Mohammad Barrangi was born in Rasht, Iran, in 1988. Now based in the UK, he is both a globally recognized artist and a medal-winning athlete who has represented Iran internationally in the 100m sprint. Born without full mobility in his left arm, Barrangi has developed a unique artistic practice that utilizes his right hand and both feet to create his distinctive works. Blending traditional calligraphy with experimental mark-making techniques, Barrangi combines elements of Persian calligraphy, storytelling, text, and touches of humor to create intimate works on handmade paper that are selectively expanded into large-scale murals.
Barrangi holds a degree in graphic design from the Islamic Azad University of Tonekabon and recently graduated from the Royal Drawing School in London. Barrangi has extensively exhibited his work around the world, winning numerous awards and recognition that has led to the prolific publication of his illustrations in a variety of books. His works have been acquired by the permanent collections of the British Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the Royal Family Collection, the National Government Collection in the UK, the San Diego Museum of Art in the USA, the Cluj-Napoka Art Museum, Romania as well as Leeds Art Gallery, UK.
Mohammad Barrangi CV
EDUCATION
2019–2021 Royal Drawing School, Master’s Degree, London, UK
2011 Islamic Azad University of Tonekabon, Bachelor’s Degree in Graphics, Tonekabon, Iran
AWARDS AND PRIZES
2020 International Illustration and Book Design Competition, Moscow, Russia
2019 Third Prize, Illustration, Sharjah Children’s Book, Sharjah, UAE
First Prize, Illustration, COW International Design Festival, Ukraine
2018 Finalist, Bologna Children’s Book Fair, Bologna, Italy
2017 First Prize, Muestra del IV Premi International, Tragaluz, Colombia
THAT’S A MOLE!, Illustration Festival, Italy
Recipient of Honorary Diploma, 5th Tallinn Illustrations Triennial, Tallinn, Estonia
Honorary Diploma, Image of the Book Contest (Fiction Section), Russia
Finalist, Third Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition, China
Finalist, Bridgeman Studio Award, United Kingdom
Finalist, Hirosaki Apple Design Award, Tokyo, Japan
Imagen Palabra Illustration Contest, Colombia
The Migration Postcard Project, Bratislava, Slovakia
The Pattern Design of Paper Festival, Korea, China, Italy
International Arsenal Book Festival, Kyiv, Ukraine
Selected Album Cover Design, Art Think Publisher, Italy
Nami Concours, International Picture Book Festival, Korea
2016 Accepted, Golden Pinwheel Festival, China
Accepted, Bio-Art Contest, South Korea
Accepted, Turkey Printmaking Festival, Turkey
Accepted, Sharjah Dubai Printmaking Festival, UAE
Accepted, 3rd Nami Illustration Festival, Korea
Participation, Alice in Wonderland Illustrations (It’s Always Time for Tea), European Tour
Fadjr Film Festival, Eighth Period, Tehran, Iran
2015 First Prize, Illustration, COW International Design Festival, Ukraine
2012 Fadjr Film Festival, Fourth Period, Tehran, Iran
2009 First Prize, Belgrade Illustration Festival, Belgrade, Serbia
EXHIBITIONS AND EVENTS
2025 Portraiture Now: Iranian Contemporary, ADVOCARTSY, West Hollywood, CA, USA
2024 Vintage Modern, ADVOCARTSY, West Hollywood, CA, USA
The Last Rain in Wonderland, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
One Night, One Dream, Life in the Lighthouse, Leeds University Library Galleries, Leeds, UK
2023 Playing in Wonderland, Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester, UK
2022 Dreamscape, ADVOCARTSY, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Simorgh (Live Installation), Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
Dreamland, The Art House, Wakefield, UK
Anything Is Possible, Edinburgh Printmakers, Edinburgh, UK
Spirit of the Fox, Estonian Literature Centre, Tallinn, Estonia
Facing the New Reality, Museum on the Seam, Jerusalem, Israel
Art Brussels, Pedrami Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
Chorus, Arusha Gallery, UK
Abu Dhabi Art Fair, Hafez Gallery, Abu Dhabi, UAE
2021 Royal Drawing School: Best of the Drawing Year, Christie’s Auction House, London, UK
Migrations: Postcards from Around the World, Hallway Gallery (Reading Room), Germany & UK
Diaspora Pavilion 2, Block 336, London, UK
Once Upon a Time, ADVOCARTSY, Los Angeles, CA, USA
2020 The Conference of the Birds, ADVOCARTSY, Los Angeles, CA, USA
2019 Looking East (Live Installation), The British Museum, London, UK
Persian Calligraphy Workshop, The British Museum, London, UK
