“100 Works, 100 Artists” sells 38 artworks on opening day
Tehran Times Art Desk

TEHRAN -- Tehran’s Golestan Gallery, offering an impressive range of paintings, sculptures and calligraphy, sold 38 pieces of artwork on the opening day of the 18th edition of “100 Works, 100 Artists”.

Led by Sohrab Sepehri’s pen and ink cock priced at 1.28 billion rials (about $128,000), the expo opened Friday displaying 250 items by 191 artists.

The price of Sepehri’s pen and ink artwork was previously reported 1.2 billion rials (about $120,000) in a press release from the Public Relations Office of the gallery last week.

“Three different bidders have expressed their interest in purchasing the painting by Sohrab. The owner would give no discount, but would only provide some accomodations for the bidder,” gallery director Leili Golestan said in a press release on Saturday.

Packed with guests and visitors, artworks by youth were sold beside those by veterans on the first day, having left a good impression on the youth, Golestan said, adding, “This is exactly what I intended to happen.”

Abbas Kiarostami’s colored pencil drawing was sold to an unknown bidder on the telephone valued 100 million rials (about $10,000).

Other expensive work sold on the first day was a sculpture by Nadereh Hakim-Elahi at the price 35m rials (about $3,500). A painting by Mohammad-Ebrahim Jafari was also sold at 25m rials (about $2,500).

The gallery spent a busy night reaching a new sales record for the past 20 years. The exhibit is taking place from July 30 to August 13 at the gallery located at 42 Kamasaii St. in the Darus neighborhood.

Photo: People visit the “100 Works, 100 Artists” exhibit after the opening ceremony at Tehran’s Golestan Gallery on July 30, 2010. (ISNA/Ruhollah Vahdati)

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