Morteza Momayez was born in an art-loving family and was interested in painting and drawing since childhood. During high school, he turned to painting signs to finance his studies, and because of his family’s admiration for Mossadegh, he entered into political activities. During this time, his first cartoons were published in Shahid newspaper. He also visited the library of the Cultural Branch of the Polish Embassy and got acquainted with the Polish magazines Poland and Graphic.
In 1956, he entered the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Tehran, where he studied under Ali Mohammad Heydarian, a student of Kamal-ol-Molk. At the university, he befriended artists such as Sohrab Sepehri and Parviz Kalantari, and he graduated in 1965. He then went to France for further education and received a certificate in exhibition design from the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs. During this period, he met Firoozeh Saberi, whom he married. Their marriage lasted until 1996.
Momayez began his professional career in 1958 by joining Mohammad Bahrami’s atelier, where his first commissions included cigarette packaging design and book covers. During this period, he collaborated with artists like Parviz Kalantari and Aydin Aghdashloo. After leaving Bahrami’s atelier, he worked in the advertising department of Ziba Advertising Agency, where he became acquainted with Ahmad Shamlou. After returning from France in 1968, he began teaching at the Faculty of Fine Arts and, in 1970, founded the graphic design department. In 1971, he was expelled from the university by order of SAVAK. During the 1970s, he designed posters for theater and festivals, and in 1976, he founded the Iranian Graphic Designers Syndicate.
Although he couldn’t officially establish the syndicate and the Iranian Graphic Designers Association, he organized gatherings for graphic designers in ateliers and cafes and prepared the first post-revolution pricing guidelines for graphic services. In 1986, with the suggestion of Ali Asghar Mohtaj, he launched the first biennial for graphic designers. He was appointed head of the Visual Communications department at the University of Tehran, where he invited young designers to collaborate. In the final years of his life, Morteza Momayez battled cancer and passed away on November 26, 2005. He was laid to rest in Baghban-kola Kordan, Karaj.
He created enduring works in poster design, logos, illustrations, and book and magazine covers. His most famous logos include:
- National Tea Organization of Iran (1958): A simple and beautiful design inspired by tea leaves.
- Iranian Association of Certified Accountants (1974): A monogram design using the association’s initials.
- Reza Abbasi Museum (1976): A combination of text and image, created with the help of Mohammad Ehsai and Aydin Aghdashloo.
- Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran (1985): Featuring the acronym ISIRI in a minimalist design.
- SAIPA (1987): A logo inspired by brick patterns, with a resemblance to the Mercedes-Benz logo.
- Tehran Municipality (1989): A design based on Tehran’s historic gates in the shape of a flower.
- Tehran Fire Department (1995): A controlled flame symbolizing control and power.