● Birthplace: Tehran
● Died: 25 October 2005 in Tehran
● Website: www.momayez.ir
Biography
He is called the father of contemporary Iranian graphic art. He was born into an art-loving family and showed a special talent and interest in painting and drawing as a child. In high school, he used to write paintings for shops to help pay for his education. It was during this time that he entered the political arena because of his family’s interest in Mossadegh, which resulted in the publication of several cartoons in the Shahed newspaper. In his later years of high school, Morteza sometimes visited the Library of Culture’s Cultural Addiction Library, where he first became acquainted with Polish magazines and Polish graphics. Master Momayez, in 1956, he entered the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, majoring in painting, where he studied under Ali Mohammad Heydarian, a student of Kamal al-Molk. It was at the same university that he met Sohrab Sepehri, Parviz Kalantari, Jazeh Tabatabai, Genghis Shahogh, and so on. He graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran in 1965, and three years later received his certificate of booth design, showcase, and architecture from the Higher School of Decorative Arts in Paris. It was there that he met Firoozeh Saberi and married her in later years. Their life together continued until 1996, when Turquoise Cancer ended. Momayez’s bachelor’s degree lasted 11 years, during which time he worked in various jobs, including working in a graphic studio. In 1969, the living memory of Master Momayez proposed to the Faculty of Fine Arts to create a graphic discipline. The establishment of this field for art students caused the imperfect graphic system to come to life and to make an effort. So far this year, in addition to graphic design for books and posters, Momayez has started its efforts as an art director in magazines such as Iranabad, Kitab-e Haft, Kayhan Haft, Farhang, Kavosh, and Negin. In this week’s book, Momayez’s works became so prolific and creative that his name was placed on the tongues as an authoritative and unique graphic artist. His continued work in Farhang and Negin magazines also paved the way for young graphic artists of the 1960s, such as Farshid Mesghali. The works on the cover of Momayez for the Book of the Week magazine are examples of successful and creative silk screen printing and lithography, which have very useful graphic values. In the same years, he designed one of the most important modern works in contemporary history by designing inverted knives. The effect of his knives is the most social work that has emerged since the 1960s.
Entering the Mohammad Bahrami Atelier in 1958 marked the beginning of his career. It was at this studio that he first commissioned a pack of cigarettes, designed a book cover and his first token. He collaborated with Parviz Kalantari, Sirus Emami, Aydin Aghdashloo and Mohammad Ehsaei in this studio, and their collaboration continued until 1962, when he left the Bahrami studio. After that, he continued his activity in the foreign advertising department of the Beautiful Advertising Center, and in the same building of the Beautiful Advertising Center, he met Ahmad Shamloo and accepted his invitation to collaborate in the Book of the Week. He later collaborated with publications such as Book of the Month, Chamber of Industries and Mines, Culture, Information of the Year, and Exploration Magazine. After returning from France in 1968, he worked at the Faculty of Fine Arts and in 1970 he founded the field of graphics. In the same year, together with Ali Asghar Masoumi and Farshid Mesghali, they established Atelier 42. In the 1970s, Momayez spent most of his time in cultural graphics; He designed posters for theater, film, and festivals, and continued to paint during the same years, resulting in blue exhibitions, treasures, and scales 1 and 2. In 1976, Morteza Momayez and several of his colleagues founded the Iranian Graphic Artists’ Union, and after that he organized a 50-year exhibition of Iranian graphics. he does. He drew paintings by Bahram Beizai for the book Truth and the Wise Man. In 1978, he and his students designed posters for the Islamic Revolution.
In the early years of the Islamic Revolution’s victory, it was not possible for him to form a union and the Iranian Graphic Designers Association, but he did organize graphic artists’ gatherings in studios and cafes, resulting in the first post-revolutionary tariff for graphic services. It was early in the revolution that he was pressured to expel university masters for political reasons, but Momayez did not back down and did not succumb to political slander and continued to teach at that university. In 1986, at the suggestion of Ali Asghar Mohtaj, the first biennial of graphic designers, he launched the first biennial of graphics with his support and efforts.
