Amirhossein Darafsheh, born in 1988, is a renowned visual artist from Iran, specializing in documentary and street photography. Mentored by the esteemed Abbas Kiarostami, his journey into visual storytelling explores narratives deeply embedded within social and cultural contexts. His work, celebrated both in Iran and internationally, leverages photography and graphic design to navigate societal dynamics, with a particular focus on the "Woman, Life, Freedom" Movement in Iran. Amirhossein crafts visual commentaries that bridge personal and universal narratives, immortalizing ephemeral stories within daily life, and navigates gracefully through tales of life and art. His art, characterized by a nuanced approach to storytelling, not only documents but also sparks dialogues, shedding light on societal norms and movements.. [Full bio]
//AWARDS
2009 - Grand Prix - Zoom Zblizenia International Film Festival - Jelenia Góra, Poland
My mom has a long shadow - Editor
2009 - Special Award - XXIV.Black International Cinema - Berlin, Germany
My mom has a long shadow - Editor
2009 - Best Short Fiction - Monterrey International Film Festival - Monterrey, Mexico
My mom has a long shadow - Editor
2010 - Best Short Fiction - Smodgance Film Festival -Pomona, California
My mom has a long shadow - Editor
2009 - Participated in the Marché du Film, Cannes Film Festival,
My mom has a long shadow - Editor
2021 - Music Video of The Year - Art is Alive Festival - Tehran, Iran - 2021
Unfinished Dream of Sadako - Director, Editor, Cinematographer
2009 - Grand Prix - Zoom Zblizenia International Film Festival - Jelenia Góra, Poland
My mom has a long shadow - Editor
2009 - Special Award - XXIV.Black International Cinema - Berlin, Germany
My mom has a long shadow - Editor
2009 - Best Short Fiction - Monterrey International Film Festival - Monterrey, Mexico
My mom has a long shadow - Editor
2010 - Best Short Fiction - Smodgance Film Festival -Pomona, California
My mom has a long shadow - Editor
2009 - Participated in the Marché du Film, Cannes Film Festival,
My mom has a long shadow - Editor
2021 - Music Video of The Year - Art is Alive Festival - Tehran, Iran - 2021
Unfinished Dream of Sadako - Director, Editor, Cinematographer
//PRESS AND PUBLICATION
2013 - Le Monde - Les cafés frappés par Téhéran
2013 - Le Monde - Pourquoi les cafés meurent à Téhéran
2013 - Le Figaro - Téhéran : cafés sous surveillance
2013 - International Business Times - Caffeine Crisis: Iran Cracks Down On Purveyor Of Dissent … Coffee Shop
2013 - Zenith Magazine - Momentaufnahme, P112,113
2022 - Al Jazeera - The Listening Post - Move fast and break things: Musk shakes up Twitter
2022 - The Guardian - Something in me sparked’: the Iranian women using art to protest
2022 - It’s Nice That - Designers share open-access posters to amplify #WomenLifeFreedom protests in Iran and beyond
2022 - Design by Woman - Iranian Women of Graphic Design
2022 - Die Zeit - Die Kunst des Protests, N 46 - 10 November
2022 - Periodico Daily - arte della protesta al regime iraniano
2013 - Le Monde - Pourquoi les cafés meurent à Téhéran
2013 - Le Figaro - Téhéran : cafés sous surveillance
2013 - International Business Times - Caffeine Crisis: Iran Cracks Down On Purveyor Of Dissent … Coffee Shop
2013 - Zenith Magazine - Momentaufnahme, P112,113
2022 - Al Jazeera - The Listening Post - Move fast and break things: Musk shakes up Twitter
2022 - The Guardian - Something in me sparked’: the Iranian women using art to protest
2022 - It’s Nice That - Designers share open-access posters to amplify #WomenLifeFreedom protests in Iran and beyond
2022 - Design by Woman - Iranian Women of Graphic Design
2022 - Die Zeit - Die Kunst des Protests, N 46 - 10 November
2022 - Periodico Daily - arte della protesta al regime iraniano
//BOOKS
2023 - Bloomsbury Visual Arts - Censoring Art: Silencing the Artwork, Edited by Roisin Kennedy & Riann Coulter [Featured Artist]
2023 - Saqi Books - Woman Life Freedom: Voices and Art from the Women’s Protests in Iran, by Malu Halasa [Featured Artist]
2023 - Beaux-Arts de Paris - Une révolution iranienne : Femme, Vie, Liberté [Featured Artist]
(in partnership with the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris, the Palais Tokyo and the Palais de la Porte Dorée)
2023 - Bloomsbury Visual Arts - Censoring Art: Silencing the Artwork, Edited by Roisin Kennedy & Riann Coulter [Featured Artist]
2023 - Saqi Books - Woman Life Freedom: Voices and Art from the Women’s Protests in Iran, by Malu Halasa [Featured Artist]
