TEHRAN – The 14th Tehran Auction has grossed 421.8 billion rials (about $1.6 million based on Iran’s free-market exchange rate: $1 = 246,000 rials).

Reza Derakhshani’s “Counting Days and Nights, Every Day and Every Night” was the most expensive work sold at the auction on Thursday as it fetched 52 billion rials (about $197,000).

The mixed media diptych painting featuring fig leaves has been created on canvas in 2017.

A total of 120 lots of modern and contemporary Iranian art were offered during the auction held at Tehran’s Parsian Azadi Hotel.

“Blue Dome I”, a mixed media on linen by Y.Z. Kami (Kamran Youssefzadeh), was the second most expensive work sold at the sale. It fetched 46 billion rials (over $174,000).

The third most expensive work sold at the sale was “We the Roses”, a painting by Farhad Moshiri, who created the artwork in 2012. It fetched 42 billion rials (over $159,000).

It was followed by “Abandoned Emperor”, an oil painting on canvas created by Vahed Khakdan in 2017, which sold for 17 billion rials (over $64,000).

The auction was organized after a 40-day hiatus due to the pandemic. However, it was held on a day that Iran reported 568 coronavirus-related deaths and recorded one of its highest daily tally of 39,049 COVID-19 infections.

The 13th Tehran Auction held on January 15 grossed about 880 billion rials (about $4 million based on Iran’s free-market exchange rate: $1 = 221,000 rials).

Photo: “Counting Days and Nights, Every Day and Every Night” by Reza Derakhshani was the most expensive work sold at the 14th Tehran Auction held on August 12, 2021, at Parsian Azadi Hotel. It fetched about $197,000.

MMS/YAW