TEHRAN- A group exhibition titled "Phoenix of Quds," commemorating the 40th day of the martyrdom of the leader of the Lebanese resistance group Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and honoring the martyrs of resistance, was inaugurated at the Abolfazl Aali Gallery of the Art Bureau in Tehran on Monday.

The opening ceremony was attended by several cultural officials and artists, including Mohammad-Mehdi Dadman, director of the Art Bureau, and Mohammad Zarui Nasrabad, the director of the Visual Arts Center of the Art Bureau, along with other participants.

This exhibition showcases works by artists including Mehdi Farokhi, Nasser Seifi, Hossein Esmati, Mohammad-Reza Miri, Abdolhamid Qadirian, Sediqeh Salman, Mohammad-Ali Naderi, Ali Bahreini, Seyyed Ali Mirfatah, Mohammad-Reza Doost Mohammadi, and Masoud Nejabati.

In a statement penned by Nasser Seifi, he expresses: "The resistance front has depicted and generalized a continuous duty from the uprising of Imam Hossein (AS) to this day, aiming for the destruction of tyrants and oppressors. In the era of Imam Khomeini, we witness a vast horizon opening in the realm of the comprehensive fight against the contemporary Satan. The field of resistance has become a magnificent display of faith, jihad, and martyrdom—three components of strength ingrained within the hearts and minds of the world’s faithful."

He continues, "In this arena, both young and old, men and women are united in their determination to expel the tyrants from the realms of light and monotheism, sacrificing everything they have for this noble cause. The killing of children and infants is a testament to the fury and animosity of the racist progeny of the devil against the ancient and natural doctrines of jihad and resistance, along with their emergent manifestations on today’s extensive fronts. By divine command and will, victory and salvation will belong to the believers and the oppressed of the world."

Speaking at the ceremony, Seyyed Shahabedin Shakiba, the artistic director of the "Phoenix of Quds," discussed the inspiration behind the exhibition: "From the very night of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's martyrdom, Ali Bahreini, a passionate painter, created a piece for the Art Bureau that became the cornerstone of this exhibition. Gradually, other artists began contributing their works, which were then added to the ‘Phoenix of Quds’ collection."

He explained that the exhibition features 16 illustrative pieces, 10 paintings, and one drawing, stating, " Mohammad Reza Doost Mohammadi created the illustrative works using the typography of Masoud Nejabati, while these illustrations were drawn over the last 40 days, incorporating every Iranian commander and member of Hezbollah who was martyred into this collection.”

“In addition, one drawing and 10 paintings from artists such as Ali Bahreini, Abdolhamid Qadirian, Seyyed Ali Mirfatah, Nasser Seifi, Hossein Esmati, Mehdi Farokhi, Seyyed Mohammad Reza Miri, Sediqeh Salman, and Mohammad Ali Naderi are also on display."

Shakiba noted the positive feedback from the "Phoenix of Quds" collection, mentioning that the set of illustrated works featuring the martyrs was shared with friends in Hezbollah in Lebanon before the exhibition began, who welcomed it enthusiastically and even requested the open layers to publish in their media outlets. Thus, simultaneously with the exhibition's opening, these works are also being disseminated in Lebanon.

The exhibition will run for one month and may feature artworks for sale to assist the people of Gaza and Lebanon, with the possibility of additional pieces being added, he noted. 

For his part, Zarui Nasrabad emphasized the swift response of visual artists to current events and the organization of this exhibition: "As cultural and artistic managers, we express our gratitude for the sense of responsibility displayed by these artists. We strive to create spaces like the ‘Phoenix of Quds’ exhibition for them to showcase their works and, as far as we can, provide them with tools and platforms for their creation and presentation."

The "Phoenix of Quds" group exhibition will be open until December 10.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, a formidable Arab leader in West Asia, has made an indelible impact on contemporary Lebanon, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the broader region. He was tragically killed at the age of 64 during a series of intense Israeli airstrikes in southern Beirut on September 27. 

Under Nasrallah's leadership, whose name means "victory through God," Hezbollah evolved from a grassroots armed movement into the largest political party in Lebanon's recent history. Renowned for his captivating speeches, Nasrallah garnered attention throughout the West Asia and beyond, establishing himself as a significant figure within the Axis of Resistance, which includes Hezbollah, the Palestinian groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the Houthi movement in Yemen, and various Iraqi paramilitary factions.

SAB/