Iran works to go under Christie hammer

Christie’s Dubai has scheduled to hold a sale of contemporary Middle Eastern art at Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, with Iranian works among the highlights.

Some 49 artworks by 32 Iranian artists will go under the hammer on March 18 along with works by Iraqi, Palestinian, Lebanese, Egyptian, Syrian and Turkish artists.

The monumental ‘Odyssey of a People’ by Palestinian artist Ismail Shammout (1930–2006) will lead the sale for the first time since 2002.

Among the Iranian works, ‘Kitten’ from the ‘Fluffy Friends’ series by Farhad Moshiri offered at $100,000 to $150,000, and a painting by Hossein Zenderoudi offered at $180,000 to $ 220,000 are highlighted.

Works by Sohrab Sepehri and Tala Madani are also included along with other Iranian artists, including Mohammad Ehsaei, Ali Banisadr, Afshin Pirhashemi and Parviz Tanavoli.

The sale will also offer six works by Egyptian artist Mahmoud Said (1897–1964), including ‘Introspection’, the artist’s most famous self-portrait executed in charcoal.

Other highlights of the event are paintings by Master Paul Guiragossian (1926–1993) from Lebanon and pioneering artist Faeq Hassan (1914–1992) from Iraq, as well as works by a number of young talented stars from Turkey.

MG/HY