Davood Zandian

Davood Zandian is an Iranian painter born in Tehran in 1954. He began learning to paint at the age of ten under masters of the Coffeehouse Painting tradition and pursued his professional career through traditional and religious painting, cinema billboards, and miniature painting. In 1986, Zandian emigrated to Norway, though Iran and its visual culture have continued to play a prominent role in his work. Throughout his artistic career, he has explored a range of approaches, from traditional iconography and figurative painting to Pop Art and realistic representation. Zandian has held numerous solo exhibitions in Iran, Norway, and Dubai, and has presented his work at events including TIR Art and Contemporary Istanbul.

Resume

‌Born,
1954, Teran

Solo Exhibitions

2022, Paintings by Davood Zandian, Iranshahr Gallery,
Tehran

2020, Painting Show, Iranshahr Gallery, Tehran

2019, Gallery Røed Jeløy, Moss, Norway

2018, Teer Art Week, Iranshahr Gallery, Tehran

2016, Fredrikstad Art Hall, Norway

2016, Sarpsborg Art Society, Norway

2014, Soli Brug Galleri, Norway

2011, Apadana Gallery, Tehran

2009, Apadana Gallery, Tehran

2008, Isfahan Museum of Contemporary Art, Isfahan

2006, Total Art Gallery, Dubai

1997, Total Art Gallery, Dubai

1993, Galleri Entree, Skudeneshavn, Norway

1992, Elverum Art Association, Norway

Group Exhibitions

2026, Fast Forward 07, Iranshahr Gallery, Tehran

2025, Fast Forward 6, Iranshahr Gallery, Tehran

2025, Tehran, Artibition Gallery, Tehran

2025, Whispers of Presence, A Dialogue between Faces,
Mellal Gallery, Tehran

2024, Collector, Artibition Gallery, Tehran

2015, Group Exhibition, Ostfold Artist Center, Ostfold,
Norway

2014, Group Exhibition, Billedgalleri, Haugesund, Norway

2014, Group Exhibition, Ostfold Artist Center, Ostfold,
Norway

1995, Group Exhibition, Billedgalleri, Haugesund, Norway

1993, Group Exhibition, Billedgalleri, Haugesund, Norway

1989, Group Exhibition, The Bergen Art Association, Norway

Art Fairs

2022, Contemporary Istanbul, represented by Navahi Projects,
Istanbul

2021, Contemporary Istanbul, represented by Iranshahr
Gallery, Istanbul

2019, Teer Art, represented by Iranshahr Gallery, Tehran

Davood Zandian's Artworks

For Display

Davood Zandian

Untitled

mixed media50x64 cm

For Display

Davood Zandian

Untitled

mixed media50x64 cm

For Display

Davood Zandian

Tonight's Movie

Oil220x210 cm

For Display

Davood Zandian

Untitled

Oil225x200 cm

Davood Zandian's Exhibitions

In Person - Online

HIDDEN LIFE

Artibition

Group

October 19, 2026 - October 30, 2026

In Person - Online

TEHRAN

Artibition

Group

July 18, 2025 - August 12, 2025

Related Blogs

Shahrzad Royaee

October 14, 2026

Arrangement, an Essence of Time

The group exhibition Hidden Life, featuring painting and sculpture and centered on objects and spaces, opens on Friday, October 16, at Artibition Gallery. The exhibition brings together works by more than thirty artists.

"The voice of the city grows louder under pressure."

Hafez Rouhani

August 12, 2025

"The voice of the city grows louder under pressure."

Perhaps paying attention to Tehran—its everyday life, its urban symbols and landmarks, its history, or even its hidden corners that hold meaning for small circles of friends—is part of the Iranian path toward self-awareness, in search of understanding and discovering itself as a subject. This perceptual process of what is called “Iranian,” together with the global growth and expansion of fields related to the study of everyday life and the city, lends even greater legitimacy to the focus on Tehran—especially now, when, alongside political, economic, and social crises, it has acquired multiple new layers. At the same time, this tendency has carved out a market for itself, attracting enthusiasts who, at least in the field of visual arts, are willing to spend more generously on artworks related to Tehran. All of this, taken together, has opened the space for presenting Tehran-related art, and one can now see numerous cultural products related to Tehran and its associated subcultures in various forms—from mass-produced items (clothing, decorative products, etc.) to one-of-a-kind works of art exhibited individually. So, can we consider the “Tehran” exhibition, held at Artibition Gallery from July 17 to August 11, as part of this very trend?

"Tehran’s map etched in the faces of its people."

Shahrzad Royaee

August 12, 2025

"Tehran’s map etched in the faces of its people."

The map of Tehran must be sought in the faces of its inhabitants. People in Tehran move to a rhythm woven from commotion. Sometimes, this commotion finds meaning in the anxiety and quick steps they take through the streets to reach their goals and the promise of tomorrow’s progress; other times, it appears in the eager rush toward a night gathering, in the hope of creating a memory for a more distant tomorrow. This rhythm can also be traced in the slower pace and more relaxed faces captured in old photographs of people in Tehran’s alleys and bazaars. In every era of the city’s life, one truth remains constant: without its residents—suspended in a whirlwind of both sorrow and joy—Tehran would lose its present identity. The faces of its people, moving endlessly back and forth, keep the capital’s heartbeat alive and carry it forward, anchored by the city’s deep and unshakable roots.

Shahrzad Royaee

July 19, 2025

"Statement of the Tehran Exhibition"

Tehran stands suspended somewhere in the twilight of its residents' sense of belonging. At times, it is a capital for migrants who have come in search of opportunity and a better future. At other times, it is the birthplace of those who entered the world here, have lived each day in this city, and who—each day—grapple with an inner struggle born of a feeling deeper than what others may know: a conflict between love for the city and concepts such as frustration, crowding, speed, noise, and smog.