Āydīn Āghdāshlū

Aydin Aghdashloo (born October 30, 1940, Rasht) is a renowned Iranian painter, writer, art critic, and graphic designer whose works blend classical and surrealist styles, often reflecting themes of death, memory, and cultural decay. He began painting and designing in his youth, working in advertising and publishing. In the 1970s, he served as a cultural director at Tehran’s Museum of Contemporary Art and Reza Abbasi Museum, conducting extensive research on Iranian art history. His major works include Memories of Destruction, Years of Fire and Snow, and Identity: In Praise of Botticelli. Aghdashloo has also written art and film criticism and travelogues. In 2015, he was awarded the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of Arts and Letters). With a philosophical and aesthetic approach, he remains a key figure in Iran’s modern art movement.