Mehrdad Shoghi Haghdoost was born in 1972 in Iran. He started calligraphy and painting as a youth and, in addition to that, went to the last remaining masters of the art to learn the Iranian traditional arts such as Illumination, Gol-o-Morgh, paper-making, and restoration of calligraphic pieces.

Mehrdad Shoghi is a renowned visual artist and painter who has dedicated over three decades to exploring the art of calligraphy and Kufic script. Born in Iran, Shoghi has been professionally practicing his craft since 1992 and has established a reputation as one of the most innovative and forward-thinking artists of his generation.

In 1998, Shoghi discovered a passion for Kufic script and has since dedicated himself to uncovering its potential as a form of art. He has developed a unique style that combines the fluidity of his brushwork with the inherent rigidity of the script, resulting in a truly one-of-a-kind style of writing. His pieces are characterized by a deliberate disregard for readability, inviting the viewer to embark on a spiritual journey of contemplation.

Shoghi has had a successful career, exhibiting his works in solo shows across Europe, the Middle East, and North America. His pieces have been celebrated for their originality, creativity, and beauty, and have been collected by many private collectors and prestigious institutions such as the British Museum, the Islamic Art Museum of Malaysia, and the Modern Art Museum in Tehran-Iran.

The spirit embedded in this style attracted him so much that soon he found himself dedicated to Kufic writing and Khatt-e-Mehr was the fruit of his studies and experiences with Kufic.

Mehrdad has presented his work in more than twenty solo and group exhibitions in UK, France, Iran, Kuwait, Turkey, U.A.E, Qatar, Malaysia, Switzerland and Canada.

His love and respect for the work of the old masters has always been a source of inspiration to him, and has made him study, restore, and revive surviving pieces of the past.

SOLO SHOWS:

2016 Solo Exhibition, Love song to source, The Gate Mall Gallery, Doha, Qatar
2014 Solo Exhibition, “melodies of silence”, Mah Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2013 Solo Exhibition, Nicolas Felamel Gallery, Paris, France
2012 Solo Exhibition, Mekic Gallery, Montreal, Canada
2012 Solo Exhibition, Mah Art Gallery
2009 Solo Exhibition, “Between the Lines”, The Gallery in Cork Street, London, England
2002 Solo Exhibition, Boushehri Gallery, Kuwait
2002 Solo Exhibition, Aryan Gallery, Tehran
2002 Solo Exhibition, Asar Art Gallery, Tehran
2000 Solo Exhibition, Boushehri Gallery, Kuwait
2000 Solo Exhibition, “Mehr Script”, Reza Abbasi Museum, Tehran

GROUP SHOWS:

2014   Group exhibition, Iran Heritage day in Royal Ontario Museum
2013   “IBS Persian Art Group Exhibition”, London, England
2012   Group exhibition, Mah Art Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2011   “International Photography Art”, Bonham’s, Dubai
2011   “Two Persians”, Art Square Gallery, Toronto
2011   “IBS Persian Art Group Exhibition”, London, England
2010   “Modern & Contemporary Middle Eastern Art”, Bonham’s, Dubai
2010   “Iranian Artists Group”, Arta Gallery, Toronto
2010   “IHF Persian Art Group Exhibition”, London, England
2010   “Norouz Group Show”, Queen Gallery, Toronto
2009   “Fly with the cage”, Lennox Contemporary Art, Toronto
2009   “Modern & Contemporary Middle Eastern Art”, Bonham’s, Dubai
2008   “Second Tehran Art Expo”, Tehran, Iran
2008   “Tirgan”, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto
2006   “Under the Azure Dome” , Harbourfront Centre, Toronto
2004   “Toronto outdoor art exhibition”, Toronto
2004   “A Passage to East “, Arta Gallery, Toronto
2004   “To Assist the children of Bam Earthquake”, Arta Gallery, Toronto
2003   “A Spiritual Vision”, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran
2003   Courtyard Gallery, Dubai
2003   Fine Art Centre Chankaya City hall, Ankara, Turkey
2002   Ziba Art Gallery, Vancouver
2002   “International Conference on Calligraphy of the Islamic World”, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran
2002   Royal Mirage, Dubai
2001   Le Palais Oriental, Montreaux, Switzerland
2001 “Calligraphy”, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran
1997 “Third Biennial of Iranian Painting”, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran Winning the award for “Gol-o-morgh” and receiving the Honour Diploma.
1994 “Second Nationwide Arts Exhibition of University Students”, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Arts, winning the award for Restoration and Illumination

COLLECTIONS:

2013 Islamic Art Museum Malesia
2011 Permanent collection of middle eastern modern art, British Museum, London, England
2002 Imam Ali Museum of Art, Tehran, Iran
2001 Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran, Iran
2000 Reza Abbasi Museum, Tehran, Iran