Visual Artist, Aesthetician, Curator,
Exhibition Maker, Archivist, Educator
Saeed Ensafi is an interdisciplinary, research-based conceptual artist, curator, archivist, and aesthetics scholar. His practice is grounded in “shifting the vantage point of seeing” and in a critical reading of individual and collective memory. From a human-centered and socially engaged perspective, he examines how memory is “edited” within domestic and commemorative cultures—how removal, displacement, and hand-made ennoblement re-write our narratives of loved ones, loss, and identity. For Ensafi, display and looking are never neutral; the aesthetics of display—from the home to the public realm—carry their own ethics and politics and must be made legible. Research- and archive-driven, his work investigates the mechanics of revelation/concealment and understands the artwork not as a “final object” but as a scene of experiencing lack—a scene that invites viewers to see the void and to reconsider value, dignity, and memory. He is based in Tehran and works internationally across leading contemporary art scenes in key cities.
Born in Iran in 1974, Ensafi received an Advanced Diploma in Filmmaking and Artistic Directing from the Iranian Youth Cinema Association in 1996; a BA in Graphic Design in 2002; and an MA in Illustration in 2005, all in Tehran (Art & Architecture Faculty, Azad University). This formation equipped him with three complementary languages: staging and temporality (film), organization of form and sign (graphic design), and the bond between narrative and image (illustration). That triad underpins his current method—research-based, interdisciplinary, and alert to the ethics of seeing.
Across projects from Kashkoul / Kind of Happiness (2010) to War, War… Until Victory (2012), Identifiction (2012), Smile Brother (2014), and Love, Hate and Edit (2015–2018), a shared trajectory emerges: translating domestic aesthetics into commemorative forms, and making visible the psychic labor of editing. From family albums, modest frames, lace, and household rituals of respect to semi-public memorial configurations, each project constructs conditions of seeing rather than offering conclusive answers—bringing the viewer to the threshold between seeing/not-seeing, dignity/covering, private/public—asking them to see the absence rather than rush to fill it.
Alongside his studio practice, Ensafi has sustained, substantive work in research and education. Between 2002 and 2012 he taught drawing, printmaking, contemporary fiction illustration, art history, and form/design principles at schools, conservatories, and universities in several Iranian cities. After relocating to Istanbul in 2011, he wove study-based, system-oriented, and process-driven approaches into participatory formats: long-term courses in his studio and art spaces, specialized workshops and clinics, and public conversations on memory, display, and the ethics of the image. In 2015 he founded Illustrative Today (Istanbul) as a school/platform for contemporary illustration. His artist talks include San Diego State University (USA), Lebanese American University (Beirut), and multiple universities and art venues in Turkey—an extension of his socially engaged, education-based orientation.
As a curator, he has organized exhibitions that transpose the logic of his artistic practice—translating intimate, domestic narratives into collective readings—into the exhibition form. In this role, “exhibition” is not a vitrine but a method of thinking and organizing encounter. In addition, as an art consultant and art/creative director he has collaborated on cultural and educational projects (visual identities, editorial/publication work, and content/program design)—positions aligned with, and secondary to, his primary identity as an artist.
Ensafi has presented eight solo exhibitions in Tehran and Istanbul and has participated in more than thirty group exhibitions in Iran and abroad. Notably, he was selected for the 21st International Poster Biennale in Warsaw (2008), a marker of international recognition early in his career. His recent work remains study- and archive-driven, pursuing the relationships between individual/collective memory, the ethics of editing, the aesthetics of display, and the material cultures of remembrance—based in Tehran with an active international footprint across key contemporary art scenes.
In addition, together with Sahar Bardaei, Ensafi is establishing the s.eb Experimental Design Lab—a laboratory focused on Interdisciplinary & Applied Practices with a Human-Centered, Ethical, Research-Driven approach, structured as an organized design studio. The lab seeks to bridge artistic practice with design, research, and education through participatory, system-oriented projects, developing interdisciplinary solutions for contemporary visual culture, arts/education institutions, and local communities.
