Several months have passed since the upheaval of the protests, massacres and war, yet their effects continue to linger throughout everyday life in Iran. For artists and independent art spaces, these events have added an additional layer to the economic pressures and uncertainties that have long shaped the conditions in which they work.
Ab-Anbar Gallery in London has dedicated its space to an exhibition bringing together works from twenty galleries and art spaces across Iran, alongside more than a hundred artists. While most are based in Iran, a few have recently relocated to London and continue to work across the contexts of Iran and the diaspora.
All the proceeds will return directly to the participating artists and galleries. The exhibition has been made possible with the support of O Gallery’s team in Tehran, who coordinated the selection and collection of the works presented here.
This initiative aims to create a direct link between artists, galleries and audiences inside and outside Iran, while helping to sustain the professional networks that support the production and circulation of these artworks. It is ultimately committed to artistic independence and the rejection of censorship.
Moving beyond this exhibition, we intend to contribute to thinking about longer-term sustainable ways of supporting the independent art infrastructure in Iran. We hope this will be the beginning of an ongoing effort, involving a broader network of participants in the future.
For the artwork list, please click here. For any enquiries email: sophia@ab-anbar.com