Works by Iranian modern art pioneers on display at Tehran exhibit

TEHRAN -- An exhibition displaying works by a number of Iranian modern art pioneers opened at Tehran’s Shokuh Gallery on Friday.

 

Paintings by the Qajar era artists Mohammad Ghaffari, who was known as Kamalomolk, and Mohammad Mirza Abolhassan Khan Ghaffari Kashani, who was known as Saniolmolk, are among the 41 works showcased at the exhibit.

 

The collection also contains works by painters Ali Rokhsaz, Jabbar Beik, Jafar Ruhbakhsh, Abdi Asbaqi, Abbas Katuzain, Mahmud Javadipur, Hossein Hamedani, Ali-Akbar Sanati and a number of other artists.

 

“Although it is difficult to collect works by artists who are not among us anymore, I want to familiarize art fans and young artists with the roots of contemporary Iranian painting,” curator Behnush Forutan said during the opening ceremony of the exhibit.

 

“Three works by Kamalomolk and outstanding paintings by his pupils have been selected for the exhibition. It also showcases works by succeeding generations, which represented traces of artistic development in the country,” she added.

 

Forutan said that the exhibition could be more comprehensive if the gallery did not face space limitations.

 

A number of artists and art critics also attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition.

 

“Kamalomolk, Saniolmolk, and many of the artists, whose works are on display at this exhibition, are irreplaceable in Iranian art,” painter and critic Vahideddin Moini said.

 

“Works by these artists should be kept at museums. The museums should allocate funds to purchase such artworks from private collectors in order to preserve them for future generations,” he added.

 

The exhibition runs until January 23 at the gallery located at 19 Amir Nuri Alley, Salimi St., off Andarzgu Blvd., in the Farmanieh neighborhood.

 

 

MMS/YAW

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