Education
2005 MA Illustration, Art & Architecture Faculty, Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2002 BA Graphic Design, Art & Architecture Faculty, Azad University, Tehran, Iran
1996 Post Graduate of Cinematography, Iranian Movie Association of the Ministry of Culture & Islamic Guidance.
Solo Exhibitions 2018 Contemporary art Show “Love, Hate and Edit”, Azad Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2015 Contemporary art Show “Love, Hate and Edit”, PI Artworks Art Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey 2014 Contemporary art Show “Smile Brother”, Homa Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran 2012 Contemporary art Project, “Identification”, Stage Photography Project, Azad Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran 2012 War, war... until victory!, Homa Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran 2011 Kashkoul, Siin Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran 2003 Eva’s Apple, Golestan Gallery, Tehran, Iran 2001 Painting Exhibition, Niyavaran Palace, Tehran, Iran
Selected Group Exhibitions
2022 Optimism, Graphic Art Project, San Diego Design Week, Curated by Arzu Ozkal, Art Produce Gallery, San Diego, United States 2022 A book not to read, Curated by Zarvan Rouhbakhshan, Negar Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2019 Two Pages; “Tehran”, Curated by Majid Abbasi, Project Concept by Konstantinos Trichas, A Gallery, Tehran, Iran 2017 RTL: LTR, Contemporary Art Exhibition, Curated by Tralan Rafiee, Yashar Samimi, and Peter Assmann, Esfahan Museum of Contemporary Art, Esfahan, Iran 2017 Back writing, Contemporary Art Exhibition, Azad Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran 2016 RTL: LTR, Contemporary Art Exhibition, Curated by Tralan Rafiee, Yashar Samimi, and Peter Assmann, Artmark Gallery, Vienna, Austria 2016 The Compatibility Of Paradox, Curated by Mahmoud Mahroomi, Contemporary Art Exhibition, Abad Gallery, Tehran, Iran 2016 RTL: LTR, Contemporary Art Exhibition, Curated by Tralan Rafiee, Yashar Samimi, and Peter Assmann, Galerie Forum, Wels, Austria 2015 4th International Sharjah Exhibition for Children’s Book Illustrations Annual, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates 2014 Ey Iran, Homa Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran 2013 Tehran Calling London / London Calling Tehran project, Contemporary art Exhibition, Curated by Tralan Rafiee and Yashar Samimi, London print studio gallery, London, England 2012 Right-To-Left, Graphic Art group show, Curated by Ben Wittner and Sascha Thoma, Art Center Kunstquartier Bethanien, Berlin, Germany 2012 GözKarari, Contemporary Art Exhibition, Curated by Sevket Arik Ankara Contemporary Art Center, Ankara, Turkey 2010 MUIP 1st International Invitational Poster Biennial, Istanbul, Turkey 2010 Contemporary Drawing Exhibition, Curated by Lina Khesina, Berlin, Germany 2010 Contemporary Drawing Exhibition, Curated by Lina Khesina, ST. Petersburg, Russia 2010 Dialogue, Curated by Morehshin Alahyari, University of Chicago, United States 2009 Dialogue, Curated by Morehshin Alahyari, Andenken Gallery, Denver, United States 2008 Venice Illustration Annual, Venice, Italy 2008 Bruno Graphic Design Biennale, Bruno, Czech 2008 Chaumont Poster biennale, Chaumont Museume, France 2008 21st Warsaw Poster Biennale, Warsaw, Poland 2008 “Ilustrarte” Barreiro International Illustration Biennale, Barreiro, Portugal 2008 An Ant Like Step, Curated by Saeed Ensafi Zangar Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran 2007 Golden Pen Prize Belgrade Illustration Biennale, Belgrade, Serbia 2007 Khaneh, Illustration Exhibition (Dictionaries), Tehran, Iran 2006 Octopus Illustration Exhibition, Lalleh Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran 2004 100 Artists 100 Works, Curated By Lili Golsetan, Golestan Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2003 Painting Group Exhibition, Farhangsara-ye-Honar Gallery, Tehran, Iran 2002 Calligraphy Painting Exhibition, Honar Gallery, Tehran, Iran 2001 Horse Was a Nobel Animal, Honar Gallery, Tehran, Iran 2001 Blessed Memory of Javad Hamidi, Farhang Sara-ye-Bahman, Tehran, Iran 2001 Castle, Jahan Namma Gallery, Niyavaran Palace, Tehran, Iran2001 Dream & Fancy, The First Festival of Illustration, Andisheh Gallery, Tehran, IranAwards & Nominations 2015 Selected and became a finalist at the 4th International Sharjah Exhibition for Children’s Book Illustrations 2013 Winner of 16th Festival of Best Children Book, Tehran, Iran 2008 Selected for 21st International Poster Biennial, Warsaw, Poland 2008 Selected for the