2023 - Beaux-Arts de Paris - Une révolution iranienne : Femme, Vie, Liberté [Featured Artist]
(in partnership with the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris, the Palais Tokyo and the Palais de la Porte Dorée)
//GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023 - Halle Saint Pierre, Paris - in collaboration with the International Federation for Human Rights
2023 - WARM Festival, Sarajevo - July
2023 - Isole Festival, RISO, Contemporary Art Museum of Sicily in Palermo - September
2023 - Urban Art Space, Ohio State University - October
2023 - Espacio Gallery, London - Jorat (Courage) - February
2023 - Halle Saint Pierre, Paris - in collaboration with the International Federation for Human Rights
2023 - WARM Festival, Sarajevo - July
2023 - Isole Festival, RISO, Contemporary Art Museum of Sicily in Palermo - September
2023 - Urban Art Space, Ohio State University - October
2023 - Espacio Gallery, London - Jorat (Courage) - February
//PROJECTS
2015-Present - Grace of Loneliness: A landscape photography project dedicated to Abbas Kiarostami, focusing on "Lonely Trees" and exploring themes of solitude and natural beauty.
2015-2019 - Co-Founder, Minamir Studio, Tehran, Iran: Elevated wedding documentary photography, weaving narratives that are not only documentative but also rich, creative testaments to the unique stories embedded in every celebration.
2018-2020 - Co-Creator, Analog Platform, Tehran, Iran: Established and nurtured an art space and café, becoming a sanctuary and thriving community for young artists.
2020-Present - Founder, Koker Design (former Tahrir Studio): Navigated through the pandemic, established a design studio that seamlessly blends aesthetics, tradition, and modern expression, generating and retailing evocative Farsi typography posters during a period of global stillness.
2019 - Art Director & Graphic Designer, Crows In The Rain - "Sorrow For an Unfinished Dream:" Steered the artistic and conceptual direction for the band’s fourth album, embodying Neo-classical and post-rock styles, and representing a pure extract from the nature of the Crows In The Rain band. Facilitated the release of the first dependent official album by the band in the Iranian market.
2022-Present - Photographer, City Fragments: Engaging in a street photography project that aims to capture and document daily life and ephemeral moments on the streets.
2015-Present - Grace of Loneliness: A landscape photography project dedicated to Abbas Kiarostami, focusing on "Lonely Trees" and exploring themes of solitude and natural beauty.
2015-2019 - Co-Founder, Minamir Studio, Tehran, Iran: Elevated wedding documentary photography, weaving narratives that are not only documentative but also rich, creative testaments to the unique stories embedded in every celebration.
2018-2020 - Co-Creator, Analog Platform, Tehran, Iran: Established and nurtured an art space and café, becoming a sanctuary and thriving community for young artists.
2020-Present - Founder, Koker Design (former Tahrir Studio): Navigated through the pandemic, established a design studio that seamlessly blends aesthetics, tradition, and modern expression, generating and retailing evocative Farsi typography posters during a period of global stillness.
2019 - Art Director & Graphic Designer, Crows In The Rain - "Sorrow For an Unfinished Dream:" Steered the artistic and conceptual direction for the band’s fourth album, embodying Neo-classical and post-rock styles, and representing a pure extract from the nature of the Crows In The Rain band. Facilitated the release of the first dependent official album by the band in the Iranian market.
2022-Present - Photographer, City Fragments: Engaging in a street photography project that aims to capture and document daily life and ephemeral moments on the streets.
//CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
2022 -Graphic Designer, "Woman, Life, Freedom" Movement: Amplified the voices of Iranian women through graphic design, creating symbols that resonated on global platforms, including being spotlighted on the billboard of Times Square, New York.
2022 -Graphic Designer, "Woman, Life, Freedom" Movement: Amplified the voices of Iranian women through graphic design, creating symbols that resonated on global platforms, including being spotlighted on the billboard of Times Square, New York.
2018-Present - Experimental Music Composition: Explored the Ambient and Post-Rock genres through experimental music composition under the pseudonym Random Noise Project, adding a melodic dimension to an already diverse artistic portfolio.