The 1st Illustration Exhibition opened on Friday at Shirin Art Gallery in Tehran.
"The gallery seeks to present illustration art, which dates back to ancient Persia, in an exhibition displaying 100 works by young and veteran artists," said an email from the gallery to the Financial Tribune.
Book illustration in Iran is as old as Persian painting. What is defined today as illustration – images in line with the book text - is equivalent to the paintings found in the old manuscripts and lithography books. After the emergence of the printing industry in Iran in 1817, the old ways of illustrating manuscripts gradually diminished and a new chapter opened in book production.
However, illustration in modern Iran is indebted to the founding of publications such as Franklin in 1957 and the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA) in 1964. They provided Iranian illustrators with an opportunity to take advantage of the new mediums of illustration and gain experience on creating modern works.
Gradually the artists improved and their works were introduced on a global scale. Since three decades, the popularity of Iranian illustrators has been rising globally with their works showcased in various exhibitions and winning different awards.
With their high status now, many international publishers are seeking collaboration with them.
The current show presents works of 53 artists and the galley hopes to hold the exhibit as an annual event in the future.
Artworks by Ali Akbar Sadeqi, Ali Bouzari, Firouzeh Golmohammadi, Qobad Shiva, Hassan Amekan, Kamal Tabatabaei, Lili Derakhshani, Mahkameh Shabani, Lida Motamed, Marjan Sabeti, Mohammad Ali Baniasadi, Noushin Safakhou, Sahar Azadmehr, Nouroddin Zarrin Kelk and Pejman and Peyman Rahimizadeh among others will be on view through August 17 at the location of the gallery at No. 5, 13th Alley, Sanaee St., Karimkhan-e-Zand Ave.
