Mehrdad Rashidi was born in 1963 in Sari, Iran. An opponent of the Islamic regime, he left the country on foot in 1983 and has lived in Germany since 1994. Since 2006, he has drawn in ballpoint pen and ink on found materials; his rhythmic lines recall calligraphy. His dreamlike imagery explores freedom, democracy, women’s rights, love, and encounters between humans and animals. He also writes poetry in Farsi and combines words and images in artist’s books. In 2013, he received the Grand Prix at the 16th Biennial of Naive and Marginal Art in Serbia. His works are held in the Centre Pompidou, France, the Collection de l’Art Brut, Switzerland, and the American Folk Art Museum, USA. He lives in Erkrath, Germany.