Ali Golestaneh's passion for painting began in his teenage years when he studied under Jafar Petgar, one of the leading artists of his time, where he learned the fundamentals of art. He later pursued his formal education at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Painting in 1972.
His artistic journey, however, extended far beyond academia. Between 1967 and 1977, he lived in London, where he studied and worked at the London School of Printing, affiliated with the University of London. During this period, he was also active as both a painter and a graphic designer.
In the 1980s, Golestaneh expanded his international career after relocating to Spain. He lived there from 1980 to 1987 and held three solo exhibitions in Madrid and Santa Ibiza during those years. His first official solo exhibition took place in 1976 at Shahr Gallery in Tehran. Among his most significant exhibitions were a series of solo shows at Golestan Gallery between 1988 and 1995, followed by his final exhibition at Aria Gallery in 1997.
Golestaneh was particularly accomplished in the use of colored pencils and watercolor. His works were consistently shaped by a deeply personal perspective on the landscapes, native environments, and places that defined his lived experience. Throughout his career, he sought to express his emotions and perceptions of nature with sincerity and restraint. By simplifying forms and reducing visual elements, he achieved greater depth and a distinctly poetic mode of expression—qualities that set his work apart from that of his contemporaries.
Ali Golestaneh passed away in 2021 after contracting COVID-19.
