Ali Nedaei
Ali Nedaei
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Biography
Ali Nedaei is an Iranian painter and designer, born on July 1, 1957, in Abadan. He began his professional artistic career in the early 1980s while studying at the Faculty of Arts and later received his Master’s degree in Painting from the University of Arts in Tehran.
Over more than four decades of artistic practice, Nedaei has become recognized as a contemporary Iranian figurative painter whose works explore mythology, human and animal figures, and historical narratives. His paintings are distinguished by dynamic lines, expressive compositions, and a strong emphasis on drawing as the foundation of visual expression.
Nedaei’s artistic language is deeply connected to Persian mythology, particularly narratives from the Shahnameh. He reinterprets mythical characters and historical symbols, transforming traditional stories into contemporary visual expressions.
Education
- Bachelor of Painting, University of Arts, Tehran
- Master of Painting, University of Arts, Tehran
During his artistic education, Nedaei studied under influential Iranian artists including Mohammad Ebrahim Jafari and Mohammad Hossein Halimi, whose approaches to drawing and painting influenced his artistic development.
Activities & Works
For more than twenty years, Ali Nedaei has taught drawing and painting at Iranian universities and has contributed to the education of younger generations of artists.
His artistic practice focuses on:
- Figurative painting and expressive drawing
- Human and animal representations
- Mythological narratives and Persian cultural symbols
- Contemporary interpretations of classical myths
- Dynamic compositions based on strong line work
Nedaei’s works often incorporate figures such as horses and lions, alongside mythical characters drawn from Persian literature and history. He views mythology as a living narrative connected to contemporary experiences and uses it as a means to reflect on human conditions and social realities.
He was a student of Mohammad Ebrahim Jafari and Mohammad Hossein Halimi and maintained close artistic relationships with figures such as Ahmad Vakili, Ali Zakeri, and Karim Nasr. He was also a member of the Iranian art group “+30,” founded after the Revolution by Alireza Sami Azar and Shahnaz Zehtab.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
- 2024 — War: The Beginning of an End, Khat-e Sefid Gallery, Tehran
- 2022 — Hunting, Sales Gallery (Galerie Sales/Thales), Tehran
- 2018 — Myth in the Mist, Atbin Gallery, Tehran
- 2018 — Silent Myths, Kama Gallery, London
- 2015 — Atbin Gallery, Tehran
- 2014 — Pera Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey
- 2011 — Forouhar Gallery, Tehran
- 2009 — Mah Mehr Gallery, Tehran
- 2006 — Elaheh Gallery, Tehran
Selected Group Exhibitions
- 2025 — Iris Contemporary Space, Dubai
- 2025 — Hunters of Simorgh, Atbin Gallery, Tehran
- 2025 — Thought | Matter | Field, Shar Gallery, Tehran
- 2025 — Face to Face, Kama Gallery, Tehran
- 2023 — The Human Body, Vista Gallery, Tehran
- 2023 — Treasury 3, Liam Gallery, Tehran
- 2023 — Anthropomorphic Forms, Maryam Gallery, Kashan
- 2021 — Archive 2, Artibition Gallery, Tehran
- 2019 — A Review of Figurative Modernist Painting in Iran, Eideh Gallery, Tehran
- 2018 — Iranian Artworks, Saint Roch Gallery, Paris
- 2004 — +30 Art Group Exhibition, Armenia
Art Fairs
- 2025 — MEN Art Fair, Paris (presented by Iris Contemporary Space)
Achievements & Awards
- More than four decades of professional activity in contemporary Iranian painting
- Extensive participation in national and international exhibitions
- Representation in international art events and art fairs, including MEN Art Fair Paris
- More than two decades of experience as a university instructor in painting and drawing
- Membership in the influential “+30” art group
- Participation in Iran’s contemporary art market; his first appearance in auctions dates back to Tehran Auction 2015
- Recognition as one of the artists contributing to the development of contemporary Iranian figurative painting and myth-based visual language
Video Index
Chapters:
From Childhood to University Entrance
University Years and the Beginning of an Artistic and Teaching Career
Personal Life
Professional Periods
Professional Experiences and Working Methods — Part One
00:10 How Do You Select Your Subjects?
02:02 What Do the Human Figure and Myth Represent in Your Work?
15:44 To What Extent Are Iranian Culture and Traditions Present in Your Work?
18:31 The Process of Creating an Artwork
30:58 Do Your Subjects Usually Originate in the External World or in Your Inner World?
36:12 Have You Ever Become Uncertain About How to Continue an Artwork While Creating It?
Professional Experiences and Working Methods — Part Two
00:26 What Is the Best Advice You Have Received as an Artist?
02:42 The Materials Used in Creating Your Works
07:35 What Project Are You Currently Working On?
08:58 On Titling Artworks
10:11 Apart from Teaching and Painting, How Do You Spend Your Days?
11:49 What Exactly Does Painting Mean to You, and What Place Does It Hold in Your Life?
25:31 How Do You Balance the World of Imagination with the World of Reality?
Professional Experiences and Working Methods — Part Three
00:08 Which Artist or Artistic Style Has Influenced You Most?
04:30 Which Artwork by Another Artist Do You Admire Most?
06:12 What Has Been Your Greatest Struggle as an Artist?
08:39 What Do You Consider the Main Key to Your Success?
11:59 What Is Your Daily Routine?
13:20 How Do You Envision the Future of Your Artistic Practice?
16:30 On Exhibitions
Audience and Criticism
00:08 What Place Does the Audience Hold in Your Artistic Practice?
03:06 Responding to Negative Criticism
06:32 On Art Criticism in the Visual Arts
Art Education
00:08 Differences Between Past and Present Approaches to Teaching Drawing and Painting
07:16 The Importance of Drawing in Art Education
10:03 Differences Between Painting Students of the Past and Present
On the Visual Arts — Part One
00:08 Differences Among the Three Most Recent Generations of Iranian Painters
05:48 On the Iranian Painters’ Association
08:34 Why Has No Distinct and Widespread Style Emerged in Contemporary Iranian Painting?
12:42 The Relationship Between Imagination and Creativity in Artistic Creation
19:28 What Qualities Make an Artwork Enduring?
23:00 Traditional Art and Modern Art
On the Visual Arts — Part Two
00:08 On New Artistic Forms Such as Performance Art
03:37 The Impact of Modernism and Globalization on National Art
07:50 The Place of Iranian Art in the World
15:49 On the Tehran Auction
24:40 Do You Believe Artists Have a Social Role?
Personal Worldview
00:11 What Surprises You Most About the World Today?
02:29 How Would You Describe Yourself?
03:57 Hopes and Disappointments
05:59 If Ali Nedaei Were Sitting Across from You, What Would You Ask Him?
06:30 Advice for Art Students
Personal Information
- Birthday: July 1, 1957
- Birthplace: Abadan, Khuzestan, Iran
- Interview date: 20.02.2016- 21.02.2016