ Poetic Anatomy of the Numinous: Creative Passages into the Self as Beloved],'' her dissertation examined entry into the "poetic zone". As part of her Ph.D. thesis she created two boxed sets of images: 'A Head of her Time' (24 self-portraits) and 'Eve's Book of the Garden' (12 landscapes), each image with its corresponding prose.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=ZIA |first=PARTOU |date=2001-01-01 |title=Poetic Anatomy of the Numinous Creative Passages into the Self as Beloved |url=https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/foahb-theses-other/103 |journal=Other Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business Theses}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=In Search of the Other {{!}} جدید آنلاین |url=https://www.jadidonline.com/story/08052008/frnk/partou_zia?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=www.jadidonline.com}}</ref>
In 2003, [[Tate St Ives]] launched a new residency programme at the historic Porthmeor Studios in [[St Ives, Cornwall]], previously occupied by [[Borlase Smart]], [[Ben Nicholson]], and [[Patrick Heron]]. Zia was the first artist to be awarded the residency.<ref>{{cite web |title=Partou Zia Artist in Residence 2003-2004 |url=http://www.tate.org.uk/stives/artistresidency/partou-zia.htm |url-status=dead |archiveurl=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20080621131547/http://www.tate.org.uk/stives/artistresidency/partou-zia.htm |archivedate=21 June 2008 |website=[[Tate]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tate |title=Partou Zia: Artist's Residency {{!}} Tate St Ives |url=https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-st-ives/partou-zia-artists-residency |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=Tate |language=en-GB}}</ref> Her solo exhibition at Tate St Ives, titled ''Entering the Visionary Zone'',<ref>{{Cite web |title=UK Government Web Archive |url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20080620125730/http://www.tate.org.uk/stives/exhibitions/zia/ |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk}}</ref> was accompanied by a catalogue with an essay by Virginia Button.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Partou Zia, entering the visionary zone {{!}} WorldCat.org |oclc=56468453 |language=en}}</ref>
Zia died of cancer in March 2008. In her memory, Tate St Ives displayed one of her final paintings, Forty Nights and Forty Days, at the gallery’s entrance as a tribute.<ref>{{cite news |last=Florence |first=Penny |date=4 April 2008 |title=Obituary: Partou Zia |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/apr/04/2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218052742/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/apr/04/2 |archive-date=18 February 2019 |access-date=3 July 2012 |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London}}</ref> The same work also forms part of Modern and Contemporary British Art: The State We’re In (2000–Now) at Tate Britain.<ref>{{cite web|title=40 Nights and 40 Days, 2008|url=https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/zia-40-nights-and-40-days-t15995|website=Tate|access-date=23 June 2025}}</ref>
== Work == Early in Partou’s career, landscape provided the main inspiration for her work. The quest of the individual for the divine was a developing theme. A fascination for religious iconography was manifested in depictions of the overlooked corners of church interiors. Everyday objects such as books, lamps and chairs inhabited her images of domestic scenes, suggesting a desire to capture the essence of her long-lost childhood home. Her canvases at this time were dominated by an energetic application of heavily [[impasto]]ed yellow, which for her represented the spiritual. Self-portraits, some of them nude, also formed an important part of her oeuvre, asserting her identity as a woman and a painter, and to reveal her intuitive self.
In scale her works range from a few inches to several feet high, with characteristic free brushwork and an immediately recognisable energetic handling of layers of paint. Inspired by the writing and illustrations of [[William Blake]], her work explores a personal journey of self-discovery. Her language is original, evolving a personal mythology of motifs and symbols that include lovers, sleepers, dreamers and readers, set within interiors or landscapes.<ref>{{cite web |title=Partou Zia Biography |url=http://www.artfirst.co.uk/partou_zia/biography.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818193338/https://www.artfirst.co.uk/partou_zia/biography.html |archive-date=18 August 2022 |access-date=18 March 2024 |website=Art First}}</ref>
The paintings from the last few months of her life reflect a change of mood. The intense energy of her earlier canvases has given way to a more contemplative application of paint, as a consequence of her ill health. In ‘40 Nights and 40 Days’ she reclines, in classical garb, resting her elbow on a pile of books – an indication, perhaps, that her work is done.