Momayez, who was selected to lead the Department of Photographic Communication at the University of Tehran, invited young and skilled designers of the time, such as Bijan Seifuri, Reza Abedini, Saed Meshki, Majid Abbasi, Farzad Adibi and Ali Reza Mostafizadeh, to chair the editorial board of Neshan Magazine. Selected. His other proposals included Ghobad Shiva, Ebrahim Haghighi, Reza Abedini and Saed Meshki to the AGI. In the last years of his life, Momayez struggled with cancer and had been hospitalized in Tehran’s Aban Hospital since November 14, 2005 for the latest round of chemotherapy and treatment. A few days later, his condition worsened and he died on Saturday, November 26, 2005, at the age of 69. Morteza Momayez’s body was buried on December 27 in Baghbankola, Kordan, Karaj.
He has worked on posters, badges, illustrations, page layouts, book covers and magazines. Logo design is one of the graphic specialties. Today, having a badge for each institution and organization is one of the first requirements and principles of introduction and promotion. Morteza Momayez, who is the designer and founder of the field of graphics in Iran, designed many brands for organizations, companies, and institutions, each of which is one of the most famous and well-known brands in Iran.
During his half-century of artistic activity in Iran and in the field of international art, Morteza Momayez played a significant role in reviving and inventing graphic art in Iran and promoting and expanding national culture and artistic traditions. In December 2004, he was honored by the then President Seyyed Mohammad Khatami as a prominent master at the Academy of Arts. From 1971 to 1972, Momayez designed and directed three animated films for the Children’s Film Festival of the Tehran Intellectual Development Center. During his artistic career, he has exhibited more than 10 individual exhibitions from 1960 to 1998 in Tehran, two individual exhibitions in Germany, and more than 74 group exhibitions in Iran, Germany, France, the United States, Belgium, Finland, and Yugoslavia. The poster was made for hundreds of volumes of books and various publications by him.
In 1996, on the eve of his 60th birthday; His friends at Laleh Gallery in Tehran, after 40 years of professional work, exhibited his illustrations to the public.
Signs and Logos
1958 – Tea Organization
The oldest design that Morteza Momayez designed as a logo for an organization is the logo of the country’s tea organization. Inspired by the simple design of a tea leaf design, the 1958 logo is one of Morteza Momayez’s simplest, most beautiful, and most enduring designs.
1974 – Iranian Association of Certified Public Accountants
The logo of the Iranian Association of Certified Public Accountants is one of Morteza Momayez’s masterpieces. Regarding the design of the emblem, he said: “The sign of the Iranian Association of Certified Public Accountants was the first thing I did in a monogrammed way, because it was difficult to plan for accountants and any role I played could be interpreted and imagined.” After a while, I noticed that the first letters of the words in the title of the forum were composed of letters that could create an interesting rhythm, and this sign was created.
1976 – Reza Abbasi Museum
He said about the design of this logo: “I had a great opportunity to design the sign of Reza Abbasi’s museum, because this painter is the great ancestor of my family; It was that I eagerly set to work and sat next to Mohammad Ehsaei and used his patience, and I constantly gave him the pens and beads in his pen and hand until the composition was written, and then I worked on the composition in the detailed studio. Aydin Aghdashloo also made reforms on the Islamic flower.
1985 – National Standard Organization of Iran
Perhaps the most famous logo designed by Morteza Momayez is the logo of the National Organization for Standardization of Iran. This logo has been seen on various goods in Iran for many years. Momayez designed this emblem in 1985 using the first letters of English words in the name of the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran. He said about the design of this emblem: “In designing the standard emblem, I was able to use a pen that would translate ISIRI acronyms well into the word Iran.” I wanted to close the arrow box around the text. A cadre whose two angles are perfectly sharp and the other two are curved and soft, to ultimately show the maximum and minimum arrow clearance that is the goal of the institute’s judgment in the products. But that simplicity was not enough for the customer; By adding more lines, I made the flash mode more visible.
