Afshin Naghouni

Afshin Naghouni is an Iranian-British visual artist, known for his controversial, larger-than-life paintings. From a critique about Naghouni’s paintings around the turn of the century: he works in an expressive and cubist style that explores every aspect of each object in his compositions, simultaneously.

Early life and education
Afshin Naghouni (Ash) was born on August 25, 1969 at Ahvaz, Iran, to Sediheh ( Mohammadzaal) and Jahangir Naghouni.

Naghouni was considered to be a child prodigy. For as long as he remembers he was holding a pen or a pencil. He started painting and drawing when he was four or five years old. As a reward, if he had good marks in school, he would go to painting classes during the summer holiday.

When Naghouni was 9 years old, he went to his first oil painting class and then began emulating the paintings of Caravaggio, John Constable and others. He won a number of regional and national painting competitions between the ages of nine and twelve.

Nagouni completed his postgraduate work at London Metropolitan University in the Sir John Cass Department of Art, Media, and Design.

When Naghouni was 24 years old, he was attending a birthday party when the building was attacked by the Islamic religious police and fell out of the building trying to escape. The fall damaged his spinal cord and left him in a wheelchair. The events surrounding Naghouni's fall were the subject of a 2014 TV documentary called Out of Focus.

Career
In the summer of 2021, Naghouni unveiled the series in London, entitled An Abstract Sense of Life.

In an interview with Maryam Eisler, Nagouni said he was inspired by Kiefer, Cecily Brown and Caravaggio. Regarding Kiefer and his larger pieces, Naghouni is inspired by Kiefer's ability to create amazing compositions within the sheer scale of his work, and adding that Kiefer is one of those few artists who has found the perfect balance between form and concept.

Selected exhibitions

 * 2017
 * Group show, Beyond the Ban: Contemporary Iranian art, Susan Eley Gallery, New York City
 * 2016
 * Group show, Art with an Iranian Flavour..” Capsule A selection of Contemporary Art, in partnership with Fiat Chrysler Motor Village UK and Monica Colussi, London
 * Group show, CONTEXT Art Miami, Shirin Gallery, Miami.
 * Group show, Art for Youth, including The Afshin Naghouni Reach Prize, Mall Galleries, London
 * 2015
 * Solo show, Satire, Hay Hill Gallery, London
 * 2014
 * Solo show, Objectification II, Go Figurative, London
 * 2013
 * Group show, Paykan, the Iranian Automobile, Aun Gallery, Tehran (PaykanArtCar)
 * Group show, Discerning Eye, Mall Galleries, London
 * Group show, Peace from the Bottom of My Art, Opera Gallery, London
 * 2010 to 2014
 * Group show, Art for Youth, Mall Galleries, London
 * 2002
 * Group show, Public Exhibition, ZCMI Center, Salt Lake City
 * Group show, Public Exhibition, Art gallery of Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store, Tokyo
 * 2001
 * Solo show, Afshin Naghouni Solo Exhibition, St. Rafael Gallery, London
 * 2000 to 2009
 * Group show, Art for Youth, Mall Galleries, London
 * 1997
 * Solo Show, Afshin Naghouni Solo Exhibition, Aaran Gallery, Tehran

Activism
Naghouni was the chairman of the Westminster Action Network on Disability.

Naghouni was one of 45 Iranian artists who demanded the releases of filmmakers Mohammad Nourizad and Jafar Panahi. Beyond the Ban was a collaboration between the Center for Human Rights in Iran and Susan Eley Fine Art, New York. It featured works from Naghouni and American-based Iranian artists including Shirin Neshat, Shoja Azari, and Hossein Fatemi.

Mahsa Amini Protests
After the Iranian government killed Mahsa Amini, protests that started at Mahsa’s funeral soon erupted throughout Iran, then quickly in cities around the world. Very soon into the protests, there were renewed talks of bringing down the Islamic regime; moreover, such ambitions would need leaders.

On October 1, 2022 BBC News have an interview with Naghouni regarding to the protests in Trafalgar SquareBBC News asked for Naghouni’s thoughts about the growing movement, Naghouni mentioned how powerful these protests were for human rights, globally; the protests were of utmost significance in the world.

On October 20, 2022 Naghouni talked to Roqe Media’s Jian Ghomeshi. In a short video clip from the interview, Naghouni discusses the conceivable end of Iran’s Islamic state. Confirmations are mounting that the protesters may be undermining the government.

Naghouni explained that there have been many protests in Iran since the Iranian Revolution. Every time there’s a protest, there is talk that it could be the one that topples the Islamic regime. The death of Mahsa Amini was a cumulative breaking point. Naghouni was vehement and measured, in asserting that these latest protests would mark the beginning of the end for Iran's Islamic regime. Full interview.

With global protests increasing following the death of Mahsa Amini, leading Iranian artists Afshin Naghouni, Soheila Sokhanvari, Fari Bradley, Bijan Daneshmand, Maryam Eisler and Afsoon, gathered in London to give their support to the work of Human Rights Watch in Iran, as well as two additional charities currently working with the people of Iran.