Born in Tehran, Iran, in 1977, Abbas Akhavan immigrated to Canada with his family during the Iran-Iraq war. He pursued his formal art education in Canada, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Concordia University in 2004 and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of British Columbia in 2006. His practice emerged from this academic foundation, leading to a career defined by international exhibitions across North America, Europe, and the Middle East.

Akhavan works across a diverse range of media, including sculpture, video, and performance, often creating works that respond directly to the specific sites where they are installed. His projects frequently explore themes of domesticity, hospitality, and the tension between public and private spaces. By utilizing the environment as a primary material, he challenges viewers to reconsider the historical and social contexts of the spaces they inhabit.

The artist has received significant recognition for his contributions to contemporary art, including the Kunstpreis Berlin in 2012, the Abraaj Group Art Prize in 2014, and the Sobey Art Award in 2015. His work continues to be featured in major international art fairs and institutional exhibitions, maintaining his status as a prominent figure in the global contemporary art scene.