The Iranian cartoonist, Alireza Karimi Moghaddam, is so smitten by the works of Vincent van Gogh, the Dutch post-impressionist painter and one of the most influential figures in the history of Western art, that he sets his cartoons in van Gogh’s paintings!
Moghaddam explains his craze for van Gogh, thus, “Vincent van Gogh is not just an artist for me. He has been a myth (sic) for me for about 30 years.” Alireza told AwesomeByte. What really catches his fancy is van Gogh’s admirable coloring, magical illumination and wonderful composition.
This cartoonist from Tehran, Iran, has a different take on Vincent van Gogh paintings. And this perspective is reflected in his works. A case in point is his adaptations of Vincent van Gogh sunflowers and Vincent van Gogh starry night that provide a surrealistic feel to his works. He not only reflects the master’s iconic style in his Vincent van Gogh illustrations, but also makes van Gogh’s bearded-self figure in almost all of them.
Moghaddam was born in 1975 and earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Graphic from College of Graphic, Azad University, Tehran, Iran. He turned professional in 1991 and animation, graphic design and illustration became his areas of expertise.
Moghaddam’s cartoons and illustrations were an instant hit online and also figure in several magazines, such as Tanz Va Caricator, Keyhan-e-Caricator, Tavana, Sanaat Khodro, Sanaat Haml-o-Naghl, Barreshihaye Bazargani and many more. His cartoons also appear in newspaper that include Zan, Afarinesh, etc.
Of course, for a cartoonist of his stature, participating in international exhibition was a foregone conclusion. In addition to exhibitions in Iran, his home country, Moghaddam has also participated in several international exhibitions in countries like Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil, China, Italy, Japan, Korea, Turkey and Yugoslavia.
Moghaddam’s works are not only being appreciated worldwide, but have also received awards. In 1996, he received the first prize in Nasreddin Hoca Festival in Turkey and in 1996 and 1998, he received special awards in Umoristi Marostica Exhibition in Italy. He also received special awards in Baku Cartoon Exhibition in Azerbaijan in 2007 and in China Cartoon Exhibition in China in 2008.
Alireza Karimi Moghaddam: Instagram