Biography

Sadegh Tirafkan

Iran

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Collage, Photography

Sadegh Tirafkan

Born in Karbala, Iraq (1965- 2013)

Tirafkan was six years of age his family fled the country before the start of the Islamic revolution. His family returned to Tehran where he grew up. As a young man, Tirafkan fought in the eight year long Iran - Iraq war in the 1980’s as a Basiji or conscripted soldier. The artist works is characterised by a strong emphasis on the intrinsic role of the male in traditional Iranian society. Tirafkan employs different media in his work: photography, video installation, and collage. He graduated from Tehran University with a degree in Photography in 1989 and has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions worldwide.

Tirafkan's work includes "Manhood", which deals with the perception of masculinity in Persian culture. Other projects such as "Persepolis", "Ashoura", "Secret of Words", "Iranian Man", "Whispers of the East", "The Loss of Our Identity", "Multitude" and "Devotion" deal with Iranian history, identity, sociopolitical, religious and gender issues.
His works are in the collections of several museums including the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, British Museum, Brooklyn Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Solo Exhibitions:

2011. Sadegh Tirafkan. Luzern: AB gallery.
2010. Sadegh Tirafkan. London: Selma Feriani Gallery.
2008. Sadegh Tirafkan. Tehran: Assar Art gallery.
2007. Sadegh Tirafkan. Tehran: Silk Road Gallery.
2006. Sadegh Tirafkan. Toronto: Lee Ka-Sing gallery.
2006. Sadegh Tirafkan. Toronto: Aspace Gallery.
2006. Sadegh Tirafkan. New York: Massoud Nader Gallery.
2005. Sadegh Tirafkan. Bruxelles: Esace photography contreype.
2005. Sadegh Tirafkan. Quebec City: VU Photography Centre.
2005. Sadegh Tirafkan. Tehran: Assar Art Gallery.
2004. Sadegh Tirafkan. New York: Lehmann Maupin Gallery.
2003. Sadegh Tirafkan. Paris: VU Gallery.
2002. Sadegh Tirafkan. New York: Massoud Nader Gallery.
2002. Sadegh Tirafkan. Houston: Parkerson Gallery.
2001. Sadegh Tirafkan. Tehran: Seyhoun Art Gallery.
2000. Sadegh Tirafkan. Tehran: Seyhoun Art Gallery.
1997. Sadegh Tirafkan. Tehran: Seyhoun Art Gallery.
1995. Sadegh Tirafkan. Tehran: Seyhoun Art Gallery.
1991. Sadegh Tirafkan. Tehran: Seyhoun Art Gallery.
1989. Sadegh Tirafkan. Tehran: Mansoureh Hossini Gallery.

Selected Group Exhibitions:

2011. Gifts of the Sultan. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
2010. Sadegh Tirafkan. Berlin: Martin Gropius Bau.
2009. Sadegh Tirafkan. London: Osborne Samuel gallery.
2009. Iran inside out. New York: Chelsea Art Museum.
2009. Sadegh Tirafkan. London: British Museum
2008. Sadegh Tirafkan. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
2007. Sadegh Tirafkan. London: Contemporary Art Platform.
2007. Sadegh Tirafkan. Paris: Maison Europeenne de la Photographie.
2006. Sadegh Tirafkan. Dubai: Total Arts gallery.
2006. Sadegh Tirafkan. Gold Coast City: Gold Coast City Art Gallery.
2006. Sadegh Tirafkan. Honululu: Honolulu Academy of Arts.
2005. Art after Revolution. San Sebastian.
2004. Sadegh Tirafkan. Toronto: LEE Ka-sing gallery.
2004. Musulmanes: Musulmans in Caire, Tehran, Istanbul, Paris and Dakar.
Paris: La Villette Museum.
2004. Art Brussels 22st contemporary art. Brussels: VU Gallery.
2004. The Fifth International Month of Photography. Moscow.
2003. Paris Photo Art Fair. Paris: VU Gallery.
2003. Group show, Unique(s). Paris: VU Gallery.
2003. Group show, Arta Gallery. Toronto: The Distillery.
2003. Art Brussels 21st contemporary art. Brussels: VU Gallery.
2002. Paris Photo Art Fair. Paris: VU Gallery.
2002. Memoires de Pierres. Frejus: Musee municipal des Beaux-Arts.
2002. 20 years photography in Iran, 40 Iranian photographers
Tehran: Museum of Contemporary Art
2001. 5th Aleppo Photo Festival. Aleppo
2001. Espace Electra, 20 years photography in Iran, 40 Iranian photographers. Paris.
1996. Five Iranian photographers. Paris
1988 - 1989. First and second Iranian Annual photography festival. Tehran: Museum of contemporary Art.

