TEHRAN -- Renowned female Iranian painter, miniaturist and writer Firoozeh Golmohammadi, at a press conference in Vienna, Austria on Friday, elaborated on the status of art in an Islamic society, saying that in such a society art is not a monopoly of men or women but that it belongs to both. Golmohammadi further touched on the differences between the Eastern and Western arts, saying that the Western art tries to draw man's attention to what is around him, but that the Eastern art helps man discover his real self.

She said that there is no limitation to women's activities in the field of art from the Islamic viewpoint. The Iranian artist further noted that miniature and painting existed in Islamic societies since the advent of Islam, adding that art stems from man's inner nature, and that inner nature is not limited to any geographical boundaries. Golmohammadi, who has so far won several prizes in the international contests in the field of paintings for children's books, is also a writer of children's books.

Her artistic works have been displayed in many countries in the Middle East, Europe and the United States. More than 50 works of modern miniature by Golmohammadi are currently on display at the UN office in Vienna.