1987 – Iranian Automobile Manufacturing Company (Saipa)
The logo of the Iranian car company (Saipa) is also one of the most familiar landmarks for Iranians. The old-fashioned logo can be seen on the city’s streets and on various cars made by the company. Momayez designed this logo for this company in 1987 after the prosperity of Saipa factory. Today, this emblem has become one of the most famous brands of Iranian products. Momayez described the design of the emblem as follows: I suggested a few other good designs to the Saipa factory, but they chose this design, which was based on the brick designs of the Maragheh buildings and resembled the Mercedes-Benz car brand.
1989 – Tehran Municipality
Regarding the design of this emblem, Momayez says: My main goal in designing the emblem of Tehran Municipality was to mark a city with its old gates. While working, I got the role of a goal from the goal lineup. The number of old gates in Tehran was 12. I thought I’d minimize the number of petals to keep the role simple.
1995 – Tehran Municipality Fire and Safety Services
The familiarity badge that we see on fire engines in Tehran is also one of the lasting works of Morteza Momayez, which he designed in 1995 for the Tehran Municipality Fire and Safety Services. In this logo; A design of a controlled flame can be seen. “I worked hard to design the flame,” he said of the organization’s logo. First I wanted to design a rebellious flame; Then I thought that the flame would become a slogan, and finally I thought that if the flame had a strong and impressive form, it would both raise my initial intention and instill the aspect of warning and attention well. The black frame evokes the spirit of fire control and control.
1974 – Free Play Group
1975 – Commemoration of the millennium of Farabi’s birth
1975 – The title of the movie Ghazal
1975 – Organization in conjunction with children and adolescents
1980 – Farabi Cinema Club
1982 – Iranian Counselors Association
1986 – Exhibition of children’s book illustrators
1986 – Institute of Cinematic Affairs
1989 – Homa Magazine Title
1990 – Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences
1990 – Isfahan Municipality
1990 – Sadough Religious Cultural Institute
1991 – Iran Customs Organization
1992 – National Steel Company
1992 – The title of Sharif Magazine
1993 – The title of Payam-e-Amrooz magazine
1994 – Women’s Sports Organization of the country
1994 – Bahonar Copper
1994 – Association of Urban Planners and Architects
1994 – Nemon Publications
1995 – Ibrahim and Hajar Institute for the Protection of the Disabled
1996 – Building Engineering Festival
1997 – Khuzestan Rubber
1997 – Title of Women’s Rights Magazine
Responsibilities
1968 – Graphic Teacher, Faculty of Fine Arts – Faculty of Tehran
1973 – Invited Master of Graphics – Faculty of Social Sciences
1974/76/77/81 – Faculty of Decorative Arts – Faculty of Tehran
1979 – Teaching at Farabi University
1973 – 1977 – Management and artistic design of Tehran International Film Festival
1973- 1982 – Elected Chairman of the Visual Arts Committee of the National Commission for UNESCO – Tehran
1975 – 1978 – Artistic Consultant of the Central Library and Documentation Center of the University of Tehran
1977 – 1979 – Executive Secretary of the Biennial of Asian Graphic Arts
1975 – 1978 – Member, International Advertising Association
1977 – 1979 – Member of AGI (International Association of Graphic Designers)
1987 – The first biennial graphic exhibition in Tehran is held
– Continuous member of the Academy of Arts
– Management of the Department of Graphics and Photography, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran
– Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Iranian Graphic Designers Association
– Presidency of the sixth, seventh and eighth biennials of graphics
– Artistic consultant of Tehran University Library and Documentation Center
– Chairman of the Iranian Committee of the International Association of Graphic Designers (AGI)
Exhibitions
During his artistic activities, he held more than ten exclusive exhibitions from 1960 to 1998 in Tehran and two exclusive exhibitions in Germany (1986-1988) and more than 74 group exhibitions in Iran, Germany, France, USA, Belgium, Finland and Yugoslavia. He designed graphic design and posters for hundreds of books and various publications.
Poster Exhibition: Poster (Iranian Poster Exhibition Designed for Poster Exhibitions) was the last exhibition organized and led by Morteza Momayez by Hamrakab Group (Tahmitan Aminian and Pedram Harbi).
Of course, before the opening and holding of the exhibition in 2005, Master Momayez passed away.
