Babak Roshaninejad of Assar Art Gallery featured in Aesthetica Magazine

Aesthetica Magazine's established Artists' Directory is a community for those who want to make connections with international private and public collectors, dealers, gallerists and those with a professional interest in art.

Omid Tehrani's Interview on ArtNet - 2016

artnet Asks: Omid Tehrani on Iranian Art

If you're looking to enter the Iranian art market, Omid Tehrani is your man.

As one of Iran’s major art world figures, Omid Tehrani is dedicated to advancing and promoting the best of Iranian Modern and contemporary art to both a national and international audience. As the founder, co-owner, and director of Tehran’s Assar Art Gallery, he is also a specialized dealer who has assisted many new collectors in entering the exciting Iranian art market. During his 20-year career, Mr. Tehrani has collected and presented some of the country’s most important artists and archives in a variety of major private and public institutions.

Under his direction, Assar Art Gallery mounts unforgettable exhibitions by some of the country’s most exciting established and emerging artists. Be sure not to miss the upcoming solo presentation of Iman Afsarian, one of Iran’s most celebrated still-life painters, opening on September 23.

Tell us about your background in art and what led you here.
I was raised in a family of collectors and began collecting myself at the age of 17. At the time, I was also painting and studying painting and thought of selling my own work, but gradually I realized I am a much better dealer than an artist. I was very much encouraged and inspired by one of Iran’s legendary gallerists and a dealer for over 50 years, the late Mrs. Seyhoun, and began working for a private gallery in Tehran. Later opened my own gallery.

What type of art does your gallery focus on?
Assar Art Gallery is focused on Iranian contemporary art and represents 11 mid-career painters and sculptures. All the artists working with us began as emerging artists with the gallery and have grown with us over the years, so the collaboration is close and very special.

As a dealer, however, I deal both Iranian Modern and contemporary art and I have so far created over 20 extensive and important collections.

Tell us about your first show. Was there a particular moment, good or bad that was memorable for you?
I organized and held my first show back in 1999. I gathered works by a generation of artists who had stopped being active or present in Iran’s art scene after the revolution and war. I was new in the art scene back then so it was very challenging to be trusted to gather the 30 artworks from private collectors and the artists for the show.

It was a proud feeling to see so many visitors, collectors, journalists, and others coming to see the works of their favorite Iranian masters all under the same roof. The exhibition got a vast media coverage and became a hit.

How did you settle on your specialty, and what makes your gallery unique? What is the most challenging part of running a gallery?
I think persistence and belief settled me in this career. I’ve never been interested in controversial art or what is fashionable and short-lived. What makes Assar unique is its dedication to the art is specialized in—the type of art it presents and the utter care and dedication that goes into its exhibition.

The most challenging part of this business is to maintain a reasonable market and to attract and gain the trust of collectors with your advice.

How do you select the artists you represent? When does your personal taste play a role in your selection?
It’s 90 percent my personal taste. I follow artists I like and look carefully at what they do for years before inviting them for an exhibition as my guest artists. When I am confident I can promote and invest in them, I choose them as my representing artists. Of course, I always have the ups and downs of the market in mind throughout the process.

Where are most of your buyers from? Which countries?
Most of our buyers are Iranians around the world. We also have European and regional clients, and also have collectors from around the world who follow us at auctions in London and Dubai and the art fairs we participate in.

What is your next important show? Tell us why we should come.
Iman Afsarian’s exhibition opening on September 23 is a long-planned and highly anticipated exhibition. It takes a long time for each of Iman’s paintings to be completed, so there is always a long waiting list for the acquisition of his works. Afsarian is considered one of the most unique and special Iranian painters at work today, and it’s always an overwhelming experience being exposed to his subtle and powerful works. I am sure many are waiting to see his new series.

What advice can you give to a first-time collector?
Carefully look and study what you love and be knowledgeable about what you like to acquire. Trust your eye and your taste, and always have a specialized advisor.

For collectors specifically interested in investing in Iranian art, my advice is to buy from Iranian Modern artists who have established records and rising prices and gradually get into Iranian contemporary art.

If you were not an art dealer, what would you be doing?
I would still be an art dealer!

