TEHRAN -- The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMCA) announced on Wednesday that it will loan a selection of its Western artworks for a show at Rome’s MAXXI Museum despite opposition from Iranian artists and art experts.

“Based on an agreement recently signed by the Iranian president and the Italian prime minister, 30 Iranian artworks and 30 art pieces by Western artists held at the TMCA will be showcased in an exhibition at Rome’s MAXXI Museum in January 2017,” the TMCA announced in a press release on Wednesday.

During a meeting held by the TMCA in late September to discuss how to loan a selection of its Western artworks to shows at Berlin’s National Gallery and Rome’s MAXXI Museum, the Iran Painters Association and a number gallery owners voiced their opposition to the TMCA’s plan.

The opponents of the plan said that the collection could be confiscated using some lame excuse. They also said that Italy and Germany may return copies of the artworks instead the originals.

TMCA Director Majid Mollanoruzi and Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic Affairs Ali Moradkhani failed to convince the opponents. 

Meanwhile, Berlin’s National Gallery has previously announced that it will organize the exhibition of TMCA’s artworks from December 2016 to February 2017.

Photo: Art fans visit the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art in a file photo.

MMS/YAW