He was supposed to be born in Khorramshahr; but beginning of war and occupation of the city destined Amin Aghaei to be born in war displacements and in 1982 in Isfahan.
Amin spent his childhood in Isfahan, Yazdanshahr, Najaf Abad, Naft Sefid … After nearly four years of war-stricken life and homelessness, his family chose to live in Ahvaz. Relaxed living in Ahvaz and gradually keeping his distance of homelessness, urged Amin to choose drawing as a way to show his thoughts. Before this, painting was an entertainment for him to escape from the hard times of war and homelessness. This decision changed Amin’s way of life.
Not so free social-political atmosphere, and military spirit predominance over civic atmosphere during the years after the war in Iran and especially in Khuzestan caused Amin Aghaei to draw cartoons along with his paintings. He could express his critical untolds through these the these cartoons. This critical aspect of art of drawing cartoons also flowed into his paintings, and much of his works enjoyed some kind of meaningful humor in their context. Amin began his media collaboration with local press in his teens which led him to extend it to a continued cooperation with national and foreign press. In years of his collaboration with the press, he closely became aware of people’s way of living, and their cultural and social shortcomings. The desire to understand the contemporary history of Khuzestan province and his homeland Iran which is a part of his challenges, began during this period of time.
In most of his works Amin Aghaei viewed the social, political and even environmental problems with a critical and thought-provoking look. The same reason has made Amin’s work as a resource for semiotic analysis of social history of Iran in the past years.
He is currently engaged in drawing, making sculptures, and teaching art alongside his other artistic activities at his personal studio in Tehran.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Art in Painting, Tehran Art University, Feb. 2010 – Feb. 2014
Solo exhibition
Experience, Naranj Gallery, Shiraz, Iran, 2018
I Am Looking at You Through the Crack of Door, Aun Gallery, Tehran, Iran, 2015
At Karun’s Bank, Aun Gallery, Tehran, Iran, 2013
Cartoon Exhibition, Pabianika Gallery, Poland, 2011
Illustration Exhibition, Ideh Gallery, Tehran, Iran, 2010
Selected group exhibitions
Cartooning for Freedom, International cartoon exhibition of the Freedom Cartoonists Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland, 2022
Three dimension, Negah gallery, Tehran, Iran, 2022
Summery, Mah gallery, Tehran, Iran, 2021
Walk through Ghent, Video Art Project,Ghent, Austria, 2021
• curated by : Maryam Katan
Stone, Scissors, Paper, Negah Gallery, Tehran, Iran, 2021
Ro, Shavadoon gallery, Shoshtar, Iran, 2021
• curated by : Foad Sharifi
Shabtab, Tarahan azad gallery, Tehran, Iran, 2021
• In favor of the release of prisoners sentenced to death
Group Sculpture, Negah Gallery, Tehran, Iran, 2020
Photo from the point of view of a contemporary painter, Chi gallery, Tehran, Iran, 2020
• curated by : Mohsen Jamalinik
Iranian Artists and Their Preception of Mexico Exhibition,Cultural Section of Mexico Embassy, Tehran, Iran, 2018
Tehran Animation Walk, Animation Experiment Collective in Collaboration with Asifa–Iran and New Media Society, Tehran, Iran, 2018
Group Drawing Exhibition, Haft Samar Gallery, Tehran, Iran, 2018
7.3 Richter, White Line Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran, 2017
• Selling Visual Art, Painting and Sculptures in Order to Support Kermanshah Earthquake Survivors