Conceptual Art Exhibitions:

2005. Lighting The Nation Gate - Photo, Video installation. Tehran: Assar Art gallery.
2002. Second exhibition of conceptual Art, Secret of Words. Tehran: Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art.
2002. Iranian Contemporary Art Exhibition. Zagreb: Zagreb museum
2001. First exhibition of conceptual Art, Ashura installation with a collaboration with an  Iranian contemporary painter. Tehran: Tehran museum of contemporary Art.
2001. Ashura installation pictures, video & painting with a collaboration of an Iranian contemporary painter. Beirut: UNESCO center
2000. The children of Dark city - installation, video, painting, sculpture with 3 Iranian artists - about Tehran's air pollution. Tehran

Film and Video:

2006 - 2007. Whispers of the East. Tehran.
2004. Sacrifice. Art Video. Tehran.
2002. Stages. Art Video. Tehran.
2000 - 2006. Ashura. Art video. Tehran.
2000. Untitled. Short video about Tehran’s air pollution. Tehran.
1997. Persopolis. video installation. Tehran.

Books & Catalogues:

2008. Iranian Photography Now. London.
2006. Créations artistiques contemporaines en pays d’Islam: des arts en tensions.
2006. Iranian Man. Brussels: La Lettre volée.
2005. Art after Revollution. San Sebastian: Koldo Mitxelena Kulturunea.
2004. Catalogue from Musulmanes, Musulmans in Caire, Tehran, Istanbul, Paris and Dakar. Paris: La Villette Museum
2003. Sadegh Tirafkan - Photographe. Paris: Edition de L'oeil
2002. Memoires de Pierre, Group Photographers. Agence Pour le Patrimoine
Antique.
2002. Iranian Contemporary Art, Group show. 2002. London: Christie’s.
1998 - 1999. Co-operating with Photographers International for the publishing of
Iranian photography special issue.

Selected Articles:

2009. Article Review, Culture in the Middle East. Dubai: Canvas magazine.
2008. Interview with Asian Art News.
2006. Gulf news newspaper. Dubai.
2006. C Magazine. Toronto.
2006. Toronto Star. Toronto.
2006. Now Magazine. Toronto.
2006. Interview with CBC Radio. Toronto.
2006. Shargh Daily newspaper. Tehran.
2005. Liberation News paper. Paris.
2005. C Magazine. Toronto.
2005. Interview with Akx Magazine. Tehran.
2005. Style Magazine Germany. Berlin.
2004. The Bite. UK, EUA.
2004. Photo Pictorial. Hong Kong.
2003. Artist cover. Paris: Vogue Homme International.
2003. Article Review. Paris: Liberation Newspaper.
2003. Article Review. Paris: Photo nouvelles Magazine.
2002. Article Review. Paris: Photo nouvelles Magazine.
2001. Article Review. Paris: Telerama Magazine.
1999. Interview with Tasvir Art Magazine. Tehran.
1998. Interview with Hamshahri Newspaper. Tehran.
1997. Interview with Tehran Times. Tehran.
1991. Catalogue, Iranian Annual Photography Festival. Tehran: Museum of Contemporary Arts.
1990. Interview with Photo Magazine. Tehran.