Persian Realm

PRESS RELEASE by Cyrus Kadivar - London 
On 22 November 2010 Her Majesty Farah Pahlavi,Shahbanou of Iran attended a book launch party at London's Sothebys for ART& PATRONAGE: The Middle East in which she has been featured for hertireless contributions to promoting Iranian art and culture during her days inIran and for supporting similar causes in exile. Her role as an icon ofartistic expression has remained intact.The editor of this magnificent work,Hossein Amirsadeghi paid tribute to the Empress as his special guest and allother patrons of art in the Middle East. 
Contributors to the book include a host of Iranian, Arab and Turkishpatrons and artists with essays from Maryam Homayoun Eisler, Layla Diba,Anthony Downey, Hans Ulrich Obrist. The message of the book "tobroaden knowledge and debate within the world of Middle Eastern art andpatronage" with the aim of bringing "change through culturaltransformation and greater engagement with art."

More Photos Here

(NOTE : Same Complete BBC Report in English UK galleries search for Mid East art )

H.I M. Empress Farah Pahlavi of Iran attending the Sothebys London launchof Art & Patronage: The Middle East, an impressive new book published byThames & Hudson internationally profiling the most important patrons of artand culture in the greater Middle East region, including Iran, Turkey and theMaghreb. The Empress is featured in the book as Iran's leading art patron ofthe last 50 years.The evening's speeches were lead by Robin Woodhead, Chairmanof Sothebys International and Sir Nicholas Serota, Director of Tate Modern.

About The Book :

Art & Patronage:The Middle East

Edited by Hossein Amirsadeghi

        Executive editor Maryam Homayoun Eisler

A unique and comprehensivereview of leading collectors, patrons and institutions related to the ArabWorld, Turkey & Iran

In the Middle East, artspatronage boasts a long and illustrious history. The artistic heritage of theroyal and noble families of Persia, Egypt, Assyria, Mesopotamia and the OttomanEmpire is remarkable. No world museum of ancient art is complete withoutexamples of Persian miniatures and carpets, Syrian metalwork, Egyptianlustreware, Mesopotamian figurines, Ottoman silks, Iznik pottery.

The splendid courts ofSuleiman the Magnificent and Shah Abbas the Great are no longer, but collectingand patronage in the region today are enjoying a phenomenal rebirth. Aficionadosare aware and knowledgeable – with astonishingly diverse collections:contemporary art to Orientalist painting, traditional Islamic miniatures topottery and earthenware, maps and manuscripts to religious icons, oftendisplayed in new, state-of-the-art museums, private or public, while newfoundations further knowledge.

Art & Patronage: TheMiddle Eastis the first attempt to capture this rich vitality. Profiling 102 leadingcollectors, patrons, institutions and foundations, it offers an intimateglimpse of their collections, exploring the inspired motivation and passionthat is shaping the new cultural landscape of the Middle East and preservingpast glories for future generations.

Art & Patronage: TheMiddle Eastdemonstrates that creative promotion – through foundations, museums,scholarship, corporate collections – is crucial for society’s cultural renewal.

Hossein Amirsadeghi is a writer, publisher,editor and documentary film maker based in Europe. He has written, edited andpublished many books on Iran and Middle Eastern culture.
Layla Diba isan independent scholar, art advisor and curator. She has been director andchief curator of the Negarestan Museum in Tehran and advisor to the GuggenheimAbu Dhabi Museum.
Anthony Downey sits on the Editorial Board of ThirdText and is the Programme Director of the Contemporary Art Master’sProgramme at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London. 
Maryam Homayoun Eisleris currently co-chair of the Tate Middle East North Africa AcquisitionCommittee.
Hans Ulrich Obrist is Co-director of Exhibitions andProgrammes and Director of International Projects at the Serpentine Gallery andhas curated and co-curated over 200 solo and group exhibitions and biennalesinternationally.

See full details about the authors of Art& Patronage: The Middle East

Also of interest

New Vision: ArabContemporary Art in the 21st Century

Different Sames:New Perspectives in Contemporary Iranian Art

Unleashed:Contemporary Art from Turkey

IstanbulContrasts