Nastaran Safaei
b. 1984 Tehran, Iran
Website: www.nastaransafaei.com
Email: info@nastaransafaei.com
Biography
My multidisciplinary creative practice is intertwined with physicality. I use the body—my own, and the idea of it as it appears in culture and mythology—as the site where ideas cultivate and take shape. Within that, femininity is both material and subject: intimate, visceral, yet constructed and constantly evolving as the world around me shifts. I explore what it means to exist in a time of upheaval, to search for meaning while surrounded by inherited myths, fragile systems, and personal contradictions.
My practice is sculptural at its core. Even when I use video, text, or performance, I think in terms of volume, density, and dimensionality—how to give weight to ideas. Each work begins with a calculation: a notebook sketch, a phrase, an internal dialogue. Some projects demand years of waiting, for impressions and thoughts to settle within me, layer by layer, until they cultivate and turn into new things Others move directly into production. The medium is never fixed in advance; instead, I test materials—bronze, papier-mâché, fiberglass, ink—until one makes the concept tangible. Planning and accident share the space in this process.
From the friction between private bodies and public norms, the relationship between humans and their environments, and shifting currents of family, city, and culture, the contexts that drive me are personal as much as they are societal. My work critiques and questions, often with a layer of irony, but never from a safe distance. I want the viewer to feel implicated, provoked, or unsettled—to recognize themselves within the tensions I navigate.
I do not claim a fixed lineage; I claim the right to keep inventing forms that embody questions rather than answers.
Solo Exhibitions
2025 “Embodiment”, Aaran Projects Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2025 “Two Decades”, Rischee 29 Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2022 “Based on Real Events”, Aaran Projects Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2019 “The Words, the Steps”, 01 Art Gallery, Isfahan, Iran
2019 “The Story of the Streets”, Aaran Projects Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2017 “Beyond and Above”, “Monuments for That which Forgotten”, Aaran Projects Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2015 “Something Important”, Installation Exhibition, Zirpelleh, Tehran, Iran
2015 “30”, Video Art and installation Exhibition, Etemad Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2014 "What do you think about me", Sculpture and Installation Exhibition, AB Gallery, Lucerne, Switzerland
2014 "Simurgh", Sculpture and Installation Exhibition, Etemad Art Gallery, Dubai, UAE
2012 "Handmade Bird", Sculpture Exhibition, Etemad Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2010 "Marriage Proposal", Sculpture Exhibition, Etemad Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2008 "People,Purses", Sculpture Exhibition, Assar Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2008 Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition, Iranian Art Museum Garden, Tehran, Iran
2004 Calligraphy Exhibition, Iranian Artists Forum, Tehran, Iran
Bibliography
2024 Women Art Freedom, Artists and Street Politics in Iran, Leuven, University Press (Belgium) & Cornell University Press (US)
2024 Rethinking the Contemporary Art of Iran, Rizzoli International Publications, New York, USA
2015 Contemporary Art Middle East: Regional Interactions with Global Art Discourses, Nazar Publication, Tehran, Iran
2013 Contemporary Iranian Art - New Perspectives, Saqi Publication, London, UK
2012 Tehran Art: A Popular Revolution, Contemporary Art Publication, Tehran, Iran
Group exhibitions
2025 “Through the unfathomable night”, Cafe-Atelier Art pero, Paris, France
2025 “Rebellion”, Cour Mably, Bordeaux, France
2025 “Defamiliarization”, Sharif Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2025 “Group Exhibition”, Rashidi Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2025 “Fok Art”, Rishe29 Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2025 “Body impression", Simineparis, Paris, France
2025 “Freiheit”, Art active Kunstlergruppe, Passau, Germany
2025 “Listen, the farthest Bird in the world is singing”, Aaran Projects Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2025 “The Altered Reflection”, ITPImages Gallery, Tehran,Iran
