Born in Tehran, Iran (1988), and based in Dallas, Texas, Arash Ghahari creates sculptural works that merge philosophy, mythology, and the grotesque. Influenced by his late father, artist Ali Ghahari Kermani, his practice transforms material into metaphor—where bodies are distorted, inverted, and reimagined. Ghahari holds a PhD from the University of Texas at Dallas. Ghahari presents his doctoral exhibition, The Grotesque Enframing, which reinterprets the grotesque as a philosophical framework to question the human condition.

CV

ARASH GHAHARI KERMANI, PhD

Visual Artist | Sculptor | Educator

Email: axg200028@utdallas.edu
Website: arashghahari.com

EDUCATION

PhD, Visual and Performing Arts
The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas
2021–2026
Dissertation: The Grotesque Enframing™: A New Paradigm for Artistic Monstrosity

Master of Fine Arts, Studio Art
West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas
2013–2017
Thesis: Analogy

Bachelor of Arts, Sculpture
Hacettepe University, Faculty of Fine Arts, Ankara, Turkey
2005–2010

RESEARCH AND CREATIVE INTERESTS

Grotesque aesthetics, contemporary sculpture, posthumanism, Iranian visual culture, Renaissance grotesque ornament, identity and monstrosity, installation art, interdisciplinary art practices, art history, critical theory, public art.

TEACHING

University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas
2025–Present
• Instructor of Record, Exploration of the Arts (ARTS 1301), 2026–Present
• Teaching Associate, Introduction to Sculpture, 2025–2026

Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
2019
• Adjunct Instructor, Art History Survey II (Online)
• Adjunct Instructor, Drawing (Online)
• Adjunct Instructor, Art History Survey II, International Summer Session, 2019
• Adjunct Instructor, Drawing, International Summer Session, 2019

Amarillo College, School of Creative Arts, Amarillo, Texas
2016–2018
• Adjunct Instructor, Art Appreciation, 2016–2017
• Adjunct Instructor, Design, 2017–2018
• Adjunct Instructor, Painting, Continuing Education Summer Classes, 2017–2018

TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS

The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas

• 2024 — Understanding Art

• 2024 — Survey of Western Art History: Ancient to Medieval

• 2023 — Exploration of the Arts

• 2023 — Sustainable Arts

• 2022 — Art History Survey II

• 2021 — Introduction to Philosophy

• 2020 — Introduction to Philosophy

West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas

• 2016 — Art History Teaching Assistant

• 2015 — Art History Teaching Assistant

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS

West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas

• 2017 — Graduate Assistant, 3D Art

• 2016 — Graduate Assistant, 3D Art

GALLERY AND CURATORIAL EXPERIENCE

Dord Fitz Formal Gallery, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas

• 2016 — Art History Teaching Assistant and Gallery Manager

• 2015 — Art History Teaching Assistant and Gallery Manager

• 2014 — Gallery Manager

SOLO EXHIBITIONS (7)

2025 The Grotesque Enframing, 2720 Gallery (Artfuss Gallery), Dallas, Texas

2017 Analogy, Dord Fitz Gallery, Canyon, Texas

2016 Inverse, Urbana Café, Amarillo, Texas

2015 Mirroring the Contemporary, Experimental Gallery at the Sunset Center, Amarillo, Texas. Curated by John Revett.

2012 Postmodern Stylization, Galeri Artist LAB, Ankara, Turkey

2011 Postmodern Stereotypical, Galeri Artist LAB, Istanbul, Turkey

2010 Resa (The Black Sheep), Galeri Artist LAB, Ankara, Turkey. Curated by Müzeyyen Çağlar Güler.

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2026 The Shape of Now, Frisco Discovery Center, Frisco, Texas. Presented by Bahar Legacy Art. Curated by Zahra Jahanyfard.

2026 Plano Art Association 125 Show, Ten 20 Art Gallery, Plano, Texas (Juried Exhibition)

2026 Human Condition, ARC Deep Ellum Gallery, Dallas, Texas. Spotlight Artist. Curated by James Maker.

2026 Wild, Weird, and Wonderful, Not Shockboxx on Artsy, Hermosa Beach, California (Online Juried Exhibition)

2025 Unusual, Domio Gallery, London, United Kingdom

2025 Dreams, Dramas, and Play, 2720 Gallery (Artfuss Gallery), Dallas, Texas. Curated by John Pomara and Andrew Scott.

2025 Art N Moto, HB Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey

2025 E-Scrap Conference Exhibition, Grapevine, Texas. Curated by SV Randall.

2025 ATEC Pop-up Locker Exhibition, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas. Curated by Xtine Burrough.

2025 RAW Conference Exhibition, ATC Gallery, Richardson, Texas. Curated by Mary Takaloo.

2024 ArtAnkara International Contemporary Art Fair, Ankara, Turkey

2024 Graduate Student Artists' Exhibition, Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology, Richardson, Texas

2024 Foreign Affairs, SITE131, Dallas, Texas. Curated by John Pomara.

2024 WT Alumni Art Show, Dord Fitz Formal Gallery, Canyon, Texas

2020 Justice Art Exhibit, Lubbock, Texas

2014 AC/WT Student and Faculty Show, Amarillo Museum of Art, Amarillo, Texas

2013 Genç Karma, German Embassy, Ankara, Turkey. Curated by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

2013 & 2014 The Sunset Center Mixed Group Show, Amarillo, Texas

2009 The Stone Sculpture Exhibition, Beytepe Campus Art Gallery, Ankara, Turkey

2008 Center for Contemporary Art Show, Çankaya Municipality, Ankara, Turkey

2008 Austrian Embassy Stone Carving Symposium and Exhibition, Ankara, Turkey

2007 Antalya Manavgat Sand Sculpture Symposium and Exhibition, Antalya, Turkey

2005 Karma Sergisi, Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey. Curated by Bora Türkkan.

PUBLIC ART AND COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS

2014–2015 Amarillo Ramp Restoration Project, collaboration with John Revett on the restoration of Robert Smithson's Amarillo Ramp, Texas

2014 Art is Happening (LOL), public art installation, Canyon, Texas. Collaboration with John Revett.

CURATORIAL PROJECTS

2025 Intro to Sculpture: Bust Exhibition, ATEC Main Lobby, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas. Curator.