Open Call - 2016

فراخوان گالری اثر

بدینوسیله به اطلاع می رساند گالری اثر در نظر دارد تا در اسفندماه ۱۳۹۵ نمایشی گروهی از آثار نقاشی ده نفر از هنرمندان جوان ۲۵ تا ۳۵ سال را در محل گالری اثر برگزار کند. متقاضیان شرکت در این نمایش می توانند آثار مورد نظر خود را از یکشنبه ۷ شهریور تا شنبه ۱ آبان ماه به نشانی گالری: خیابان کریم خان زند، خیابان ایرانشهر، کوی برفروشان، پلاک ۱۶ از یکشنبه تا پنجشنبه از ساعت ۱۱ صبح الی ۸ بعد از ظهر ارسال نمایند

لازم است مطالب ارسالی به شکل دیجیتال روی یو اس بی و به شرح و ترتیب زیر آماده شوند. آثاری که خارج از فرمت قید شده آماده یا پس از موعد مقرر دریافت شوند مورد بررسی قرار نخواهند گرفت

پس از بررسی آثار ارسالی، تنها با هنرمندانی که آثارشان پذیرفته شود تا ۱۵ آذرماه تماس گرفته خواهد شد. مطالب ارسالی باز پس داده نخواهند شد

:نحوه و ترتیب ارسال مطالب

رزومه کامل شامل ۱) نام ، نام خانوادگی ۲) تاریخ تولد کامل ۳) نشانی محل سکونت۴) تلفن تماس ۵)  لیست نمایش های انفرادی یا گروهی با ذکر نام گالری برگزار کننده، (تایپ شده، فایل پی دی اف

تصاویر حداقل یک دوره و حداکثر سه دوره کاری

حداقل عرض تصاویر آثار مورد نظر باید ۳۰ سانتیمتر و رزولوشن آن ۳۰۰ دی پی آی ، حتما در فورمت جی پگ باشند

هر تصویر باید با مشخصات زیر کپشن شود

نام اثر و نام مجموعه، تکنیک، ابعاد، تاریخ اثر

Assar Art Gallery Chairing a Panel Discussion in Istanbul, 30 Sep. 2015

Press Release
Collecting Iranian Art - Panel discussion at St. Regis Hotel, Istanbul
Astor Ballroom, St. Regis Hotel, Sisli, Istanbul, Turkey
Wednesday September 30, 2015, 18:30 – 21:00
By invitation only


As part of Contemporary Talks organized by the Contemporary Istanbul, a panel discussion on Collecting Iranian Art will be held on Wednesday 30th of September 2015 at Istanbul’s St. Regis Hotel.
The Panel discussion includes the artist and writer, Behzad Khosravi Noori, gallerist and curator Nazila Noebashari and collector Saeed Kouros.   The discussion will be chaired by Maryam Majd, an academic, research curator and co-director of Tehran’s Assar Art Gallery.
In this program, after an introduction on the historic cultural links between Iran and Turkey by Maryam Majd, Behzad Khosravi will focus on the history and trends of collecting Iranian art by patrons, collectors and institute of art, Saeed Kouros will talk about the cultural importance and background of collecting in Iran and Nazila Noebashari will discuss Iranian art’s market, the effects of regional auction houses on the trends of this market and the importance of investment, cultural exchange and global connections.
This year, the 10th edition of Contemporary Istanbul is organized and held with a special focus on Iran.  The special section of the fair entitled ‘Contemporary Tehran’ will showcase a cutting-edge selection of contemporary Iranian art presented by four of Tehran’s outstanding galleries; Aaran Gallery, Assar Art Gallery, Shirin Gallery and the emerging Dastan’s Basement Gallery. In the Plugin section of the art fair dedicated to new media, Lajevardi Foundation represent work of Iranian new and digital media.
This event is sponsored by AKBank Sanat.
About the panelists:
Saeed Kouros
Saeed Kouros (b. 1942) is a collector and painter.  He comes from a family of prominent collectors focused on the arts of the Safavid, Zand,and Ghajar eras.  Following the tradition of his family, he himself is a devoted collector of Islamic and Persian art and from ten years ago has also focused on adding Iranian modern and contemporary art to his private and expanding collection.
Nazila Noebashari
Nazila Noebashari is the founder and curator of Aaran Gallery.  Her gallery concentrates on Iran’s contemporary art and presents regular exhibitions of works by prominent young and emerging artists, some of whom have since gained recognition at home and around the world.  She has been an avid collector for the past 25 years, collecting mainly contemporary Iranian art and has a special interest and focus on Iranian literature.  Second branch of her gallery has recently been opened in Tehran.
Behzad Khosravi Noori
Behzad Khosravi Noori (b.1975) is an artist/write based in Tehran and Stockholm.  His artistic praxis takes a critical view of social, political and cultural issues, by continually juxtaposing the relationship between art and politics. He has been teaching in various art universities in Tehran and Sweden, and has written and published numerous art criticism pieces on art. He holds a PhD candidate position at Konstfack department of Fine arts & School of Architecture KTH in Stockholm, Sweden.
 