== Notable works == * ''Towers of Silence'' (2001) – [[University of Warwick|University of Warwick Art Collection]]<ref name="warwick">{{Cite web |title=University of Warwick Art Collection -Towers of Silence by Partou Zia |url=https://warwick.ac.uk/services/art/artist/partouzia/wu1115/ |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=warwick.ac.uk}}</ref> * ''The Sleep of Hands'' (2003) – [[Tate St Ives]]<ref name="stives2003">{{Cite web |title=Partou Zia : Borlase Smart John Wells Trust |url=https://www.bsjwtrust.co.uk/artists/partou-zia/ |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=www.bsjwtrust.co.uk}}</ref> * ''Cedar Notes'' (2004) – [[The Women's Art Collection]], Cambridge<ref name="murrayedwards">{{Cite web |title=Partou Zia {{!}} The Women's Art Collection |url=https://www.murrayedwards.cam.ac.uk/womens-art-collection/artist/partou-zia |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=www.murrayedwards.cam.ac.uk |language=en}}</ref><ref name="cornwallindex">{{Cite web |title=Partou ZIA {{!}} Cornwall Artists Index |url=https://cornwallartists.org/cornwall-artists/partou-zia |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=cornwallartists.org |language=en}}</ref> * ''Flowering Rod'' (2006) - [[Tate Collection]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tate |title='Flowering Rod', Partou Zia, 2006 |url=https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/zia-flowering-rod-t15994 |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=Tate |language=en-GB}}</ref> * ''40 Nights and 40 Days'' (2008) – [[Tate Britain]]<ref name="tate40">{{Cite web |last=Tate |title='40 Nights and 40 Days', Partou Zia, 2008 |url=https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/zia-40-nights-and-40-days-t15995 |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=Tate |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name="tatebritain">{{Cite web |last=Tate |title=The State We're In – Display at Tate Britain |url=https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-britain/display/modern-and-contemporary-british-art/the-state-were-in |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=Tate |language=en-GB}}</ref>
== Collections == * [[British Museum]], London<ref name="britishmuseum">British Museum. “Partou Zia” artist biography and works. (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG85095).</ref> * [[Tate Collection]], London<ref name="tateziabiog">{{Cite web |last=Tate |title=Partou Zia 1958–2008 |url=https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/partou-zia-10215 |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=Tate |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name="tatebritain" /> * [[University of Warwick|University of Warwick Art Collection]], Coventry<ref name="warwick" /> * [[The Women's Art Collection]], Cambridge<ref name="murrayedwards" />
== Solo exhibitions ==
'''2025''' ''Partou Zia (1958 - 2008)'', Indigo+Madder, London<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-27 |title=Partou Zia (1958 - 2008) |url=https://indigoplusmadder.com/london-art-exhibitions/partou-zia-1958-2008 |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=Indigo+Madder |language=en-US}}</ref>
'''2013''' ''Portraits Beyond Self'', Art First, London<ref>{{cite web |date=2013 |title=Partou Zia: <em>Portraits Beyond Self</em> |url=http://www.artfirst.co.uk/partou_zia/pe-13.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231207125559/https://www.artfirst.co.uk/partou_zia/pe-13.html |archive-date=7 December 2023 |access-date=18 March 2024 |website=Art First}}</ref>
'''2008''' ''In The Face of Wonder'', [[Newlyn Art Gallery|The Exchange]], Penzance<ref>{{cite web |date=2008 |title=Partou Zia: <em>In the Face of Wonder</em> |url=http://www.newlynartgallery.co.uk/?Partou%20Zia |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130421014219/http://www.newlynartgallery.co.uk/?Partou%20Zia |archive-date=21 April 2013 |website=[[Newlyn Art Gallery#The Exchange|Newlyn Art Gallery - The Exchange]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hoyle |first=Helen |date=2011 |title=Partou Zia: Painter of Dreams |url=http://www.artcornwall.org/features/Partou_Zia_Helen_Hoyle.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703002548/http://www.artcornwall.org/features/Partou_Zia_Helen_Hoyle.htm |archive-date=3 July 2022 |access-date=18 March 2024 |website=Art of Cornwall}}</ref> :''Memorial Exhibition 2008'', Art First, London<ref>{{cite web |date=2008 |title=Partou Zia 1958-2008: <em>Memorial Exhibition 2008</em> |url=http://www.artfirst.co.uk/partou_zia/pe_08.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054234/https://www.artfirst.co.uk/partou_zia/pe_08.html |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=18 March 2024 |website=Art First}}</ref>
'''2007''' ''sometimes i see'', Art First, London<ref>{{cite web |date=2007 |title=Partou Zia: <em>sometimes i see</em> |url=http://www.artfirst.co.uk/partou_zia/pe_07.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060014/https://www.artfirst.co.uk/partou_zia/pe_07.html |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=18 March 2024 |website=Art First}}</ref>
'''2005''' ''The Grey Syllable'', Art First, London<ref>{{cite web |date=2005 |title=Partou Zia: <em>The Grey Syllable</em> |url=http://www.artfirst.co.uk/partou_zia/pe_zia_06.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705164759/https://www.artfirst.co.uk/partou_zia/pe_zia_06.html |archive-date=5 July 2022 |access-date=18 March 2024 |website=Art First}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Daniel-McElroy |first1=Susan |title=Partou Zia: The Grey Syllable. |last2=Florence |first2=Penny |publisher=Art First |year=2005 |isbn=1901993469 |location=London |language=en |type=Exhibition catalog |oclc=1008182687}}</ref>