2025 “My Favorite Things”, Maryam Taba Studios, Los Angeles, CA, USA
2025 “In women’s words: Transcending Pop Art”, Iranian Artists Forum, Tehran, Iran
2025 “Bot farkhar”, Maad art Gallery, Tehran,Iran
2025 “L’autre”, Hotel de Ragueneau, Diakoart, Bordeaux, France
2025 Blooker x Nastaran Safaei, Moissonnier, Dubai, UAE
2025 Missdesigne, Soo contemporary, Tehran, Iran
2025 Travelogue, Kottishope, Berline, Germany
2025 Group exhibition, 1912gallery, Washington DC, USA
2025 Group exhibition, DD art cultural center, Mazandaran, Iran
2025 “Color To Color”, Ba Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2024 ”Qamar daughter of Iran, Kavin art gallery, Tehran, Iran
2024 “Gol o Morgh”, research table, Hafto hasht, Azadi innovation factory, Tehran, Iran
2024 “Gallery for Tehran”, Architecture and people festival, Niavaran palace, Tehran, Iran
2024 “Two in one”, Ba art gallery, Tehran, Iran
2024 “Routes and Roots”, E1 Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2024 "For Nowrouz", A Selection by: Fereydoun Ave, Soo Contemporary, Tehran, Iran
2024 "Beyond Two Dimensions", Artibition Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2024 "For Hope", Aaran Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2024 "A look at biomorphic", Freya Espinas Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2023 "Body Prints", Middleway Gallery, Hamburg, Germany
2023 "Entre Les Lignes", Simine Paris, Paris, France
2023 "The Scent of Flower", The Nightingale's Song, Vista Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2023 "For Life", Aaran Project Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2022 The 37th “Video Forms” Digital Art Festival, Institute SATPEM, Clermont-Ferrand, France
2022 “Manipulated Genes: The Iranian New Media Artists in Europe”, Weber & Weber, Turine, Italy
2022 “Ode to Spring”, Aaran Projects Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2021 “The Discourse of Persian Art and Contemporary Iranian Art”, Powerlong Museum, Shanghai, China
2021 “Hamayand”, Ava Art Gallery, Teharn, Iran
2020 “The 8 th Tehran national sculpture biennial”, Vahdat hall, Tehran, Iran
2020 “Dropped, but did not break”, Vista Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2020 “Inner Fragments”, Scene Metrospace Gallery, Michigan, USA
2019 “11 th annual exhibition of small Sculptures”, Shirin Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2019 “Association of Iranian Sculptors Exhibition”, Iranian Artist Forum, Tehran, Iran
2019 “Roots buried in the dark earth”, Aaran Project Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2019 “Vitrin”, Association of Iranian Sculptors, Iranian Artist Forum, Tehran, Iran
2019 “Transition”, Vartan Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2019 “Shabtab”, Inja Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2019 “Again-Afar”, Environmental Art event, Hormoz Island, Iran, Iran
2019 “Invitation to Flanerie”, Teer art week curatorial project, Hanna boutique hotel, Tehran, Iran
2018 “Elgha,Ebgha” , Pars Building, Tehran , Iran
2018 “Open day, International Artist Workshop, “field works”, Hangar, Lisbon, Portugal
2018 “4 th annual exhibition of Behnam daheshpour Charity Organization, Tehran, Iran
2018 “7500 miles” Inner fragments exhibition of Iranian women art, Norwest gallery, Detroit, USA
2018 “Works on Paper” Aaran Projects Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2018 “Modern beauty” Nicolas Felamel Art Gallery, Paris, France
2017 “The 10th annual exhibition of small sculptures”, Aaran projects gallery, Tehran, Iran
2017 “Art Expo Malaysia”, Matrade and convention center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2017 “The 2nd Ceramic-Based Exhibition, FRONTIER”, Iranian Artist Forum, Tehran, Iran
2017 “About Food Art”, Rooberoomansion, Tehran, Iran
2017 “Trends and Approaches in Contemporary Iranian Art”, Mellat Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2017 “Sa'di”, Hepta Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2017 “The impact of tangency”, The Mine Art Gallery, Dubai, UAE
2017 “Sculpture Exhibition”, Aaran Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2017 “Become the sky”, Nicolas Felamel Gallery, Paris, France
2016 “Pulp Narratives” Aaran Projects, Tehran, Iran
2016 “Made in Iran”, Kunstverein Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
