POUREA ALIMIRZAEE: FINGERPRINT / OSTORLAB
GALERIE NAGEL DRAXLER is delighted to present the exhibition Fingerprint / Ostorlab, a solo presentation by Pourea Alimirzaee.
December 06, 2025–February 14, 2026
Pourea Alimirzaee’s paintings immediately draw the viewer in with their bold colors, intricate patterns, and a subtle blend of abstract and figurative forms. As an artist and storyteller, Alimirzaee observes his surroundings and invites whatever touches or inspires him to animate his work. He often begins with a basic idea but welcomes free improvisation during his paint process. This intuitive approach characterizes his paintings with an openness and vibrancy.
The human experience, life itself, and the relationships to oneself and to others form important subjects. Not coincidentally, portraiture is central to his work: a genre Alimirzaee masters with his confident, oftentimes androgynous figures that frequently hints at self-portraits. His characters are often depicted with long, flowing hair, which serves as both a symbol of cultural and social significance and a reflection of themes related to self-identity. Alimirzaee also shows how hair can be both a form of representation and a political statement. Feminine figures with shorter hair remind us of cutting one’s hair as a form of protest against injustice. It also reminds us of one of the most powerful recent symbols of this, when Iranian women cut their hair in solidarity after the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, following her arrest for allegedly not wearing the hijab correctly.
In his latest series of works, presented at Galerie Nagel Draxler, Alimirzaee continues to explore themes of identity and heritage. Earlier this year, he traveled to Iranm, where he began working on these pieces. His reflections on his cultural heritage, local life, language, and symbols strongly influenced the early stages of the paintings. His work was shortly after interrupted by the Iran-Israel war. After returning to Vienna, Alimirzaee resumed his work on the paintings, which now convey a compelling “mix of both worlds”. These works can be seen as a bridge between the two very different contexts that the artist calls home, in their own way.
In Flattered by the Green, for example, Alimirzaee suggests a hand gesture common in Persian culture when celebrating or expressing joy. At the same time, the gesture can also be interpreted as a subtle reference to Albrecht Dürer’s iconic Praying Hands (1508).
Pourea Alimirzaee’s delicate watercolor and oil portraits are politically charged, yet he addresses these themes in a disarming and gentle manner. Rich in symbolism, his paintings tell stories that confront power and freedom in times of oppression.
Pourea Alimirzaee was born 1988 in Tehran, Iran. He studied Computer engineering in Tehran and came to Vienna in 2014 to study Music (bass guitar) at the Vienna Conservatory. After one year at the Conservatory, he decided to apply to the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, where he studied figurative painting with artist Kirsi Mikkola. He lives and works in Vienna. Fingerprint / Ostorlab is Pourea Alimirzaee’s second solo exhibition at Galerie Nagel Draxler.