In Person - Online
Bahnam Kamrani was born in 1968 in Shiraz, Iran. As he has noted in several interviews, the artistic atmosphere of the city played a significant role in shaping his artistic vision and practice. His interest in art began at an early age, influenced in part by his mother, who was a painter. Alongside drawing from childhood, his participation in classes led by artists such as Royaei, Derisi, Atroosh, and Ebrishami deepened his engagement with visual arts and encouraged him to pursue art more seriously. Although he was admitted to the Medical School of Shiraz University and began studying medicine, he soon left the program to follow his passion for art. He moved to Tehran to study Painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran. After completing his B.A. in Painting, he continued his academic studies and earned both his M.A. and Ph.D. in Painting from the University of Art, Tehran. He later joined the university as a faculty member. Throughout his career, Kamrani has worked across a wide range of artistic disciplines, including painting, video art, curating, and the design of masks, costumes, and stage sets. Alongside his artistic practice, he has maintained an active academic career and currently serves as a faculty member at the University of Art in Tehran. Kamrani received recognition early in his career as a selected artist in the First International Contemporary Drawing Exhibition at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art in 1999 and was awarded an Honorary Diploma at the Paris Triennial in 2006. In a later phase of his artistic practice, he incorporated elements of Persian miniature painting into his work, developing a distinctive visual language that draws upon both historical and contemporary references. In 2006, he produced his first video artwork, A Garment for Gabriel, which was exhibited alongside an installation and a series of paintings in the exhibition A Garment for Us – A Garment for Gabriel at Khak Gallery in Tehran. Over the years, Kamrani has also pursued projects in other artistic fields, including curatorial work for the Shanghai Biennale and exhibitions presented at galleries such as Aan, Mohsen, Shirin, Iranshahr, Vista, and Vesal-e Shirazi. In addition, he has designed masks, costumes, and stage sets for theatrical productions including Golkhand, Kadoo Matbakh (The Kitchen Pumpkin), and One Thousand and One Nights.
Resume
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024, Today Yesterday, Artibition Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2014, Where It Does Not Matter Where It Is, Negarestan-e Aan, Tehran, Iran
2012, Fire in..., Aan Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2012, Edge, Aan Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2010, Touring Iran on Banknotes, Aan Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2008, Plants, Aaran Artists Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2006, A Garment for Us – A Garment for Gabriel, Khak Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2004, Heavenly Miniatures, Laleh Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2003, Horses and Cryptic Numbers, Elaheh Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2001, Mythological Flowers, Barg Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2000, Mythological Costumes, Barg Gallery, Tehran, Iran
1999, Ancient Memories, Fereshteh Gallery, Tehran, Iran
1999, Fire and Stone, Haft-Samar Gallery, Tehran, Iran
1998, Mr. Nowruz, Shiveh Gallery, Tehran, Iran
1989, Solo Exhibition, Atroosh Gallery, Shiraz, Iran
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025, Your Iran “Episode Two”, Nian Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2025, To Not See…, Aatbin Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2025, Like Shahrivar, Vista Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2025, Photography as Collective Memory and Individual Life, Ivan Sepid Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2025, Lapis Mountain, Bashgah Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2024, Newer, Artibition Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2024, Saray, EV Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2024, Pattern Map, Vista Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2024, In Memory of Hadi Jamali I, Khat-e Sefid Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2023, The Scent of Flowers and the Song of Birds, Vista Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2023, Feast of Colors, Khorshid Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2023, Co-creation, Aria Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2023, Buy Iranian, Buy Art!, Bashgah Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2023, Second Narrative: How Can One (Not) Be an Iranian Artist?, Bashgah Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2023, The Human Body, Vista Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2023, Meeting with Artists, Didar Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2022, Essay–Search, X Homa Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2022, Mohammad Siah-Qalam Award (Invited Section), Hengam Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2021, Zero Waste, Iranshahr Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2021, On the Occasion of the Gallery’s New Space, EV Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2021, Discourse of Persian Art and Contemporary Iranian Art, Powerlong Museum, Shanghai, China
2021, Manouja, Sarzamin Honar Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2020, Celebrity Portrait, Design Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2020, Distances Are a Voice, Haan Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2020, Qaf, Iranshahr Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2020, Fallen but Unbroken, Vista Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2020, Archive, Artibition Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2020, A Penny Rooster, Saleh Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2020, Missing Presence, Sarvnas Gallery, Shiraz, Iran