Annual International Illustration Exhibition entitled Ghost, Venice, Italy 2008 Selected for 23rd International Graphic Design Exhibition Biennale, Brno, Czech 2008 Selected for International Illustration Exhibition Biennale, Barreiro, Portugal 2007 Selected for International Illustration Exhibition Biennale, Belgrade, Serbia 2007 Selected For International Illustration Biennale of Dictionaries, Aria Gallery, Tehran, IranFoundational Projects 2024 s.eb/design Laboratory, the experimentist laboratory «Saeed Ensafi, Sahar Berdaie» in the area of Applied Arts and products created resulting from it, Tehran, Iran 2015 Founder of Illustrative Today; An Independent Arts and Cultural Organization in the field of Contemporary Fiction Illustration, Istanbul, Turkey 2012 Founding of Artists “Saeed Ensafi and Sahar Bardaie” second studio in Istanbul, Turkey
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS (Teaching, Curationg, and WORKSHOPS)
2017 Artist Talk entitled “42 years” A review of the Artist’s works and influence of his memories on his works, SAN DIEGO STATE University, San Diego, USA2016 Preparing a group exhibition on contemporary drawing for students of Illustrative Today Working as an art director and senior graphic designer for a children’s picture book series in IstanbulFounder and director of Illustrative Today; Art and Cultural Organizations 2015 Manager of the Illustration workshop entitled “Not quite what it is” teaching simple concepts by the image as a story for children. LAU University, Beirut, Lebanon 2015 Artist Talk entitled “42 years” A review of the Artist’s works and influence of his memories on his works, LAU University, Beirut, Lebanon
2015 Instructor at Illustrative Today; a long-term illustration school in Istanbul, Turkey 2004-2012 Teaching fine art courses at Tehran Fine Art University. Tehran Art & Architecture University. 2012 Teaching long fiction illustration courses in the studio, Istanbul, Turkey2012 War or Peace, Poster Workshop, Marmara University Hall, Istanbul, Turkey (along with the 2nd Istanbul Poster Biennial) 2011 Holding and directing Fiction illustration workshops and discussion panels with Javier Zabala, Saeed Ensafi’s fine art studio, Tehran, IranArt Director of Contemporary conceptual drawing workshops with Yuya Suzuki, Saeed Ensafi’s Fine Art Studio, Tehran, Iran 2010 Art Director of Fiction illustration workshops and discussion panels with Javier Zabala, Saeed Ensafi’s fine art studio, Tehran, Iran2010 Directing and holding Poster workshops, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey (along with the First Istanbul Poster Biennial) 2010 Art Directing workshop with Lina Khesina, Saeed Ensafi’s fine art studio, Tehran, Iran2010 Curator a discussion panel and presentation with Olesya Shchukina, Saeed Ensafi’s fine art studio, Tehran, Iran 2010 Curator and art director of Illustration workshop entitled Food Culture Shared between Iran and Turkey, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey2010 Holding Illustration exhibition for studio’s students entitled Zoo, Shiraz, Iran 2009 Holding and directing an Illustration exhibition for the studio’s students entitled Zoo, Tehran, Iran 2009 Holding and directing an Illustration exhibition for the studio’s students entitled Zoo, Rasht, Iran 2008 Organizing summer courses titled Creative Fiction Illustration, Saeed Ensafi’s fine art studioCURATORIAL WORK 2014 The Feeling of Happiness, Contemporary Drawing Exhibition, Homa Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran 2013 Bakht, Group Exhibition, Khorshid Café Gallery, Lavasan, Iran 2012 On-and-on and Tehran Usual Séance, Presentation Previous Location Screening for Yuya Suzuki Japanese renowned contemporary and drawing artist, Sazmanab Project, Tehran, Iran 2010 Illustration Exhibition for Javier Zabala, Renowned Spanish illustrator, Mohsen Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran 2008 An Ant Like Step, Illustration Group Exhibition, Zangar Art Gallery, Tehran, IranJURY
2013 Jury Member of The Port in Fog, Illustration Festival, Anzali, Iran
2014 Jury Member of Immigration, Illustration Festival, Anzali, Iran
Membership Iranian Fine Art Artists Association Since 2006 Iranian Graphic Designers Association Since 1996 Iranian Association of Young FilmmakersSince 1993 Iranian Calligraphers AssociationCurrent work and projects Study base project; Reviewing, studying, researching, and archive, and collecting printed documents. Starting in 2014, Creating a reference picture book about Samad Behrangi and all his stories collection, as Curator and project manager