A1ONE

(born 1981)

A1ONE is a contemporary Iranian street artist, best known for his distinctive graffiti murals painted on the walls around the city of Tehran. Throughout his practice, A1ONE integrates Persian calligraphy with Western styles of urban graffiti, creating a unique aesthetic defined by its swirling, overlapping lines. Parallels are often drawn between A1ONE and the famed anonymous street artist Banksy, both for their political importance to their respective countries and for their impact on the graffiti community at large. Born Karen Rashad in 1981 in Iran, he was among the first to ever tag the walls around Tehran. Originally nicknamed Alone, he gradually adopted the moniker A1ONE for which he is now known. He has been arrested several times by the Iranian police, and has spent time in jail for his illegal murals. A1ONE has exhibited his work at galleries throughout Iran and the world, and continues to live and work in Tehran, Iran.