Collective Exhibitions
1958/60/62/64/66 – Biinal Tehran
1964 – New York University and Gary Art Gallery – New York – USA
1972/74/76/78/80/82/84/86 – Biennial Warsaw Poster – Poland
1974/75/76 – Kilkenny World’s Fair – Ireland
1974 – 1977 – World Cinema Poster Exhibition Cannes Film Festival – France
1978/78/82/84 – World Design Graphic Exhibition – Brno – Czechoslovakia
1974 – World Exhibition of Cinematic Posters at the Chicago Film Festival – USA
1976/75/76 – Free Group Exhibitions, Tehran – Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art
1976 – International Exhibition of Cinematic Posters of the Annecy Festival – France
1981/83/83/85/87 – World Biennial of Lahti Poster – Finland
1986 – 1988 – First and Second Trinity – Japan
1987 – World Poster Invitation Fair – Colorado – USA
1989 – International Exhibition of Graphic Works, Members of Alliance International Graphic Arts – Perak – Czech Republic
1989 – World Poster Exhibition marks the 200th anniversary of the poster columns in Munich, Germany
– Collection of works in POSTER Museum – Essen – Germany
– Collection of works in POSTER Museum – Denmark
1986 – 1966 – Collective exhibition of art posters of Iranian cinema – Tehran
Individual Exhibitions
1959 – 1960 – Reza Abbasi Hall
1942 – Hall of the Faculty of Fine Arts
1975 – 1979 – Iran Hall
1973 – Persepolis Gallery
1986 – Individual exhibition at the Bergishe Lowe Cultural and Artistic Center
1988 – ART POSTER GALLERY – Germany
Festivals
1971- 1972 – 1973 – Children and Adolescents Film Festival – Tehran
1973 – World Short Film Festival – Krakow – Poland
1973 – Moscow International Film Festival
1973 – Iranian Cinema Week – Paris
1973 – Gijon World Film Festival – Spain
1973 – Karlovy Vary International Film Festival – Czechoslovakia
1974 – Beirut World Festival
1976 – Tehran International Film Festival
Bibliography
1972 – Design, painting in three volumes
1975 – Decorative design
1983 – Signs (Personal portfolios)
1984 – Declaration design
1989 – Image and Imagination
1989 – Cover design
2003 – Cover Design (Collection of Works)
2003 – Experiential Professionals. Collection of articles from 1976 to 2003 – Did Publications
2004 – Half a Century of Work (Collection of Works)
– Excellent illustrations in various books
Filmography
1971 – 1973 – Design and directing of three animated films for the Children’s Film Festival of the Tehran Intellectual Development Center, entitled:
1971 – One who acted and one who imagined
1972 – A Green Dot
1973 – Black Bird
Graphic Designer And Art Director
1960 – Iranabad
1958 – 2005 – Conversation
1961 – 1962 – Kayhan Hafteh
1963 – 1964 – Kavosh Magazine
1965 – Negin
1965 – Culture and life
1971 – 1978 – Rudaki
1974 – 1975 – Cinema
2011 – 2005 – Kalk
1991 – 1999 – New Look
1993 – 2001 – Sharif
1994 – 2000 – Today’s message
1994 – 2000 – Time
Other Activities
– Designing dozens of show posters, including: Victory in Chicago
– Designing dozens of movie posters, including: Inanimate Nature, Sattar Khan, Kamal Al-Molk, Deer and O Iran
– Designing costumes for fourteen plays in Tehran’s theaters
– Scene and costume design of movies: Sattar Khan and inanimate nature
– Lighting Plays: No Return, Golden Tooth and Private Room
Honors And Awards
1963 – 1966 – Best Children’s Book Design Award
1964 – First Class Medal for Distinguished Student of the Faculty of Fine Arts – University of Tehran
1965 – Winner of the International Medal Design Exhibition Medal of Jonesian-French Design
1975 – Poet designer to design cinematic posters for the Cannes Film Festival in France
1986 – 1996 – 1990 – Award and Medal of the Best Cinematic Posters of Fajr Film Festival – Tehran
