Fereydoun Ave (b. 1945, Tehran) is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in contemporary Iranian art. Over a career spanning more than five decades, he has shaped the region’s cultural landscape as an artist, curator, collector, gallerist, and patron. His multidisciplinary practice combines mythology, memory, identity, and history through painting, collage, sculpture, and mixed media. Ave’s unique contribution lies in bridging ancient Persian narratives with contemporary artistic language, making him a seminal figure in Middle Eastern contemporary art.