ABOUT ME
Ali Rastroo (b. 1998, Yasuj, Iran) is an Iranian visual artist and university lecturer whose multidisciplinary practice bridges painting, conceptual cartoons, illustration, animation, and music. Holding an M.A. in Painting from the Art University of Isfahan and a B.A. from the Art and Architecture University of Yazd, he serves as a lecturer at Shiraz University of Art and is an active member of both Cartooning for Peace and Cartoon Movement. Having begun his journey in fine arts at age eight and gaining global acclaim during his university years, Rastroo seamlessly synthesizes the narrative precision of conceptual cartooning with expressive painterly and surrealist techniques. His critically recognized body of work—distinguished by more than 50 national and international awards—transforms philosophical inquiries and personal introspections into intellectually layered, emotionally resonant visual dialogues that redefine contemporary visual storytelling.
Honors and Exhibitions
Grand Award of 5th Mugla International Cartoon Contest / Mugla / Turkey / 2024
Grand prize of the 9th international cartoon contest / Kyrenia / Cyprus / 2020
Grand Award of the 14th International Tourism Cartoon Competition / Jordan – Turkey / 2023
Grand Award of 4th Mugla International Cartoon Contest / Mugla / Turkey / 2023
The First prize of 9th International School Cartoon Festival / Portugal / 2026
The Second Award of the 12th International Tourism Cartoon Competition / Turkey /2021
The Third Prize in Comic Strips Category of The 20th International Humor Salon of Caratinga / Brazil / 2025
The Third Award of the 4th International Cartoon Competition of Denizli Metropolitan Municipality / Turkey /2024
The Special Honor Diploma Of The 16th International Cartoon Contest HumoDEVA / Romania / 2023
The Prof. Atila Özer Special Award from the 17th International Tourism Cartoon Competition / Turkey / 2026
Honorable Mention at the “Caricatura en Libertad” International Contest / Mexico / 2026
Special Prize at the 11th Kolašin International Cartoon Contest / Montenegro / 2026
The Honorable Mention of 6th International Cartoon Competition, Denizli Metropolitan Municipality / Turkey / 2026
The special award from 34th international festival of humour and satire “Golden Helmet” / Serbia / 2026
The Achievement Award of The 4th International Caricature Competition Sinoplu Diogene / Turkey / 2025
Special jury award of the 1st Kartal Municipality Covid-19 cartoon competition / Turkey / 2020
Special award of Iranian artists “We defeat Coronavirus” international cartoon contest / Iran / 2020
Honorable Mention at the 21st Limeira International Humor Festival / Brazil / 2025
Honorable Mentions of the 32nd Sicaco International Cartoon Contest / Korea / 2023
Honorable Mentions of the 23rd Porto Cartoon World Festival / Portugal / 2021
Honorable Mentions of the 27th Calcomix Festival / Colombia / 2020
Honor diploma of the 20th Antiwar Cartoon International Contest of Kragujevac / Serbia / 2019
Special prize of the Third International Cartoon Contest – CoronaVirus / Bojnourd / Iran / 2020
Selected to create a mural painting in Jaszbereny / Hungary / 2019
Solo exhibition (GOB) in Szikra Galleria / Jaszbereny / Hungary / 2019
Nomination for Award of International Satyrykon Cartoon Contest Legnica / Poland/ 2025
Jury Member of the International Cartoon Competition with “Earthquake” Theme / Turkey / 2023
First Prize of National Cartoon and Caricature Festival, Guilan Province Bar Association / Iran / 2025
One of the top 10 works of the International Humanity Cartoon Competition/ United Kingdom / 2024
One of the 44 best cartoons of the Cactus Cartoon Award 2025 – with the theme “The Solution” / Austria / 2025
9th place at the Zagreb International Cartoon Festival / Croatia / 2025
Selected as a finalist of The 6th International Cartoon Competition on the theme of “Love,” in Muğla / Turkey / 2026
Selected for the exhibition of the International Congress “New World Order” – Sinop University / Turkey / 2025
Selected for the International Graphic Comics Exhibition entitled ‘The Giving Tree’ in Denver, Colorado / United States / 2024
Selected for the Catalog Of 28th Edition Of The International Competition Fax For Peace / Italy / 2024
Selected for The 9th International Humor & Satire Award “Novello Prize” / Italy / 2024
