TEHRAN- The Cosmoscow contemporary art fair concluded in Moscow, Russia, on Sunday, marking a significant first opportunity for the public to engage with modern Iranian art.

The exhibition featured a special Persian section showcasing 59 paintings and nine art objects from 50 Iranian artists.

These works were brought to the Russian capital by four prominent Iranian galleries: Artibition A Gallery, Artibition B Gallery, Bashgah Gallery, Nian Art Gallery, and NAM Art Gallery.

Iranian galleries have long fostered collaborations with countries across the West Asia, and their participation in Cosmoscow signals a new initiative to connect with Russian collectors and the local art community. 

The fair, which brought together over 1,500 works from 91 galleries, represented a significant milestone for Iranian artists as they sought to penetrate the Russian market.

Masoud Ahmadvand, the cultural attaché of the Iranian Embassy in Russia, emphasized that the primary aim of the Persian section was to highlight the broad range of genres, themes, and motifs that characterize Iranian art.

"The variability of the Iranian art scene is our distinctive feature. Iranian artists have earned national and international recognition due to their critical approaches and their skill in blending religious motifs and traditions with contemporary cultural influences," he said.

Among the standout pieces was a striking work by artist Maryam Abedi, who utilizes strips of traditional Iranian fabric in her geometric monochrome canvases that pay homage to Mesopotamian architecture. Another notable piece was "Endless Prayers (Rumi) I" by YZ Kami (Kamran Yousefzadeh), which creatively incorporates excerpts from Rumi's poetry to evoke the shape of a mosque dome.

Collectors were particularly drawn to Reza Derakhshani’s work from the "Hunting" series, where the artist embodied rhythm and movement through traditional royal horseback hunting scenes. Visitors also admired Timo Nasseri's "Peony," which reinterprets Iranian architecture and calligraphy, resonating with audiences familiar with the kinetic works of Russian artist Francisco Infante.

The Persian art exhibition at Cosmoscow was made possible through the support of the Kulturing Russian, which is dedicated to nurturing cultural dialogue between Russia and Iran.

In summer, Muscovites had the opportunity to explore works by emerging Iranian artists at the Moscow Academy of Watercolor and Fine Arts of Sergey Andriyaka, part of the Iran-Russia Creative Festival "Patterns of Friendship." This exhibition will now travel to Saint Petersburg at Tsarskoye Selo, followed by appearances in Sochi and several cities in Iran, including Shiraz, Tehran, and Isfahan.

Photo: Reza Derakhshani’s work from the "Hunting" series

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