(b. 1945) Born in Tehran in 1945, Ave is considered one of the most important and influential contemporary artist of Iran. In 1963, he moved to the United States for his art studies, he went to Orange County in California, Tempe, Arizona and in New York to attend NYU's film school. Following his studies, he returned to Iran to work in theater, film, and eventually in art as a curator. The Islamic Revolution of 1979 disrupted life in Iran, but Ave stayed on in the country and commits himself increasingly to the visual arts. In 1984, he established 13 Vanak Street Gallery, an alternative exhibition space in Tehran, took an active part in promoting artistic discourse and consequently became the mentor to an entire generation of Iranian artists. From 1975 onwards, his works were shown in a number of solo exhibitions as well as group exhibitions in Tehran, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Greece, Zurich, London, Paris, New Zealand and the USA. Ave's works were also featured in numerous publications and are included, among others, in the collections of the Centre Georges Pompidou (Paris), Contemporary Art Museum (Tehran), The British Museum (London), and The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York). Ave lives and works between Tehran and Paris.