Houman Mortazavi (born 1964) is an Iranian contemporary graphic designer, painter, sculptor, installation artist, and writer. He belongs to the first generation of post‑revolution Iranian artists. Mortazavi pursued his education in Iran and the United Kingdom and was a student of the renowned Iranian artist Aydin Aghdashloo, an experience that significantly shaped his visual sensibility and artistic approach.

From 1998 to 2003, he lived and worked in the United States before returning to Iran. This period abroad deepened his engagement with themes such as migration, displacement, insecurity, and fragmented identity—subjects that later became central to his conceptual and multimedia projects.

Artistic Practice and Activities

Mortazavi is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans graphic design, painting, sculpture, installation, and conceptual art. Since the early 1990s, he has exhibited extensively in Iran and internationally, including in Tehran, Los Angeles, Dubai, Boston, and other cities.

In addition to his individual practice, Mortazavi is a co‑founder of several collaborative platforms and artist initiatives, including:

• Karestan Artists Foundation
• Movazi Group
• Zirpelleh Collective

These initiatives reflect his commitment to collective experimentation, interdisciplinary dialogue, and expanding the scope of contemporary artistic practice in Iran and beyond.

One of his most significant and ongoing bodies of work is “Project Misplaced.” This project has been presented in various formats—exhibitions, lectures, and publications—across institutions in both the United States and Iran.

Artistic Approach and Themes

Mortazavi’s work often engages with political, social, and personal concerns, responding critically to the conditions of his time. Drawing from cultural memory and lived experience, he constructs layered visual narratives that examine:

• Human instincts and vulnerability
• Migration and displacement
• Anxiety and insecurity
• Individual and collective identity, particularly within the Iranian diaspora

His practice frequently incorporates unconventional materials such as gold leaf, hair, and mixed media elements, adding tactile and symbolic dimensions to his works.

A notable conceptual creation is the fictional character Simon Ordoubadi, a symbolic representation of certain Iranian expatriate experiences in Los Angeles. In the book and multimedia project Project Misplaced: The Rise and Fall of Simon Ordoubadi, Mortazavi explores the aspirations, contradictions, and disillusionments embodied in this character, using satire and narrative construction to reflect broader cultural phenomena.

Selected Solo Exhibitions

1980s–1990s: Early Development and Formation of Visual Language

• 1987 – My Home, Golestan Gallery, Tehran
• 1992 – Boxes, Golestan Gallery, Tehran
• 1994 – Accessories of Life / Ser-Jame’eh-ha
• 1995 – Accessories of Life (Installation), Private Venue, Tehran
• 1997 – A Tribute to … (Installation), Evidence Room, Los Angeles, USA
• 1998 – Untitled Boxes (Installation), Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), Los Angeles, USA

2000s: Expansion of “Boxes” and Development of “Project Misplaced”

• 2001 – Boxes Series, Assar Gallery, Tehran
• 2003 – Project Misplaced, Tufts University, Boston
• 2003 – Project Misplaced, San Jose, California
• 2003 – Project Misplaced, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
• 2003 – Project Misplaced, Articultural Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
• 2008 – Boxes, Assar Gallery, Tehran

2010s: Conceptual Projects and Reinterpretation of Simon Ordoubadi

• 2011 – Self-Defense, Hanging from a Nail, Eat-Kid, etc., Homa Gallery, Tehran
• 2013 – Project Misplaced: The Rise and Fall of Simon Ordoubadi, Dastan’s Basement Gallery, Tehran
• 2016 – Peace on Paper, Niavaran Cultural Center Gallery, Tehran

He has also participated in numerous group exhibitions in Iran and abroad, including the First Tehran Painting Biennial at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art.

Publications and Graphic Design Work

Mortazavi’s graphic designs and cover artworks have appeared in several Iranian publications, including:

• Sanat-e Hamlo Naql (Transportation Industry Magazine)
• Film Monthly (Cinema Magazine)
• Mofid Magazine

He has also published several calendars featuring his cartoons and illustrations, often reflecting his characteristic social and critical perspective.

A monograph of his graphic works, titled “Contemporary Iranian Graphic Designers: Houman Mortazavi,” was published by Yassavoli Publications as part of a series dedicated to prominent Iranian graphic designers.

His conceptual project Project Misplaced was also developed into a book, further expanding the narrative and critical framework surrounding the fictional character Simon Ordoubadi.

Awards and Achievements

• Winner of the Award at the 9th Iranian Graphic Design Biennial

This recognition established Mortazavi as a significant figure in contemporary Iranian graphic design.

Beyond formal awards, his sustained international presence, interdisciplinary experimentation, and role in founding collaborative artistic platforms constitute important achievements within his professional career and within the broader field of contemporary Iranian art.