TEHRAN – Insects seen on a rare photo by German conceptual photographer Hilla Becher on display at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMCA) has sparked a social media frenzy.

A video, which went viral on Sunday, shows two silverfish underneath the glass of a frame for the photo.

Silverfish are among the species of insects that love moisture. They require extremely high amounts of moisture and humidity to survive.

In posts published on social media, Iranian cultural activists have expressed their concern over the issue.

The Persian service of ISNA covered the news in a report titled “Insects infest Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art”.

“Last night, my colleagues carried out the necessary investigations. Field investigations have been conducted and for further investigation, an expert from the outside is coming; no worries,” TMCA director Ebadreza Eslami told ISNA.

However, he added, “We ourselves have a number of concerns. Last night when we were collecting the works from the exhibition to rectify the situation, we decided to consult with experts from outside the museum, because when we find a single insect we must presume that there are more of them.”

He denied any allegation that the insects have caused damage to the artworks.

Eslami said that Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic Affairs Mahmud Salari voiced his concern over the incident.

Photos by Hilla Becher, well known for her industrial photographs, or typologies, are part of a collection of rarely-seen artworks of minimalism and conceptual art on view in an exhibition at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art.

Earlier in March, the museum also suffered a severe blow after a thespian slightly damaged an artwork named “Oil Pool” by mistake during his performance.

The solo performance entitled “Cat of the Silk Road” was put on by Yasser Khaseb as part of a program for the opening ceremony of the Panj Ganj Exhibition organized to commemorate Iranian poet Nezami Ganjavi.

During the performance, Kahseb’s body was suspended by a belt over Japanese artist Noriyuki Haraguchi’s “Oil Pool” and a part of it was immersed in the artwork’s oil, some of which dripped on the floor.

Located in a hall of the museum, “Oil Pool” is a sculpture featuring a large metal container filled with used engine oil.

Haraguchi executed the artwork at the museum in 1977 after creating several editions across the world, including the one set up at “Documenta 6” in the German city of Kassel.

Photo: Two silverfish can be seen on a photo by German conceptual photographer Hilla Becher at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art.

MMS/YAW