Biography
Alireza was a name that had been proposed by an itinerant foreteller to my parent before my birth. Then they decided to assign this name before my surname, Tarkibi, to their 1st child. They assigned my given name Mehrdad in appropriation of my birth month which was Libra. I was born on Oct. 16, 1967 (coincident with year of Goat in Chinese calendar) in Ghazian in Bandar-E-Anzali in a small house with bamboo fences. My mother had just 17 years old and I was the first grandchild of my grandfather. He was an emigrant from Eshghabad, and he in addition to Turkish, Persian and Gilak, could speak Russian well.
He loved him and I will love him even to worship him for always because my golden childhood was caused by him.
It is not exaggeration to say that the old man who was externally rough and internally so kind was the most effective personality in my life. Anzali and all its manifestations remember to me that lovely old remember me my grandmother with her red chicks. These are my holy places that occasionally awake my unconscious mind. We moved to Tehran in 1969.
After a period my father was employed in the government. I remember I passed my primary school in several schools intermittently. We lived in several regions in Tehran and after Islamic Revolution of Iran, as a result of missing my father's job and our resident place we came back to suburban of Rasht. A region somewhat like village and somewhat like a city, a place that you could receive sneer and superstitious answers in response to your limitless questions. Mistakes after mistake, reproach, blame, confusion and sadness seemed to be endless. I did not pass my junior high school.
I was introduced to face of the reality very soon that is before I could have an actual understanding from myself.
My limitless seclusion and introversion were started until I could treat myself with studying, analysis, suggestion and examining my perception in real conditions. Of course I did not leave out my surrounding nature.
One day I was introduced to someone who knew my interesting in designing. He proved that I was somebody full of talent but empty of information in the field of painting but then I seriously trusted to his sayings after a greedy but instant look to his old collection of painting books. So nearly in 1984 and to obtain my ambitious goals I seriously started to learn sciences of perspective, composition and anatomy of human body (despite my limited sources) even I studied medical books.
Then I was introduced to my honor teacher, Mr. Mohammad Rezaei. I was his fixed daily student for 2 years. In oil painting he was following impressionism (Russian) and in watercolor he trended to the Far East masters. He was a nature lover and also he was unique in landscape painting.Then the next residence of my family became Lahijan. I lived there for 2 years with its mountains covered with trees and sweet smelling tea gardens. The slogan Art for Art and familiar- purging which was result of modern art were not congruent with my nature because in those years my stormy soul needed expression.
After a period I was introduced to Mr. Faramarz Deljou Tohidi. He solved a lot of my ambiguous about the spread spectrum of visual arts and helped me to find my way based on my position and my personality. It was the first time that I was receiving the answer of my questions unfailingly and generously before forming the questions in my mind. It was in these instructive and useful visits that I could observe cartoon and illustration from another view.
Before I know cartoon, I dealt with dominant worldwide painters and their masterpieces (but not attending). Then after finding some foreign books and several translated books given to me by Ms. Mohasses and the others I introduced to a new style cartoon which was different to my former imaginations about cartoon. I should say that cartoonists of the ages of Bousk, Shaval, Seneh in France and Russian and East European cartoonists especially Mikhail Zolatkofski, Basirof, Tounin, Kazanofski and Mihayee Ignat had the utmost effect in my works.
In 1990 I seriously approached to cartoon (caricature). In those years I attempted to establish Caricaturists Center of Gilan with assistance of some of my caricaturist friends. Finally in 1991 I found official educations as the only liable path to world of Art and then I was agreed with opinion of Carlos Fuentes that in the third world an author without title is such as a cup without handle. After 5 years education in evening high schools I passed the high school in the field of Literature and Humanities but based on some reasons my interesting in the cup handle was reduced. Then I consoled to myself that if I had not the handle but I could try to make the contents of the cup more delicious and fragrant.
After some periods I was officially elected as the vice president of Gilan Caricaturists Council by the head of Visual Arts Council, Mr. Mohammad Movahedi. About cartoon I was myself more than ever because I have expressed my perceptions and feelings by means of cartoon. Each frame is a product of my lifetime internal and external dialogue. I would be a silent and sedentary supervisor without this art. When I make people have a same feeling with me and with themselves I will e so happy.
Without regard to occupations I approached to them I cooperated for a long time with governmental and private training institutes as a teacher of designing and painting. Then I undertook to do the affairs relevant to illustration and animation of an advertising company in Tehran.
I have worked in Tehran from 2000 till now as an independent and wise painter in Tehran. Because my slogan had been "to be a special husband or to be no body" I have lived till now like Robinson Crusoe but with this difference that between a lots of glory ships I seek for a special one.
2 interviews with Naghsh-E-Ghalam weekly journal of Gilan; Feb. 17, 1997, Year 17, No. 877 & July 06, 1997, Year 18, No. 895
Jam-E-Jam newspaper, Dec. 13, 2001, Year 2, No. 469
Criticism and analysis in month book: special for children and adolescents, year 4, No. 3, Jan. 18, 2001
Illustration for Eperimental Sciences book of 1st grade of junior high school and Hediye-Haye-Asemani, 2nd grade of primary school with management of Mr. Kazem Talaei
Illustration for a research book about Gilan Fables named Afsaneh Zendegan, author: Mr. Hassanzadeh, Boghe PublicTIONS, “Little Worm” photonovel series, with management of Mr. Kazem Talaei, not published yet
Prizes I have gained at international fairs of caricature (cartoon) from 1996 to 2001:
- 2nd prize of International Book Fair (permanent place of Tehran International Fairs), 1996
- Memorial tablet at 3rd double-yearly fair in Tehran Contemporary Arts Museum, 1997
- Memorial tablet from Human & Nature Festival at Wildlife Museum, 1997
- Memorial tablet at 4th Caricature Double-Yearly Fair in Tehran Contemporary Arts Museum,1999
- 2nd place (in free style) at 5th Caricature Double-Yearly Fair in Tehran Contemporary Arts Museum, 2000
Occupation Records :
- More that 2 years cooperation with Asa Propagandistic Co. (the eldest propagandistic computerized company), 1997 to 2000
- Continuous cooperation with Tavana full-cartoony weekly journal, 2000
- Illustrating Primary Schools books; Name of the book: Religious Educations, Hedye-Hay-E-Asemani (2000-2001) and Experimental Sciences (1999-2000) of Ministry of Education
- Illustrating for "Fetorman, Little Worm", customized with Mr. Kazem Talei, Artistic Director of Roshd Organization, 2001
- Illustrating for Children & Adolescents' Roshd Magazine, Roshd Organization, 2001 to 2002
- Cooperation with Islamic Guidance Organization of Gilan in the field of designing poster and caricature, 2003 to 2004
- Illustrating for Games Book (Ketab-E-Baziha: My 1st Book), Zeitoun Publications with management f Mr. Sabouri, 2003-2004
- Publication of my caricatures set named "Why Do Jokers Laugh", 2003
- Illustrating for famous "Who Moved My Cheese?", a book about management written by Spenser Johnson, Benfam Publications with management of Mr. Ghamkhar, 2004
- Writing and Illustrating for "Winged Man" [Mard-E-Baldar] which is ready to publish – three of its frames of its pictures were published in Annual Book of Painters, 2005
- Creating a character for Kambiz Food Products and also being special painter of this company as of 1999 till now
- Illustrating for a 2 volume book named "Afsane Zendegan"; writer and compiler: Alireza Hassanzadeh, Boghe Publications and Identifying Center of Islam & Iran; Manager: Mr. Beheshti, 2002
- Art Consulter of Khouzestan Steel Co
Picture Gallery :