Similar to his renowned Carpet paintings, which integrate visual components from Persian carpets, Pour’s new paintings contain elements that reference both global art history and various interconnected cultural iconographies. The central motif in this new body of work is the tiger, an image immediately suggestive of a range of art historical and craft traditions, but which is also a personal reference for Pour.

“My close friend, Phil Kim, has a tiger tattoo on his belly. Phil is Korean but was raised in Chile before moving to Los Angeles. We met in art school and immediately connected as the eldest siblings of our immigrant families. Although we have different cultural backgrounds, we found that we shared many similar experiences moving to the US and developed a kinship.”