1001 Under Glaze Plates (1001 Plates), Shirin Gallery, Tehran, Iran, 2016
• curated by : Azadeh Sholi
This House, Iranshahr Gallery, Tehran, Iran, 2016
• curated by : Dr Behnam Kamrani
Characteristic, Vista Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran, 2015
The Great Game 56th International Venice Biennial, Venice, Italy, 2015
• curated by : Marco Meneguzzo
Paper, The Mine gallery ,Dubai, The UAE, 2015
Beyond Boundaries (Animation in New Art) 9th Tehran Animation Biennial, Kanoon Parvaresh Fekri, Tehran, Iran, 2015
The Joint Prpject of Iran and Rio, Rio de Janeiro ,Largo Gallery, Brazil, 2014
Review of a Decade of Video Art in Iran, Iranian Artist Forum Gallery, Tehran, Iran ,2014
The Second Selling Works Exhibition of Different Iranian Generations of Painters, Laleh Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran , 2013
Second Painting & Sculpture Annual (Year 2), Iranian Artist Forum Gallery, Tehran, Iran, 2013
Paykan an Iranian Automobile, Aun Gallery, Tehran, Iran, 2013
• curated by : Afarin Neysari & Delaram Kia
Ridep, Education Studies and Attending the Human Rights and Women’s Rights Workshop-Conference and Exhibition,
Carquefou, Nantes, France,2011
Ahvaz Exhibition, Museum of contemporary arts, Ahvaz, Iran, 2010
World Press Cartoon Exhibition, Lisbon, Portugal
• My cartoons Presented in this Exhibition, 07.2009
Artist Gainst the War, Society of American Illustrators, Illustrators Museum of America, NEW YORK, USA, 2008
• curated by : Steve Brodner
Residencies & Awards
Satyrykon, Legnica, Poland, 2022
• Achieved special prize
largo Das Arts Residency, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 09.2014 – 10.2014
• Won fund of Prince Claus in Art Residency
• Selected by Bernardo José de Souza (curator), Daniela Labra (crítica de arte e curadora), Ernesto Neto (artista), Marta Mestre
(curadora do Instituto Inhotim – MG) e Miguel Sayad (diretor do Largo das Artes)
Saltzamt Atelier House, Linz, Austria, 08.2014 – 09.2014
• Won fund of Saltzamt in Art Residency
38th Piracicaba Humor Festival, Piracicaba, Brazil, 2011
• Achieved 1st prize
Satyrykon Festival, Legnica, Poland, 2009
• Achieved 2nd prize, Silver medal
Aydın Doğan, Istanbul, Turkey, 2009
• Achieved special award & CNN News Agency (Turkey Branch)
Satyrykon, Legnica, Poland, 2008
• Achieved the special award
Marostica, Vicenza, Italy, 2008
• Achieved special award
Guangxi Cartoon Festival (GXCC), Guangzhou, China, 2007
• 2nd place and winning prize
Satyrykon, Legnica, Poland, 2007
• Achieved 2nd prize, Silver medal
Aydın Doğan, Istanbul, Turkey, 2006
• Achieved special award & Radical Newspaper prize
• Achieved 2nd prize & D Channel TV prize
12th Iran Press Festival, Tehran, Iran, 2006
• Achieved 1st place and winning the Crystal Pen
32nd Piracicaba Humor Festival, Piracicaba, Brazil, 2005
• Achieved Grand prize
11th Iran Press Festival, Tehran, Iran, 2005
• Achieved 1st place and winning the Crystal Pen.
Yumiuri Shimbun News Paper, Tokyo, Japan, 2005
• Achieved Excellence prize
Other activities
Cartooning for Peace
• As a Member since 2019
The first national mural painting festival, Yasuj, Iran, 2018
• As a Member of Jury
Satyrykon, Legnica, Poland, 2016
• As a Member of Jury
Anti-Terrorism, International Cartoon Contest, Tehran, Iran, 2011
• As a Member of Jury
9th International Caricature Biennial, Tehran, Iran, 2009
• As a Member of the Policy Council
9th Khuzestan Visual Arts Festival, Ahvaz, Iran, 2008
• As a Member of Jury
Supporting Street Children, 1st International cartoon festival, Tehran, Iran, 2008
• As a Member of Jury
8th International Caricature Biennial, Tehran, Iran, 2007
• As a Member of the Policy Council