2019, Hyperrealism in Contemporary Iranian Art, Shirin Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2019, Art in the Passage of Time, Shamedeh Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2019, Kama-Chin Project, Baroque Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2019, Moment, Zhaleh Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2019, Imperceptible Silence, Mojdeh Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2019, Design Week, Mika Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2019, 7th Art for Peace Festival, Baroque Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2019, Probable Truth, Vista Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2019, Mr. and Ms. Artist, Farmanfarma Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2019, Drawing Event, Seyhoun Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2018, Movement of Drawing, Shavadun Gallery, Ahvaz, Iran
2018, Everyday Life, Aas Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2018, 8th Multi-Generation Contemporary Art Sale Exhibition, Laleh Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2018, Collector, Artibition Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2018, Far Yet Near, Laleh Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2018, Closed Circuit, Mah-e Mehr Institute, Tehran, Iran
2018, Since Childhood…, Vista Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2018, Luca, Aas Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2018, Human Geography, Vista Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2018, Art Party 6: Drawing as a Way of Living, Iranian Artists Forum, Tehran, Iran
2018, Opening, Panj Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2018, Approaches and Trends in Contemporary Art II, Mellat Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2018, 5th Print Exchange Annual (Postcard), Laleh Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2017, Hammer and Drawing, Design Museum, Tehran, Iran
2017, 7th Multi-Generation Contemporary Art Sale Exhibition, Laleh Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2017, Horse Motifs, Mellat Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2017, In the Realm of Light, Saleh Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2017, Soul of the Desert, Art Center Garden, Tehran, Iran
2017, With Plants, Haan Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2017, Naqsh-Yand, Vista Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2017, First of Ordibehesht, Hepta Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2016, First Statement, Bayan Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2016, 50 Artists, 50 Works, One Tree for Each Artist, Dargoon Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2016, 6th Multi-Generation Contemporary Art Sale Exhibition, Laleh Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2016, Red, Negar Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2016, Summer Art Mart, Sohrab Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2016, SPOT Position, Ava Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2016, Winter Experience, Ivan Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2015, Opening, Ormazd Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2014, Always, Gallery 26, Tehran, Iran
2014, Orange, Vista Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2014, A Large Pattern on a Small Wall, Sheila Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2014, Black Gold, Shirin Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2013, Winter Video Art (Iran & Japan), Aaran Artists Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2012, Madatac Video Festival, Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain
2012, 9th Shanghai Biennale, Shanghai, China
2012, Contemporary Iranian Art, New Albion Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2012, In-Betweenness, Mah-e Mehr Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2012, Art for Peace, Mohsen Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2011, Digital Art Festival, Mohsen Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2011, Human Emotions Project, New York, USA
2011, Video Art in Iran and India, Rome, Italy
2011, Unity in Diversity, Total Arts Gallery, Dubai, UAE
2011, Postcards from Tehran, 18th Street Arts Center, Santa Monica, USA
2011, Video Art and Photography of Iran, University of Applied Arts, Vienna, Austria
2010, Video Screening, Arènes de Toulouse, France
2010, Iranian Gaze, CAM Casoria Museum of Contemporary Art, Naples, Italy
2009, Video Screening, Alberobello Città Spettacolo, Italy
2009, Realities and Fictions, Henry Moore Gallery, Royal Academy, London, UK
2008, Art Action, Paris / Berlin / Madrid
2007, New Media Festival, Chicago, USA
2007, Video-Line Festival, Macedonia, Greece
2007, Displacement of Territory, Fribourg, Switzerland
2006, Awareness in Coma (Video Screening), Turkey
2006, Eastern Imagination, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran, Iran
2006, Deep Depression, Aaran Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2004, Contemporary Iranian Painters, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran, Iran
2004, Spiritual Vision, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran, Iran
2004, Sacrifice, Niavaran Cultural Center, Tehran, Iran
2004, New Art from Group 30+, Yerevan Art Center, Armenia
2003, Edge of the Earth: Migration of Contemporary Asian Art, Hangzhou, China
2002, Contemporary Drawing, Barg Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2002, Group Exhibition, Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2002, Paris Triennial, Grand Arche, Paris, France
2001, New Art, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran, Iran
2001, Conceptual Art, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran, Iran
2000, Group 30+, Museum of Contemporary Art, Isfahan, Iran
2000, Group 30+, Ginza Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2000, Group 30+, Metropolitan Museum, Japan
2000, Contemporary Drawing Exhibition, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran, Iran
1999, Group Exhibition, Armenia
1999, Contemporary Iranian Painters, Jordan
AWARDS
2010, Selected Work Award, Palestine Museum Exhibition
1999, Selected Artist, First International Contemporary Drawing Exhibition, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art
2006, Honorary Diploma, Paris Triennial
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Permanent Member, Iranian Painters Association
Faculty Member, University of Art, Tehran
Member of the Editorial Board, Honar-e Farda Quarterly
