TEHRAN-The unprecedented enthusiasm shown by visitors for the visual arts exhibition “Eye to Eye” at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMoCA) led the Deputy Minister for Artistic Affairs at the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance to approve the extension of the exhibition.

“The exhibition, which focuses on portraiture in modern art, has attracted significant public attention. In recent days, long queues formed on Kargar Street for tickets to the exhibition. This prompted us to extend it for one more week,” Nadereh Rezai, the Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic Affairs who authorized the extension, explained.

The exhibition was basically planned to run until November 17; however, the one-week extension allows art enthusiasts to visit the museum until November 24, ISNA reported.

Curated by Jamal Arabzadeh, a faculty member of the University of Art, the exhibition is organized with a research and educational approach. 

This exhibition, referring to certain concepts involved in portraiture, showcases a selection of portrait works from modern and contemporary Iranian and international art, belonging to the collections of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art.

Highlighting the audience's interest in the museum's treasured collection, Rezai said: “Fans of visual arts are always eager to see works from the museum’s collection. Our aim is to organize multiple exhibitions with a research-oriented and artistic approach, exploring themes of contemporary art. These efforts will undoubtedly appeal to both artists and lovers of contemporary art”.

The “Eye to Eye” exhibition showcases 120 works by 43 Iranian and 53 international artists from the museum's collection.  The artists include Francis Bacon, Toulouse-Lautrec, Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Andy Warhol, Alberto Giacometti, James Ensor, Édouard Manet, Jim Dine, Robert Rauschenberg, Fernand Léger, Joan Miró, Kamal-ol-Molk, Bahman Mohasses, Marco Grigorian, Mahmoud Javadipur, Ahmad Esfandiari, Jazeh Tabatabai, Kambiz Derambakhsh, Gholamhossein Nami, Mehdi Sahabi, Farshid Maleki, and Kourosh Golnari among others.

Jamal Arabzadeh is an Iranian researcher and curator specializing in modern and contemporary art. He has contributed to various projects with an educational and research-based approach, aiming to bridge local and global art. 

Arabzadeh’s work spans fields such as art history and cultural studies, and his innovative curatorial perspective enhances public understanding and appreciation of contemporary art. 

Established in 1977, the TMoCA has more than 4,000 items that include 19th and 20th century’s world-class Iranian, European and American paintings, prints, drawings and sculptures. Being the biggest collection of western art in the eastern world, it includes works from almost all artistic periods and movements.

The museum was designed by Iranian architect Kamran Diba who employed elements from traditional Persian architecture. The building itself can be regarded as an example of contemporary art, in a style of an underground Guggenheim Museum. Most of the museum area is located underground with a circular walkway that spirals downwards with galleries branching outwards. Western sculptures by artists such as Ernst, Giacometti, Magritte and Moore can be found in the museum's gardens.

SS/SAB