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“Alongside his artistic career, his community website has been promoting the Iranian talents around the world, showcasing them and the Iranian graffiti and street art to a larger worldwide audience. Also, through his articles and videos, he has raised awareness by documenting the graffiti/street art scene.”
“‘A1one’ has exhibited his works on canvas in the most prominent and leading galleries in Tehran, and he has also been featured at the Melbourne Stencil Festival, at the Yarra Sculpture Gallery in Abbotsford, Australia in 2008, at the Public Provocations Show, and at the Carhartt Gallery in Weil Am Rhein, in 2010.”
“His art has a complex and deep-seated root in the street culture, meanwhile being involved in the fine arts as being developed in the streets. ‘A1one’ is also the co-founder of KolahStudio, an independent underground studio and media website, which has always been an important and sought after source for the young Persian language speaking artists inside and outside of Iran.”
“He has gained recognition through his colorful and vibrant characters, inspired by daily urban life, beside ancient Persian and popular motifs, and in combination with other native patterns from Australian Aboriginal art and Mayan narrative hieroglyphics.”
First, some background on A1one from his website: a1one.info: “His first contact with a spray can was in 1995, but ‘A1one’, a.k.a Tanha, has been practicing graffiti as a full-time artist ever since 2003, and has developed into an international artist, alongside his key role in graffiti/street art scene in his native country of Iran, and the Middle East.”
So, it was a very pleasant surprise to be able to interview A1one via telephone and email in Europe a few days ago. I would like to share my interview with you.
I recognized his art to be the same one I had sporadically seen on Tehran walls. So, that was his name—A1one. I have followed his work with delight ever since.
I was astonished to learn that someone would take the risk to break the law only to create the beauty that is art. I was delighted to find Tanha, A1one, on the internet a few years ago, when I was living in the US again.
I couldn’t imagine the courage it took for anyone to write and create art on Tehran walls, a domain interchangeably used for government propaganda and for the harried, short words of those opposing the government, sure to be crossed out or white washed the next day.
I came to know about Tanha (A1one) several years ago in Tehran. At the time, I didn’t know who was responsible for the graffiti work I sometimes saw around the city. All I knew was that I had never seen such interesting graffiti in Iran.
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