Mahmoud Zenderoudi

Mahmoud Zenderoudi was born in 1943 in Karadj, Iran. He grew up as a fifth child of modest and cultivated parents. Mahmoud Zenderoudi was especially influenced by his mother and her artistic spirit.

In 1962 at the age of nineteen Mahmoud's magnificent works gained first recognition at the 2nd Biennial in Tehran and later at the Tehran International Exposition in 1970. His first of many solo exhibits took place at the Tehran Gallery in 1966. He immigrated to France in 1978. 

Mahmoud's unique style is deeply rooted in his Iranian/Persian heritage and fervently reveals deep emotion for his country of birth, his history and his life in exile. His art is often a pilgrimage to his homeland. His use of calligraphy emphasizes shapes and lines which often defies the stringent rule of Persian calligraphy. He often creates his art by using simple everyday materials such as wood, cork, cardboard, paper mache, newspaper cuttings, photographs, postcards, “sirish” glue, oil paint, acrylic paint, gold leaf and fabric.

His introduction to the three-dimensional painting opened the way to the use of collage in his works and allowed him to gain distance from the influence of Iranian artistic currents. Today his work brings together a combination of materials, collage and sculpture on paper.

He has many private exhibitions throughout the world, in Hong Kong, the USA and Europe to name a few places, and many patrons of the arts have purchased his paintings to form private collections, in Cyprus, France, Germany, UAE, Switzerland, Algeria and many other countries.

Mahmoud has won many awards for his works including the 2nd prize in modern calligraphy at the International Calligraphy contest in Algiers in 2009 and the 1st prize in 2010.