2016 “The 5th International Green Film Festival of Iran, House of Cinema, Tehran, Iran
2016 “Blue Gold”, Etemad Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2016 “Art and Anthropocene”, Six Annual of contemporary Art, Persbook, Niavaran Cultural Center, Tehran, Iran
2016 “Made in Iran II “, AB Gallery, Lucerne, Switzerland
2015 “New Era”, 26 Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2015 “Angels, Saints and co.”, Aaran Projects Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2015 “Bits and Pieces”, Aaran Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2015 “Asian Highway art project”, Seokdang Museum of art of Dong, South Korea
2015 “9th annual exhibition of Small Sculptures”, Aaran Projects, Tehran, Iran
2015 “There are too many walls but not enough bridge”, Kunst Zeug Haus, Switzerland
2015 “Intersection of the Imagination”, Iranian Artists Forum, Tehran, Iran
2015 “Summer Group Exhibitions”, Silk Road Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2015 “Contemporary Venice - Architectures of Identities”, Palazzo Dolfin Bollani, Venice, Italy
2015 “Summer Group Exhibition”, Etemad Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2015 “Contemporary Venice – Self Identities”, Venice Palazzo Ca’zanardi and Venice Art House, Venice, Italy
2015 “Auto Totemize”, Igreg Art Studio, Tehran, Iran
2015 “A4 paper works “Haftsamar Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2015 “Culture of Peace”, Contemporary Art Publication Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2014 “Art for Peace”, Mohsen Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2013 “Tehran calling London - London calling Tehran”, London print studio, London, UK
2013 “Reflexivity”, The 4th Contemporary Art Annual Persbook, Iranian Artists Forum, Tehran, Iran
2013 “Self-Musement”, Egreg Art Studio, Tehran, Iran
2013 “Titled by”644”, Hiroshima Memorial Exhibition”, Qasr Museum, Tehran, Iran
2013 “Excuses: a group effort”, Villa Kuriosum, Berlin, Germany
2012 “A MAN”, Aun Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2012 “Without Border 3” Persbookart 3rd Exhibition, Iranian Artists Forum, Tehran, Iran
2012 “Cycle” photo Exhibition, Sanandaj, Iran
2012 “Synergy 1”, Sin Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2012 3rd Contemporary Art Exhibition, Sanandaj, Iran
2012 “America the Beautiful”, Aaran Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2012 “Crucifixion”, Shirin, Homa, Mohsen Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2012 “Void”, Sareban Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2012 “Mise - en – scene”, Etemad Art Gallery, Dubai, UAE
2012 “The Second May”, Seyhoun Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2012 “Sculpture Exhibition”, Belgian Embassy, Tehran, Iran
2012 “Intersection of the Imagination”, Iranian Artists Forum, Tehran, Iran
2012 “On (Photo) Paper Without Name”, Parking Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2012 “Situation”, 90 Café Gallery, Sanandaj, Iran
2012 “No.291”, Street Art Project, Sanandaj, Iran
2012 “Opening”, Sin Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2011 “Agony and Ecstasy”, Shirin Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2011 “A Selection of Iranian Contemporary Sculpting Procedure”, Farvahar Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2011 “6th International Sculpture Biennale of Tehran”, Niavaran Cultural Center, Tehran, Iran
2011 “The Undone”, Mohsen Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2011 “Behnam Daheshpour”, Exhibition and Auction, Shirin Art gallery, Tehran, Iran
2011 “Apocalypse”, Contemporary Art Exhibition, Sanandaj, Iran
2011 “Factory Garden”, Mohsen Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2011 “2nd Sculpture Expo”, Shirin Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2011 “Small Sculptures “Exhibition of Association of Iranian Sculptors, Fravahr Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2011 “13X18 Portrait “Etemad Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2011 “Selfdom/A Personal Project”, Haft Samar Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2011 “TV”, Mohsen Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2010 “Soldier”, Mohsen Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2010 “Medallion”, Mahe-Mehr Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2010 “Maakous” Sculpture Exhibition, Shirin Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2010 “Jungle 3” Photography and Painting and Sculpture Exhibition, Shirin Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2010 “Kitchen”, Mohsen Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2010 Charity, Dar Al-Fonoon Art Gallery, Kuwait
