Newsha Tavakolian: I am Eve

Artsy: Despite its very unique and challenging sociopolitical position, Iran can arguably be considered one of the most prolific and progressive countries when it comes to art. The country’s recent history is filled with artists seeking to create a visual language that is native yet modern.

Iranian art has often been associated with visual poetry, subtlety of expression, and penetrating intelligence. During the past four decades of post-revolution, Iranian contemporary artists inside the country and of its diaspora have been using the power of art to break conventions, pierce through stereotypes, and critically examine and challenge their own society and the world more broadly.

Today, Iran’s contemporary art scene is shifting dramatically. A new generation of Iranian artists are eagerly working to make a new impression. Now, more than any other moment in history, Iranian artists are developing a universal discourse to build a place for their work within the global art scene. At the same time, they are shedding the expectations, restrictions, and labels that long ruled Iranian creativity.

This list of artists brings together emerging and established Iranian artists working within the country and beyond its borders. Their work offers a fresh introduction to this exciting and underrecognized art scene >>>