
Abbas Kiarostami (1940–2016) was a multifaceted artist and one of the most prominent figures in contemporary Iranian culture—a filmmaker, photographer, poet, and graphic designer who, with his unique vision, transcended the boundaries between artistic media and created a distinctive expressive language. He was born in Tehran and completed his studies at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran. Joining the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults marked a turning point in his artistic journey. In the realm of cinema, rather than focusing on complex plots, Kiarostami’s films—such as Where Is the Friend’s House?, Close-Up, and Taste of Cherry—explore themes of meaning, identity, and the human experience. Beyond cinema, photography formed an essential part of his artistic legacy. Series such as Snow White, The Roads, and The Walls reflect his visual and philosophical concerns—minimalistic and contemplative images built from simple elements like empty roads, solitary trees, and misty landscapes. In photography, as in filmmaking, Kiarostami was less concerned with representing reality and more with discovering hidden beauty and meaning within silence and emptiness. He also published impactful works of poetry. Abbas Kiarostami passed away in July 2016 in Paris, but his work continues to inspire generations of artists. His deep vision, distinctive visual language, and emphasis on thoughtful simplicity have secured his place as a globally significant artist deeply rooted in Iranian culture.
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VISUAL ARTS & PHOTOGRAPHY
Solo and Group Exhibitions
1989 Photography Exhibition, Golestan Gallery, Tehran
1995 Exhibition at Case Rosse, Museum of Modern Art, 48th Locarno International Film Festival, Switzerland
1996 Exhibition at Royal Poorhouse, Palermo, Italy
2001 Regarding Iranians, Espace Electra, Paris
2001 Center for Contemporary Culture, Barcelona, Spain
2001 French Gallery, Paris
2001 Calderón Seasonal Theater, 46th Valladolid International Film Festival, Spain
2001 Golestan Gallery, Tehran
2001 Sleepers, video installation at the Venice Biennale and in Paris
2001 Group exhibitions in Berlin and Tokyo (with Masaki Miyazako)
2002 Exhibition at the Institute of Foreign Relations, Bonn, Germany
2012 Led professional workshops at the 8th START Youth Film Festival, Baku
2018 Group exhibitions: Art for Peace (Milad Tower, Tehran), Passing Through Time (Cama Gallery, Tehran), Collection Sale 97 (Han Gallery, Shiraz), The Collector (Artibition Gallery, Tehran)
2019 Solo exhibition Journey to the Morning, E1 Gallery, Tehran
2021 Legacy, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art
2021 Rebel, Humorous, Mystic, Poet: Contemporary Iranians, Asia Society Museum, New York
2021 I Am What I See, Mojdeh Gallery, Tehran
2021 Artissima Art Fair, represented by Rossi & Rossi (London), Turin
2021 A Rare Collection of Modern Iranian Art, Leila Heller Gallery, Dubai
2021 Edited, Liam Gallery, Tehran
2021 Winter Collection of Veterans 1400, Shirin Gallery, Tehran
2021 Photography Works, Negah Gallery, Tehran
2021 This Pencil Has Color, Javid Gallery, Tehran
2022 Contemporary Iranian Photography: Online Exhibition, Janet Rady Fine Art, London
2023 MIA Art Fair, Milan (represented by Janet Rady Fine Art)
2023 Contemporary Showcase, Hasht Cheshmeh Art Space, Kashan
2024 Zastar, Saless Gallery, Tehran
2024 Cock-a-doodle-doo, Negah Gallery, Tehran
2025 In White, Javid Gallery, Tehran
2025 Poets, Artibition Gallery, Tehran
2025 Iran in Posters, Nicolas Flamel Gallery, Paris
CINEMATIC WORK
Filmmaking
1974 Directed his first short film The Traveler
1987 Directed Where Is the Friend’s Home?
1992 Directed Life, and Nothing More...
1994 Directed Through the Olive Trees
2001 Directed the documentary ABC Africa about the AIDS crisis in Uganda
2002 Wrote and directed Ten
1995 Wrote the screenplay for The White Balloon (directed by Jafar Panahi)
2012 Directed Like Someone in Love
Film Festivals & Awards
1990 Roberto Rossellini Award
1991 Jury Prize, Un Certain Regard section, Cannes Film Festival
1992 Cinema Award of El Cortes
1993 François Truffaut Award
1994 Honored at Cannes for Through the Olive Trees
1995 Pier Paolo Pasolini Award
1995 Federico Fellini Gold Medal
2013 Medal of Honor from the Government of Japan
2014 Lifetime Achievement Award, Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival
2016 Became a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Oscars)
Jury Memberships
1993 Jury Member, Cannes Film Festival
1995 Jury Member, Venice Film Festival
2002 Jury Member, Cinéfondation and Short Films, Cannes
2014 Jury President, Cinéfondation and Short Films, Cannes
Special Honors
2012 Close-Up (1990) ranked #42 in BFI’s Top 50 Greatest Films of All Time