2009 “Fadjr” Sculpture Exhibition, Tehran Museum of contemporary art, Tehran, Iran
2009 Exhibition of Association of Iranian Sculptors, “Small Sculptures”, Iranian Artists Forum, Tehran, Iran
2009 “Jungle 2” Photography and Painting and Sculpture Exhibition, Shirin Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2009 “under 35 years old” Exhibition of Association of Iranian Sculptors, Iranian Artists Forum, Tehran, Iran
2009 Exhibition of Association of Iranian Sculptors, Barg Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2008 Poster Exhibition of Iran annual book of design, Iranian Artists Forum, Tehran, Iran
2008 “Jungle 1” Painting and Sculpture Exhibition, Iranian Art Museum Garden, Tehran, Iran
2008 “Maakous” Sculpture Exhibition, Gallery 10, Tehran, Iran
2007 The 2nd International Poster Biennial of the Islamic world, Saba cultural & artistic institute, Tehran, Iran
2007 Second International Poster and computer animation competition “Anti Aids”, Ukraine
2007 “Zigzag”child poster Exhibition, Tehran Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2006 The 4th International Painting Biennial of the Islamic World, Saba Cultural & Artistic Institute, Tehran, Iran
2006 The 1st World Award of Monotheistic Religions poster competition, Imam Ali Museum, Tehran, Iran
2006 The Second World Biennial exhibition of student poster, Novi Sad, Serbia
2006 “Maakous” Sculpture Exhibition, Assar Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2005 The First Iran Biennial of Typography poster, Iranian Artists Forum, Tehran, Iran
2003 “Painting Exhibition”, Lebanon
2002 “Sculpture and Painting Exhibition”, Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
Artist Residencies
2018 One-month Art residency in Hangar, Triangle network, Lisbon, Portugal
2018 Two months’ Art residency in Cite International des Art, Paris, France
2016 The second Rybon international Residency & workshop, Kooshk, Tehran, Iran
2014 Two months Art residency in ORYX Foundation, Lucerne, Switzerland
2014 Presented at scope art Basel, Basel, Switzerland
2013 One-month Art residency in Villa Kuriosum, Berlin, Germany
Art Fairs
2025 Presented at Tehran Art Fair, Tehran, Iran
2024 Presented at Tehran Auction, Tehran, Iran
2024 Presented at Menart Fair Paris, France
2024 Presented at Nick Art Collection, Made anywhere Art Fair, Fondation Fiminco , Paris , France
2017 Presented at Code Art Fair, Copenhagen, Denmark
2016 Presented at Art Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
2015 Presented at scope art Basel, Basel, Switzerland
2011 Presented at Christie’s Middle East auction, Dubai
2010 Presented at Slick Art Fair, Paris, France
Educations
2016 Certificate of Achievement in History of Contemporary of Iranian Art at Mahe Mehr Art Institute, Tehran
2015 Certificate of Achievement in Critical Writing in Art at Mahe Mehr Art Institute, Tehran
2014 Certificate of Achievement in Critical Writing in Art at Mahe Mehr Art Institute, Tehran
2012 Participated in stone sculpture workshop with Luca Marovino, Saba sang stone Factory, Saveh
2008 Certificate of Achievement in Analytical History of Contemporary Art at Mahe Mehr Art Institute, Tehran
2006 Certificate of Achievement Reverse Sculpture at Mahe Mehr art Institute, Tehran
2004 Associate Degree in Graphic Design from Sooreh University, Tehran
2001 Diploma in Graphic Design from Naghshe-Kowsar Art School, Tehran
Memberships
Member of Iran’s Institute for Promotion of Contemporary Visual Art Since 2012
Member of the association of Iranian sculptors since 2006
Member of Makoos art collective since 2006
Bibliography
2024 Women Art Freedom, Artists and Street Politics in Iran, Leuven, University Press (Belgium) & Cornell University Press (US)
2024 Rethinking the Contemporary Art of Iran, Rizzoli International Publications, New York, USA
2015 Contemporary Art Middle East: Regional Interactions with Global Art Discourses, Nazar Publication, Tehran, Iran
2013 Contemporary Iranian Art - New Perspectives, Saqi Publication, London, UK
2012 Tehran Art: A Popular Revolution, Contemporary Art Publication, Tehran, Iran