 
 
 
Contact
For further press information contact: Leila Sajjadi
Email: Leila.sajjadi@assarartgallery.com
or
Visit: www.contemporaryistanbul.com
 
 
 
 
 

Babak Roshaninejad, Painter of the Mundane

Participation of two of Assar Art Gallery’s artists at the 56th Edition of Venice Biennale

Assar Art Gallery is proud to announce participation of two of its in house artists, Samira Alikhanzadeh and Ahmad Morshedloo, in the Iranian Pavilion at the 56^th International Venice Art Biennale that runs from 9^th May – 22^nd November 2015.

Curated by Marco Meneguzzo and Mazdak Faiznia, the Iranian Pavilion consists of two separate exhibitions, Iranian Highlights that presents five works by five Iranian artists of all generations representing decades of Iranian modern and contemporary art, and, The Great Game, including work of 50 artists - a project inspired to examine the geopolitical struggle for power between a range of countries that have been closely linked together in the region through centuries by history and culture.

Ahmad Morshedloo, a well established and one of Iran’s most celebrated contemporary artists, is known for his special focus on social issues, his large-scale pen illustrations and his courageous portrayal of the contemporary Iran’s social dilemmas.

Samira Alikhanzadeh, also a well known and one the most sought after Iranian artists of her generation is known for how she links present and past, her feminine subjects and her use of tradition craftworks in a modern context to express her nostalgia towards her heritage.

About Assar Art Gallery: Assar started exhibiting and promoting Iranian art in 1999 in Tehran.  Through its regular exhibitions, the gallery showcases the very best of Iranian art and is dedicated to quality conservation, archiving and publication and has been actively supporting and sponsoring various related projects. The gallery is a regular presence in international artistic arenas and has a long list of collaboration and projects with various different institutes and cultural centres in Iran and around the world.

The Iranian Pavilion is located at Calle San Giovanni 1074/B, Cannaregio. The preview will take place on Tuesday, 5 May at 6 PM. The exhibition opening will be held on Wednesday, 6 May 2015 at 6 PM.

Two of Mehran Danaie's Linocut prints available for sale

Two 21x16cm black and white Linocut prints in an edition of 30, all signed by the artist, are now available at the gallery.

For further information please call us at +98(21)88 32 66 89 or send email to info@assarartgallery.com.

Enigma by Roxana Manouchehri at the Kevin Kavanagh Gallery in Dublin 5 December 2013 - 11 January 2014

Kevin Kavanagh gallery in collaboration with Assar Art Gallery presents Enigma by Roxana Manouchehri

View catalogue

Leonardo da Vinci, the original Renaissance man, was a prolific polymath whose enduring contributions to contemporary world culture, half a millennium after his death, include the most famous portrait ever painted, the Mona Lisa, and the most widely reproduced religious painting of all time, The Last Supper. His drawing of Vitruvian Man, c.1490, aspired to transcend the limitations of history and geography altogether, disregarding ethnic difference and other divisive factors, including gender, in pursuit of a universally valid depiction of ideal human proportions.
All of which makes Leonardo the perfect to Roxana Manouchehri’s latest investigation into the many ways in which aspects of identity and vectors of identification may be coded in contemporary art.  Born and raised in Iran, Manouchehri has led a peripatetic life since graduating from the Art University of Tehran, spending a significant period of time in South Korea before moving to Ireland some years ago. An early admiration for Leonardo, the byproduct of a cosmopolitan upbringing, informs this new suite of paintings, which she disarmingly describes as ‘my own detailed, monochromatic versions of ten Da Vinci portraits’. Her selection wisely avoids the iconic images already mentioned in favour of somewhat lesser known works, whose delicate balance of familiarity and mystery, of precise detail and nebulous sfumato, best suits her concerns.  The paradox inherent to the figure of Leonardo, the contrast between the inexorable logic of the pioneering scientist and the enigma of the archetypal artist, is astutely reflected in the combination of up-to-date digital manipulation and old-school painterly execution by which she has generated these ghostly shades of Da Vinci’s five hundred year-old originals.
This, however, is only half the story. For each of these ten paintings is encased in a thin box-frame with mirrored sides, while the glass panel through which we view the painted image is adorned with one of a selection of geometric patterns, each derived from a specific precedent in the rich history of Islamic decorative art and architecture. In this meticulous mélange of disparate cultures one might expect the Da Vinci borrowings to prove overpowering, yet this is not the case. Far from usurping their Near Eastern settings, these spectres from the canon of European art history, trapped within their bespoke gilded cages, appear to shimmer and shrink from view behind the lattice of shadows cast across their painted surfaces.  At once seductive and frustrating, these incarcerated images somehow evade visual capture, no matter how we shift our position and manouevre our perspective in order to see them properly. Clearly, we are dealing with no simple binary opposition between East and West, but something more complex.  

