Moslem Khezri, born in 1984 in Iran, is a prominent contemporary Iranian painter whose evocative practice deeply explores memory, individual and collective identity, and the nuanced relationship between the human figure and its environment. Born in southern Iran, Khezri pursued his rigorous academic training in Tehran, earning a Master of Arts in Painting from Tarbiat Modares University. Over the past decade, he has garnered widespread international recognition for his unique ability to translate deeply personal and regional experiences into universally resonant narratives. His work is celebrated for its highly atmospheric quality, driven by a restraint in color palette and a masterfully controlled use of natural light. Light acts as a primary character in Khezri’s canvases—defining volume, manipulating spatial dimensions, and capturing the emotional subtext of everyday, mundane moments.
Khezri’s paintings have been showcased extensively on global platforms. Represented by SARAI Gallery, his works have been featured at competitive international art fairs including Art Dubai, Abu Dhabi Art, KIAF Seoul, and Asia Now Paris. Notably, his presentation at The Armory Show in New York was awarded the prestigious Presents Booth Prize. His artworks have been acquired by major institutional bodies and are held in prominent public and private collections, including the Dubai Collection and the Abu Dhabi Collection.
His widely acclaimed series "We Keep Reviewing," initiated in 2016, acts as a painterly exploration of the rigid, historical environments of Iranian all-boys' educational institutions. Depicting monotone classrooms and courtyards populated by students, Khezri uses pale, winter light to evoke nostalgia and childhood recollections while subtly pointing toward the inherent institutional power structures governing youth. Transitioning into themes of global relevance, his body of work titled "In Between" deals with the complexities of migration, displacement, and the psychological state of a generation suspended between the act of departure and the search for belonging. The figures inhabit transitional, uncertain spaces, serving as a profound visual meditation on transience and identity.