Wounderland, Pedrami Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium
Summer Art Bash, ADVOCARTSY, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Group Exhibition, Hafez Gallery, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Biennial International: Papermade Art Work Exhibition, Palazzo Fogazzaro, Schio, Italy
International Singular Art Salon (Second Edition), Lași Museum, Romania
Group Exhibition, Al Madina Arts Center, Madinah, Saudi Arabia
2018 Eastern Bird (Workshop), Wakefield Cathedral, Wakefield, UK
Human Rights EDU, UNESCO, Italy
Who Are We? (Workshop and Commission), Tate Modern, London, UK
Wonderland, Wakefield Cathedral, Wakefield, UK
The Kingdom of the Rose: Homage to the Female Figure, Lys D’Or, France
Peace Exhibition, Tokyo International Mini-Print Triennial, Tokyo, Japan
Ratata Festival, Macerata, Italy
Fourth International Illustration Exhibition, Colombia
Love International Exhibition, Art TSUM, Kyiv, Ukraine
Collective Influence, Shape Arts, London, UK
Illustrate 2018, Portugal
Bienal Internacional de Ilustração Solidária Ajudaris, Portugal
2017 Common Ground, Vane Gallery, UK
Dokdo Peace Poster Exhibition, Korea
Workshop Tutor, Islamic Azad University of Lahijan, Iran
I Will Tell You from the East (Postgraduate Workshop Tutor), Islamic Azad University of Ramsar, Iran
One-Day Workshop for Disabled Artists, United Nations, Syria
Group Exhibition, Viive Noor, Finland
2016 Solo Exhibition, Children’s Museum of Estonia, Estonia
Group Exhibition, Mehrva Gallery, Tehran, Iran
Group Exhibition, Farzad Gallery, Mashhad, Iran
2015 Group Exhibition, Koochebagh Gallery, Iran
2013 Group Exhibition, Niavaran Hall, Tajrish, Iran
2012 Group Exhibition, Aria Gallery, Tehran, Iran
2011 Group Exhibition, Ou Gallery, Duncan, Canada
ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS
2022 Turning Adversity to Advantage: Artist Mohammad Barrangi Draws on Exile, Disability and His Iranian Heritage, Yorkshire Post
Iranian-born, UK-based Artist and Former Paralympian Mohammad Barrangi Opens New Exhibition, ArtDaily
Mohammad Barrangi’s Fables of Possibility at Edinburgh Printmakers, ArtMag
The Art of Printmaking 3: Mohammad Barrangi and Nazli Tabatabai-Khatambakhsh, Edinburgh Printmaking
Art Reviews, The Scotsman
2021 Paralympian from Iran to Have Artwork Exhibited in Edinburgh, The Independent
Paralympian from Iran to Have Artwork Exhibited in Edinburgh, The National
At Edinburgh Printmakers – Solo Exhibition by Mohammad Barrangi, The Edinburgh Reporter
Iranian Artists Honored at Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava, Tehran Times
“Anything Is Possible” Exhibition in Edinburgh, Alethea Magazine
Student Focus: Mohammad Barrangi, The Royal Drawing School
2020 Interview with Mohammad Barrangi, Toi Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Mohammad Barrangi at the British Museum, The Hand Magazine, Issue 22
Interview and Book Publishing, University of Zaragoza, Spain
2019 Interview with Mohammad Barrangi, Manoto Plus
British Museum Hosts Mural by Artist and Para-Athlete Mohammad Barrangi, Kayhan Life
Children’s Picture Book Artists Tell Migrants’ Stories through Postcards, The Guardian
Mohammad Barrangi: Illustrator, Calligrapher, and Storyteller, Now Then Magazine
Interview with Mohammad Barrangi, Post Oyko Magazine, Turkey
2018 Interview with Mohammad Barrangi, Bincole Meets the Illustrator
Interview with Mohammad Barrangi, Pressing Matters
Meet Mohammad Barrangi, WDCOS Media
New Side, Series 8, Episode 6 — Interview with Artist Mohammad Barrangi, Manoto TV
Interview with Artist Mohammad Barrangi, Who Are We?
Artwork by Mohammad Barrangi, Drawing Academy
2017 The Drawing That Came from the East, El Espectador
My Dream | Mohammad Barrangi Fashtami, Art People Gallery
Interview with TIMPUL, TIMPUL Newspaper
ART FAIRS
2022 Art Rotterdam, Pedrami Gallery
Art Brussels, Pedrami Gallery
2021 Art Rotterdam, Pedrami Gallery
Art Brussels, Pedrami Gallery
2020 Art Brussels, Pedrami Gallery
PUBLISHED WORKS
2021 Fifth Element, Malisia Editorial
2020 In the Shadow of an Orange Tree, Tragaluz Editores
Simorgh (Conference of the Birds), Madreseh Publishing
MURALS
2020 Mural Project Unlimited, Central Wakefield, UK
Mural for Art Hostel, Leeds, UK
2018 Who Are We: Art, Migration and the Production of Democracy, Tate Modern, London, UK
COLLECTIONS
The British Museum Collection, United Kingdom
Royal Family Collection, United Kingdom
National Government Collection, United Kingdom
San Diego Museum, San Diego, CA, USA
Cluj-Napoca Art Museum, Romania
