Graphic Design Museum of Iran officially opened to the public in a ceremony at the Arbab Hormoz historical house on Sunday (Jan 18), in association with the Tehran Beautification Organization (TBO).
Museums are an important part of a nation’s culture where the history of the past and present are interwoven and intertwined, art deputy at the ministry of culture and Islamic guidance Ali Morad Khani said in his brief speech at the function, marked by snowfall, Mehr news agency reported.
Head of directors at Iranian Graphic Designers Society (IGDS) Ali Rashidi said the art of graphics is not only for museums and galleries. “Graphic design deals with millions of people through which social taste is improvised. This museum is not a place to merely display artworks, but to leave our illustrated history for posterity,” he observed.
The historical Arbab Hormoz “is gorgeous and contributes to the museum atmosphere,” Rashidi said explaining the building. Materialization of the long-awaited idea of a museum where artworks by experts in the past 15 years will be displayed “is a happy occasion,” he said.
The beautiful old mansion was built during the reign of the Qajar dynasty in Anari Garden (Police Park), located in the capital’s Tehran Pars neighborhood.
Rashidi also noted that the museum will host works by well-known artists Mahmoud Javadi Pour, Morteza Momayez, Ghobad Shiva, Farshid Mesghali, Ebrahim Haghighi, and other seasoned experts. The artworks will be framed and installed on special panels to prevent harming the interiors of the historical building. “We have selected 64 works by 64 artists and will add to the number gradually,” he said.
Attractions
Chairman of Tehran City Council Ahmad Masjed-Jameii said “as of today the site is placed in the list of the city’s tourist attractions.”
Head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Organization’s (ICHHTO) research center Mohammad Beheshti, managing director of TBO Jamal Kamiat, art researchers Mohammad Mohit Tabatabaii, Bahram Kalhornia, Ghobad Shiva, Majid Balouch, Farzad Adibi, Kambiz Derambakhsh, and art enthusiasts attended the ceremony.
The ceremony also provided an occasion to appreciate the work of the Arbab Hormoz historical house restoration team and Iran Graphic Committee as well as unveiling the book of artworks exhibited at the first Graphic Design Museum of Iran.
The museum’s logo was designed by Iranian calligrapher and graphic designer Mohammad Ehsaii.
