TEHRAN – The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMCA) has unveiled seven books, five of which illustrate the masterpieces from world-renown artists the major art center of the country preserves.

“A Selection of World’s Artworks of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art” is one of the books of the collection unveiled on Monday in a special meeting attended by Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic Affairs Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini, Visual Arts Office director Hadi Mozaffari, and TMCA director Ehsan Aqai, the TMCA announced.

Published in 390 pages, this book covers the paintings and sculptures of the museum.

“A Selection of World’s Prints of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art” is another book, which has been published in 455 pages.

“A Selection of World’s Photographs of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art”, another book of the collection, features photos by prominent photographers of the world.

The TMCA preserves a large collection of works by American artist Andy Warhol, who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art.

His artworks have been published in a book entitled “Persona”. A number of his works were showcased in an exhibition of the same title at the museum in June.

Another book entitled “Souvenir” pays tribute to Iranian artist Manijeh Miremadi, who had donated a collection of her paintings to the museum.

Her collection was showcased in an exhibition as part of a program the TMCA set up in June to reopen after an extensive restoration that lasted over two years.

The TMCA has recorded the process of the restoration in another book.

Another book of the collection was a copy of The Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasb, one of the rare copies of Persian poet Ferdowsi. The museum collected copies of folios of the edition preserved at museums across the world. 

The TMCA director said that the book is the most complete copy of the Shahnameh ever published in Iran.

The Shahnama of Shah Tahmasp is arguably the most important and beautifully illustrated version ever produced.

It was created by two generations of the most renowned early-16th-century artists at the royal atelier in Tabriz, the first capital of the Safavid dynasty. 

Characterized by calligraphy, painting, and illuminations of exquisite quality and artistic originality, the volume is considered one of the highest achievements in the arts of the book.

After its creation, this copy traveled through several royal collections until it was broken up and dispersed in the 20th century.

Photo: Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art director Ehsan Aqai (L), Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic Affairs Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini (C), and Visual Arts Office director Hadi Mozaffari hold copies of books unveiled at the TMCA on August 30, 2021. (TMCA) 

MMS