Art is what keeps culture, history, and identity of a country alive, but if art is to survive, the economics of art, as its fundamental pillar, must be seriously taken into account, said head of Tehran Municipality Art and Cultural Organization Mahmoud Salahi, at the 7th ceremony to select the organization's top galleries on Sunday (June 7).
Salahi pointed to Iran as an ancient cradle of civilization which has "undoubtedly played a crucial role in the development of art throughout history," said a press release.
Iran's history is abundant in prominent artists whose works have formed a vast treasury in different fields of art. "We are proud of the so many names which have shone in different parts of Iran at different times; however, we should be kinder to our living artists and value them and not just honor them when they are gone".
He criticized the approach toward artists. Only the cream of the art world is seen and no attention to the rest is paid. All the renowned artists have started from a point. "We should classify artists and honor them based on their age and level of work," Salahi said. Education and awareness, as in every other field, is essential for families so that art finds a place in people's heart.
Not Enough
On the importance of both quality and quantity of art he said, "A total area of 5,000 sq m for galleries in Tehran does not seem enough; 34 cultural centers for such a vast population and megalopolis is not a big number. We need to move forward and improve both qualitatively and quantitatively."
Emphasizing on the economic aspect of art, he said, "we need stores to sell artistic and cultural works; we have to encourage people to buy original artworks; artists make a living through sales of their works and we need to provide them support through purchase and showcasing of their artworks."
Owners of the 9 top galleries were honored and the last work of the veteran calligrapher Ali Shirazi was unveiled. The 2m by 2m acrylic artwork depicts names of Shia Imams in turquoise.
Shirazi was born in Shiraz, Iran in 1959. Among his teachers were two of the best-known contemporary calligraphers Mo'in Isfahani and Gholam-Hossein Amirkhani.
He has held numerous national and international exhibitions. He teaches at the Society of Calligraphers in Tehran and Isfahan and at the Academy of Art in Tehran. He has published several books on calligraphy as well.
Tehran Municipality Art and Cultural Organization owns several cultural centers, cineplexes, libraries, art galleries, and museums in all the 22 districts of the capital city.