'''2004''' ''Thought Paintings'', Art First, London<ref>{{cite web |date=2004 |title=Partou Zia: <em>Thought Paintings</em> |url=http://www.artfirst.co.uk/partou_zia/pe_zia_04.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304201410/https://www.artfirst.co.uk/partou_zia/pe_zia_04.html |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=18 March 2024 |website=Art First}}</ref>
'''2003''' Entering the Visionary Zone, Tate St Ives<ref name="tate2">{{cite web |title=Partou Zia - Artists Residency: 25 October 2003 - 25 January 2004 |url=http://www.tate.org.uk/stives/exhibitions/zia/ |url-status=dead |archiveurl=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20080620125730/http://www.tate.org.uk/stives/exhibitions/zia/ |archivedate=20 June 2008 |website=[[Tate]]}}</ref>
'''2002''' Art Space Gallery, London
'''2000''' Art Space Gallery, London : Plymouth Art Centre
'''1999''' [[Royal Cornwall Museum]]
'''1998''' [[Newlyn Art Gallery]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Zia |first=Partou |title=Partou Zia: Church Paintings |publisher=[[Newlyn Art Gallery]] |year=1998 |isbn=0953432408 |location= |language=en |oclc=1158339215}}</ref>
'''1997''' Thornton-Bevan Arts, London
== Group exhibitions ==
'''2010''' Meetings Of Dreams, The Wills Lane Gallery, St. Ives<ref>{{cite web |date=2010 |title=Meetings Of Dreams - Partou Zia - Richard Cook |url=http://www.willslanegallery.co.uk/cook-zia-frameset.htm |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130505131145/http://www.willslanegallery.co.uk/cook-zia-frameset.htm |archivedate=5 May 2013 |website=The Wills Lane Gallery}}</ref>
'''2009''' ZOOM – Looking Back/Looking Forward, Art First, London<ref>{{cite web |date=2009 |title=ZOOM - Looking Back / Looking Forward |url=http://www.artfirst.co.uk/other/pe_zoom_09.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818194247/https://www.artfirst.co.uk/other/pe_zoom_09.html |archive-date=18 August 2022 |access-date=18 March 2024 |website=Art First}}</ref>
'''2007''' Art Now Cornwall, [[Tate St. Ives]], Cornwall<ref>{{cite web |title=Art Now Cornwall: The artists: Partou Zia |url=http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-st-ives/exhibition/art-now-cornwall/art-now-cornwall-artists/art-now-cornwall-artis-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130423223158/http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-st-ives/exhibition/art-now-cornwall/art-now-cornwall-artists/art-now-cornwall-artis-25 |archive-date=23 April 2013 |website=[[Tate]]}}</ref>
'''2006''' 12x12 Art First, London
'''2004''' Spoilt for Choice: A Christmas Show, Art First, London
'''1999''' Four Young Artists, Art Space, London
'''1998''' In/Sight, [[Exeter University]]
'''1997''' Gallery Artists I, Reeds Wharf Gallery, London :A Sense of Place, Collyer Bristow Gallery, London
'''1996''' Landscapes from Penwith, Hastings Museum and Gallery
'''1996''' Spring Open, Connaught Brown, London
'''1995''' John Moores Exhibition 19, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
'''1994''' Response to Landscape, Beatrice Royal Gallery, Southampton
'''1993''' Salthouse Gallery, St Ives
'''1992''' Carpenters Road Studios, London
'''1990''' Works on Paper, The Boundary Gallery, London
'''1989''' Young Contemporaries, [[The Whitworth|The Whitworth Gallery]], Manchester
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/partou-zia-10215 Partou Zia artist profile at Tate] * [http://www.artfirst.co.uk/ebooks/partou-zia/portraits-beyond-self/index.html eBook - Partou Zia - Portraits Beyond Self] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304003445/http://www.platform505.com/artfirst-gallery-partou-zia/ Platform 505 Article - Portraits Beyond Self] * [http://cornwallartists.org/cornwall-artists/partou-zia Cornwall artists index] * [https://www.theguardian.com/arts/cornwallartistofthemonth/gallery/0,,1244743,00.html Guardian artist of the month] * [https://womenincornwall.org/partou-zia-prtw-dya Women in Cornwall - Partou Zia] * [http://cornishmuse.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/partou-zia-painter-of-dreams.html Women artists in Cornwall - Partou Zia ~ Painter of Dreams] * [http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/talk/vision-out-there TATE MODERN - Talk - Vision is Out There]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zia, Partou}} [[Category:1958 births]] [[Category:2008 deaths]] [[Category:20th-century English painters]] [[Category:20th-century English women painters]] [[Category:21st-century English painters]] [[Category:21st-century English women painters]] [[Category:Alumni of Falmouth University]] [[Category:Alumni of the Slade School of Fine Art]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Plymouth]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Warwick]] [[Category:Artists from Cornwall]] [[Category:Artists from Tehran]] [[Category:British people of Iranian descent]] [[Category:British women painters]] [[Category:20th-century Iranian artists]] [[Category:Iranian emigrants to the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Iranian women artists]] [[Category:People from Hendon]] [[Category:St Ives artists]] [[Category:Writers from the London Borough of Barnet]] [[Category:Iranian painters]]