JURORSHIPS

2017, 2019, 2021 Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE), Texas Art Education Association. Regional and State Juror.

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY AND PUBLICATIONS

2027 The Upside-down No. II (sculpture) with accompanying artist statement. The Penn Journal of Arts & Sciences (PJAS), Winter 2027 "Vintage" Issue. Forthcoming.

2025 "Finding Beauty in the Grotesque." Retrograde News. Coverage of The Grotesque Enframing exhibition at Artfuss Gallery. https://retrogradenews.com/2025/11/17/finding-beauty-in-the-grotesque/

2025 "System Error: Communication Failed." E-Scrap News / Resource Recycling. https://resource-recycling.com/e-scrap/2025/11/06/texas-students-turn-old-tech-and-e-waste-into-art/

2025 Unusual Exhibition Catalogue. Domio Gallery, London, United Kingdom.

2025 Featured Artist, The West Texan Alumni Magazine, Winter 2025 Issue, West Texas A&M University.

2024 Alumni Spotlight, Department of Art, Theatre and Dance, West Texas A&M University. https://www.wtamu.edu/academics/college-fine-arts-humanities/department-art-theatre-dance/art/alumni-spotlight.html

2024 "Foreign Affairs." Patron Magazine. https://patronmagazine.com/site131-transports-audiences-abroad-this-summer/

2024 WT Art Alumni Show Feature. MyHighPlains. https://www.myhighplains.com/news/local-news/west-texas-am-university-art-alumni-to-be-featured-in-first-ever-alumni-art-exhibition/

2024 "Foreign Affairs." Glasstire. https://glasstire.com/events/2024/06/17/foreign-affairs/

2017 Ghahari, A. Analogy. Master's Thesis, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas. Texas Digital Library. https://tdl-ir.tdl.org/items/fb2b8622-4fe6-43cc-9c10-d89c9109d585

2016 Feature Article. The International Lounge. https://theinternationallounge.wordpress.com

2012 "Postmodern Kalipsali." Sergi Rehberi. https://sergirehberi.com/m/sergi_detay.aspx?s_id=3194&t_id=2195&q=Postmodern-Kalipsali--Arash-Ghahari-Sergisi-Galeri-Artist-Istanbul&q1=-Genel-Bilgi

2010 Feature Article on Resa Exhibition. Ankara Hürriyet Newspaper.

COLLECTIONS

2026 Collection of Gianna Madrini, Dallas, Texas. Two sculptures from The Grotesque Enframing series acquired.

2014 Collection of Eberhard Pohl, German Ambassador, Ankara, Turkey. Sculpture acquired during the exhibition at the German Embassy in Ankara, Turkey.

2014 Collection of Joe Bill Sherrod, Executive Director/Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Amarillo College, Amarillo, Texas. Sculpture acquired.

2012 Private Collection, Istanbul, Turkey. Sculpture acquired through Galeri Artist.

2010 Collection of Kutsal Kaan Bilgin, art collector, Ankara, Turkey. Sculpture acquired.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS AND ARTIST TALKS

2025 "The Persian Monster: Grotesque Aesthetics in Iranian Art and Identity." Presented at SECAC (Southeastern College Art Conference), Cincinnati, Ohio.

2025 Presenter, E-Scrap Conference 2025, Grapevine, Texas. Participated in conference sessions addressing e-waste management, electronics recycling, and sustainability.

2025 "Transcending Monstrosity: Exploring the Grotesque from the Renaissance to Contemporary Art in Iran." Presented at RAW 2025, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas.

2024 Group Artist Talk, Foreign Affairs, SITE131, Dallas, Texas.

2017 Artist Talk, Inverse, Urbana Café, Amarillo, Texas.

2016 Published Interview, The International Lounge, Canyon, Texas.

2015 Artist Talk, Mirroring the Contemporary, Experimental Gallery, Sunset Center, Amarillo, Texas.

SELECTED AWARDS, HONORS, AND SCHOLARSHIPS

2025 Harry W. Bass Jr. Graduate Research Award, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas.

2025 Award Winner, The 2025 ATEC Pop-up Locker Exhibition, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas.

2025 SECAC Travel Award, Southeastern College Art Conference (SECAC), Cincinnati, Ohio.

2016 First Place / Best Graduate Work Award, AC/WT Student and Faculty Show, Amarillo Museum of Art, Amarillo, Texas.

2014 Selected Artist, Genç Karma Exhibition, German Embassy, Ankara, Turkey. Exhibition curated by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Sculpture acquired by German Ambassador Eberhard Pohl.

2014 Honorable Mention Award, AC/WT Student and Faculty Show, Amarillo Museum of Art, Amarillo, Texas.

SKILLS AND EXPERTISE

• Sculpture and Installation Art
• Mold Making and Casting (Plaster, Silicone, Resin, and Metal)
• Glass Blowing and Glass Casting
• Metal Fabrication and Welding
• Woodworking and Furniture Construction
• Stone Carving
• Digital Fabrication and 3D Printing
• Digital and Traditional Drawing
• Art History and Theory
• Contemporary Art Practices
• Teaching and Curriculum Development
• Exhibition Curation and Gallery Management
• Critical Research and Writing
• Adobe Photoshop

Copyright @ Arash Ghahari 2026