SELECTED FOR THE 20TH LIMEIRA INTERNATIONAL HUMOR SALON / Brazil / 2024
Selected for the IX Bienal de Humor Luiz d’Oliveira Guimarães Espinhal / Penela / Portugal/ 2024
Selected for the 31st International Exhibition Of Arts Of Humor Alcala/ Spain / 2024
Selected for the Exhibition of the 39th Aydın Doğan International Cartoon Competition / Turkey / 2023
Selected in the 8th “Red Man” International Humour Art Biennial / China / 2023
Selected for the exhibition of the International Exhibition Of Graphic Humor LEA / Greece / 2024
Selected in the catalog of the 62nd International Cartoon Festival Knokke-Heist / Belgium / 2023
Selected in the catalog and exhibition of Faraone- International Cartoon Contest “Safety at work” / Italy / 2023
Selected in the 16th George Van Remdonk International Cartoon Competition “SOURCE”, organized in / Boechout / Belgium / 2023
Selected in the SYMPOSIUM AND EXHIBITION OF SHĀHNĀMEH IN THE INTERNATIONAL CULTURE AND ART / Istanbul / Turkey 2023
Selected in the catalog and exhibition of the international Euro-kartoenale competition / Belgium / 2023
Selected for the 24th edition of the Euro-kartoenale Kruishoutem / Belgium / 2022
Selected for the 23rd edition of the Euro-kartoenale Kruishoutem / Belgium / 2021
Selected for the Exhibition of the 38th Aydın Doğan International Cartoon Competition / Turkey / 2021
Selected for the catalog and exhibition of Faraone- International Cartoon Contest “Safety at work” / Italy / 2023
First Winner Of Toons Mag Monthly Challenge With Public Votes – CARTOON CHALLENGE, APRIL / Cartoonmag / 2020
Selected for the 24th Biennial of Humour and Satire in Art / Gabrovo / Bulgaria / 2019
Selected for the 15th Caratinga International Humor Salon / Brazil / 2019
Selected for the 22nd edition of the Euro-kartoenale Kruishoutem / Belgium / 2019
Selected for The First International cartoonists Festival Ferizaj / Kosovo / 2019
Selected for 4th Jokalfestival students of Painting in Tehran University / Iran / 2019
Publication of 9 Works in the Catalogue 19th Issue of Union of World Cartoonists (UWC)
Publication of 5 Works in the Catalogue 9th Issue of Union of World Cartoonists (UWC)
Publication of 8 Works in the Catalogue 6th Issue of Union of World Cartoonists (UWC)
Publication of 5 Works in the HUMORISTAS GRÁFICOS CONVOCATORIA INTERNACIONAL
CALICOMIX / Colombia / 20195th works in the magazine of calicomix / Clombia / 2019
Finalist of 1st Welt Heimat International Cartoon Contest / Germany / 2018
Finalist of International Tourism Cartoon Competition / Turkey / 2018
Finalist of A Colorful Human World International Cartoon Contest / Norway / 2018
Showing works in different countries, such as:
Belgium / Italy / Portugal / India / Croatia / Slovakia / Bulgaria / Serbia / Brazil / Iran / Turkey / Montenegro / Kosovo / Philippines / Norway / Japan / South Korea / Iraq / Cyprus / Jordan / United States / United Kingdom / Canada / Romania / Poland / China / Venezuela ….
Research and Teaching Background
Publication of the article “The Transformation of Contemporary Visual Artist Identity in the Metaverse: A Study Based on the Works of Pawel Kuczynski, Salavat Fidai, and Sam Spratt” in Peykareh Journal, co-authored with Dr.Asghar Javani and Dr.Parisa Darouei (Paper ID: PYK-2602-1935).
Guest Artist, Speaker, and Live Drawing Performance: Kadıköy International Cartoon and Comic Festival (Kadıköy Çizgi Festivali 2026), Istanbul, Turkey.
Virtual Workshop Instructor: “The World of NFTs and Digital Art,” University of Art, Isfahan
Workshop Instructor: “From Pigment to Pixel—Digital Painting,” University of Art, Shiraz
Selected as an Outstanding Master’s Student, University of Art, Isfahan
Recipient of the Award for Best Original Artwork, University of Art, Isfahan
Selected as an Outstanding Bachelor’s Student, University of Art and Architecture, Yazd
Academic Advisor for a Master’s Thesis titled: “Analyzing the Impact of Midjourney on the Form and Space of Contemporary American Art with Emphasis on the Works of Jason Allen”
Author of a Master’s Thesis titled: “Recognition of the Identity of the Visual Artist in the Metaverse”
Instructor of Illustration and Cartoon Art in underserved regions of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province
Photo gallery
My interviews
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