1990 – Award for Best Sign Design in the 1980s
1989 – Crystal Simorgh is the best poster for an Iranian film from the Fajr Film Festival – Tehran
2004 – Achievement Award Special Award for Lifetime Achievement in Art for a Lifetime of Effort and Achievement by ICO International Design Association
Articles
1969 – Page layout
1970 – Advertising language
1971 – Concepts of visual expression in the Persian alphabet (Journal of Journalism Research)
1984 – From the origin and evolution of calligraphy to the library
1973 – Various Conversations and Articles in Ferdowsi, Book of the Week, Future, Information, Universe, Negin, Rudaki, Culture and Art
1976 – Introduction to the Catalog of Poster Art Exhibitions in Iran – Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art
1976 – Introduction to the Catalog of Fifty Years of Iranian Graphic Arts
1976 – Introduction to the catalog of the first Asian graphic art biennial
1981 – Address (Critique of Sohrab Sepehri’s Poems – Painter)
1983 – How many and why a sign – design announcement from the beginning to the end
Works Published In Foreign Publications
1968 – Hilton, Theodore: “Morteza Momayez, Persian Graphic Designer” NOVUM Magazine No. 4 – Munich – West Germany
– Glak, Philx: Printing Several Works in MODERN PUBLICITY Numbers 1970/75/77/78/82 – London – UK
1972 – Olkie, Wits, Jerry: monthly magazine PROJECT No. 3 – Warsaw – Poland
1977 – Momayez, Morteza: “The Art of Posters in Iran” GRAPHIC DESIGN Magazine No. 72 – Tokyo – Japan
1974 – Alexander, Alexander: “Cannes Film Festival Second Film Poster Exhibition” NOVUM Monthly Magazine No. 8 – Munich – West Germany
Hurdak, Walter: Printing Works at GRAPHIC POSTER No. 1974/75/76/77/78/80/83 Zurich – Switzerland.
1978 – Lightman, Herb. A: – Third Tehran International Film Festival
– AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER Monthly Magazine 1974 Los Angeles – USA
1978 – Melikian, Soren: An article on the opening of the Museum of Contemporary Art, ART NEWS Monthly Magazine No. 2 – New York – USA
1978 – Alexander, Alexander: Morteza, Momayez – Tehran – NOVUM Monthly Magazine No. 3 Munich – West Germany
1977 – Carter, David: Published two works in LETTER HEADS 1 Issue – USA
1978 – Carter, David: Published two works in LETTER HEADS 2 – USA
1987 – Momayez, Morteza: “Poster Art in Iran” GRAPHIC DESIGN Magazine No. 72 – Tokyo – Japan
1981 – Lot, Jane: ART VS MONEY DESIGN Magazine No. 394 – October – UK
– Momayez, Morteza “Iranian Graphic Arts” and Introduction to WHO IS WHO IN GRAPHIC ART DECLIVO PRESS Publications – Zurich – Switzerland
1983 – Henryon, F. HK: “Morteza Momayez in TOP GRAPHIC DESIGN – ABC Zurich Publications – Switzerland
1983 – 1970 – Croatia, Yasaburo. Published 3 works in GRAPHIC ELEMENTS OF THE WORLD – Graphic-sha Publication Co Publications – Tokyo – Japan
1984 – Carter, David: Published two works in LOGO INTERNATIONAL Vol.1 – New York – USA
1986 – Carter, David: Publishing two works at LOGO INTERNATIONAL Vol.2 – New York – USA
1988 – Carter, David: Published two works in LOGO INTERNATIONAL Vol.3 – New York – USA
1985 – Doharak. Rudolf. Published in POSTER BY MEMBERS OF THE ALLIANCE
1985 – Igarashi. Take Noboo. Published in LETTERHEADS – Tokyo – Japan
1987 – Aish Holtz. Armin: Morteza, Momayez (Iran). NOVUM Magazine No. 7 – Munich – Germany
1987 – Pedersen. Be Martin. Published by GRAPHIS POSTER – Munich – Germany
1988 – Kovaya. Yasaburo. Published two works in WORLD TRADEMARKS AND LOGOTYPES – Tokyo – Japan
1988 – Saberi. Firouzeh. Interview with Morteza Momayez. IDEA Magazine – Issue 212 – December – Tokyo – Japan
