The exhibition ‘170 Years of Reading One Thousand and One Nights’ has issued a call for submission of works by professional and amateur illustrators on the theme of the book, by December 22 to the exhibition secretariat.
Popularly known as ‘Arabian Nights’, the book is a collection of Middle East and South Asian stories and folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age (from the 8th to the 13th century).
The work was collected over the centuries by authors, translators, and scholars across West, Central, and South Asia and North Africa. The tales themselves trace their roots back to ancient and medieval Arabic, Persian, Mesopotamian, Indian and Egyptian folklore and literature.
Some of the stories are widely recognized in the world, in particular ‘Aladdin’s Lamp’, ‘Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves’ and ‘The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor’.
Secretary of the event Ali Buzari said, “This year marks the 170th anniversary of the translation of the book into Persian by Mirza Abdul-Latif Tasuji and hence the exhibition,” Mehr News Agency quoted him as saying.
“The book is full of moral lessons and contains symbolic narratives of the stories of animals and strange creatures. It has always been a rich source of visualization, imagination and inspired artists in different fields.”
With respect to the national impact of the book, the Cultural & Artistic Society of Iranian Illustrators in collaboration with Iran Book House plan to hold an exhibition of illustrations on the stories in the book, Buzari said.
The program seeks to introduce the book to adults and young adults. “In addition, it aims to provide a platform for sharing experience between skilled artists and the new talent,” he added.
The best works, selected by a five-member jury of professional illustrators, will be awarded. The exhibition will open on February 25 at Saba Art Gallery in Tehran.