Caoimhín Mac Giolla Léith

Roxana Manouchehri currently resides and works in Dublin, Ireland. She has held several solo exhibitions in Iran and South Korea and has participated in numerous group shows worldwide.  In 2012, she received the Royal Hibernian Academy Award in Dublin and the Visual Art Full Stipend Award for an art residency in Barcelona.

For more information on the artist, please click here.

The Culture Trip Feature

Assar Art Gallery is excited to announce its feature on The Culture Trip website.

A books and films selling site of mostly unknown writers and directors across cultures and continents, it also offers useful information for travelers and those interested in the art and culture of the world.

Assar’s feature in the site’s “Iran Galleries and Museums” section, is linked to the gallery’s website and contains a short biography of the gallery along with up to date information of its current exhibition.

Roxana Manouchehri, Winner of the 2012 Full Stipend Award

We are pleased to announce that Roxana Manouchehri, one of Assar’s represented artists has been selected as the winner of the 2012 Visual Art Full Stipend Award at Can Serrat.  Can Serrat, founded in 1988 by a group of 12 Norwegian artists is located on Montserrat Natural Park, just 45 km outside Barcelona.  The mission of Can Serrat is to create an exciting working and living space, free of the usual demands of daily life for artists from all around the world. For more information about Can Serrat, you may visit: http://www.canserrat.org/ and to read their feature on their site, please click here.

Talking in Silence, Samira Alikhanzadeh's solo exhibition at Artspace Dubai

We are delighted to announce that Art Space and Harper's Bazar will host a solo exhibition of works by one of Assar's represented artists, Samira Alikhanzadeh.  The exhibition will showcase works from her most recent series, Memory of ..., along with works from her other series.  The exhibition will start on June 26th and will continue through July 28th. 
For more information, you may contact the gallery directly at info@artspace-london.com.

3 of Ghassem Hajizadeh's Works Offered as Limited Edition Prints

Assar Art Gallery is pleased to announce its collaboration with Tirgun Image Works in its limited edition print production of 3 of Ghassem Hajizadeh's works.
The prints are on Hahnemuhle Fine Art Pearl paper and autographed by the artist.

Qajar Music Troupe, 62x46.7 cm, edition of 40, 2012
Untitled from the Family series, 69x46.7 cm, edition of 40, 2012
Eshqi Music Troupe from Bijarpas, 75x84 cm, edition of 20, 2012

For further information, please contact us at info@assarartgallery.com.

Assar and Aaran to Support Omid e Mehr 2 - 6 February 2012

Assar Art Gallery is pleased to announce its collaboration with Aaran Art Gallery to support the Omid-e-Mehr foundation in Tehran. 
The current exhibition is a selection of works by Iranian contemporary artists who have generously donated their works to the foundation.
The exhibition will run from Thursday, February 2, 2012 (private view) to Sunday, February 6, 2012 at Assar Art Gallery.
Omid-e-Mehr's mission is to strengthen the social, emotional and economic competencies of disadvantaged young women (aged 15-25) in Iran, providing them with a sense of self-empowerment, education and training.
In Omid's center in Tehran, these young women are offered a welcoming and containing social environment, psychological and personal development through therapeutic intervention and workshops, socail and recreational activities to facilitate social integration and readjustment, structured educational and vocational training and job placement.
The proceeds from this exhibition will be used to further the mission of the foundation.

View catalogue
http://omid-e-mehr.org/