Mehdi Darvishi

What I have proposed to present in the upcoming edition of FIG Bilbao is a series of intaglio prints. The technique I have used to create most of my works is mostly Mezzotint. Using the same plate, this technique allows for the reduction of tones to make new images and forms after making each series of editions. In this way, the plate is automatically destroyed by its own process. As an artist who has left part of his existence into his works and when he dies, the only thing that remains is the artworks.
In the next phase, I have destroyed some of the real prints by scratching, burning, pouring some concealing materials, and using other impromptu ways to reconstruct all the occurrences that have occurred to my works over the last decade, and might possibly occur in at least a centenary; as I believe not every artist is lucky enough to have all his/her works preserved in museums and collections. As the main theme of this series of works is "life and its undeniable result: Death,” this reductive process is a good reflection of the way that I look at life and what is most essential.

Mehdi Darvishi, 1988, USA
Education:
2012 BFA in Painting, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, Iran
Solo Exhibitions:
2022 “Retrospective” Jyvaskyla Art Museum, Jyvaskyla, Finland(Upcoming)
2022 “Passage” Culture Dialogue Armenia, Yerevan, Armenia(Upcoming)
2019 “Centenary” Engram Gallery, Katowice, Poland
2017 “Trope” Artlab Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
2016 “The End of the Game” Center for Graphic Arts and Visual Researches, Belgrade, Serbia
2016 “The End of the Game” O Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2015 “Trope” Art lounge Gallery, Tehran
2012 “The Hatch”, Shirin Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran

Awards:
2019, “People’s Choice Award” Megalo International Print Prize, Canberra, Australia
2019, “Special Mention” Premio Leonardo Sciascia, Milan, Italy
2018, “Second Prize” Premio Jesus Nunez, A Caruna, Spain,
2017,”Megalo Print” Residency Award” Canberra, Australia
2016, “Second Prize” Ural Print Triennial, Ufa, Russia
2016, “Honorable Mention” IX BIMPE International MiniPrint Biennial, Vancouver, Canada
2016, “Second Prize” V Istanbul International Printmaking Biennial, Turkey
2015, “Honorable Mention” in “Awagami International Print Festival” Tokushima, Japan

2015, "Grand Prize" 9th BIENNALE INTERNATIONALE D’ESTAMPE CONTEMPORAINE DE TROIS-
REVIERES, Canada

2012, “Cultural and Art center Prize” II graphic art biennial, Romania
Selected Juried exhibitions:
2020. Finalist in Megalo International Print Prize, Canberra, Australia
2019. Finalist in X BIMPE International MiniPrint Biennial, Vancouver, Canada
2019. Finalist in Varna Print Biennia, Varna, Bulgaria
2019. Selected in 5thGuanlan international printmaking biennial, China
2018. Recommended for the Prizes, V International graphic art biennial, Romania
2018. Finalist in 5

th Interptint, Bangkok, Thailand

2018. Selected in 6

Tokyo International Mini Print Triennial, Japan

2017. Finalist in 3

rdInternational Printmaking Festival “On Paper Contest” Chicago, USA

2017. Finalist in 4

thInternational Mezzotint Festival, Shortlisted for “GRAND PRIZE” Yekaterinburg, Russia

2017. Selected of 10th Kochi Print Triennial, Kochi, Japan
2017. Selected in “Miniprint Berlin” Berlin, Germany
2017. Finalist in XIII PremioAcqui, Italy
2017. International Print Triennial, Cracow- Falun
2016. Recommended for the Prizes, IV International graphic art biennial, Romania
2016. Finalist in 2

ndInternational Printmaking Festival “On Paper Contest” Glasgow, United Kingdom

2016. Selected in 1stLodz International Printmaking Biennial, Poland
2015. Finalist in RENE CARCAN INTERNATIONAL PRIZE FOR PRINTMAKING, Belgium
2015. Finalist in 3rd International Mezzotint Festival, Shortlisted for “Prize for adhering to the traditions of skills of
graphic work” Russia
2015. Shortlisted in 7thSplitgraphic International Printmaking Biennial, Croatia
2015. Selected in 11thIosefIser International Printmaking Biennial, Romania
2015. Selected in VI PremioAtlante International Engraving Festival, Spain
2015. Selected in 2nd Global Print International Printmaking Biennial, Portugal
2015. Shortlisted in 43rd Carmen Arozena International Print Award, Spain
2015.Selected in 5

Tokyo International Mini Print Triennial, Japan

2015. Selected in 5

thGuanlan international printmaking biennial, China
2015. Selected in 15th Acquiprint international printmaking biennial, Italy
2014. Recommended for the Prizes, III International graphic art biennial, Romania

2014.Shortlisted in 42nd Carmen Arozena International Print Award, Spain
2014. Selected in 2nd Belgrade International Print Triennial, Serbia
2013. Selected in the 7th Annual “Montakhab-e Nasl-e No” Iran
2013. Selected in 11thAcquiprint international printmaking biennial, Italy
2013. “B+W” International juried group exhibition, Bushwick Print Lab, New York, USA
2012.Selected in 4

th Damounfar Painting festival, Tehran, Iran
2012. Selected in II International graphic art biennial, Romania
2011. Selected in 3rd Guanlan international printmaking biennial, China
Presence in more than fifty national and international group exhibitions since 2008.

Collections:
China Printmaking Museum, Shenzhen, China
Manhattan Graphics Center, NYC, USA
Atelier Circulaire, Montreal, Canada
Art Museum of Cluj-Nopaca, Romania
Bashkir State Art Museum M.V. Nestrov, Ufa, Russia
Graphic Art permanent collection of Belgrade University of Art, Belgrade, Serbia
Tama Art University Collection, Tokyo, Japan
Ekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts, Mezzotint Collection, Ekaterinburg, Russia
Tehran Museum of Contemporary Arts, Tehran, Iran
Museum of Engraving Collection - Paleologi Castle in Acqui Terme, Italy
University of Tehran, Faculty of Fine Arts, Tehran, Iran
Residency:
2019. Guanlan International Printmaking Base, Guanlan, China
2018. Guanlan International Printmaking Base, Guanlan, China
2018. Megalo Print Studio, Canberra, Australia
2017. Atelier Circulaire, Montreal, Canada
Other activities:
2021. Jury member of the 3rd Yerevn Print Biennial, Armenia
2019. Visiting artist, Katowice Academy of Fine Arts, Katowice, Poland
2016. Visiting artist, Belgrade University of Fine Arts, Belgrade, Serbia