History of Gallery Management in Iran

The Economics of Art as a Key Component of Cultural Policy

The economics of art is recognized as one of the essential pillars of cultural policy, an inseparable element of cultural production that has been largely neglected until the contemporary era. Today, all cultural policy theorists agree that without an economic foundation for art, its development will be impossible and unfeasible. In Iran, the dialogue between art and the market has not been widespread or considered a norm, and only in the past decade has this area entered the artistic discourse, becoming a part of this cultural dialectic.

The history of commercializing artworks in an independent institutional form dates back to the Safavid era. In his travelogue, Chardin mentions a guild in the Isfahan market that sold marqa‘at—calligraphy and miniature paintings—for buying and selling. During the Qajar era, the aristocracy fiercely competed for ownership of significant Iranian and Western artworks. This tradition later expanded into other social classes, giving rise to collections of folk art and the art of coffee houses. After the occupation of Iran by the Allies, Tehran became a center for the sale of artworks, with streets such as Monouchery, Lalehzar, and the area around Ferdowsi playing a key role in this trade.

The first modern galleries in Tehran were established in 1950 under the name “Apadana.” Mahmoud Javadipour, with the help of Hossein Kazemi and Amir Hushang Ajudani, began their activities under the title Kashaneh-ye Honar (The Art House), equivalent to the word “gallery.” In the 1950s and 1960s, the lack of galleries in Iran prompted artists to establish their own modern art galleries. The Aesthetic Gallery opened in 1959, founded by Marko Grigorian. A year later, Kaboud Atelier by Tanavoli became a gallery supporting the Saqakhaneh art movement. Afterward, Hanibal Alkhase opened the Gilgamesh Gallery in 1960, aiming to introduce avant-garde artists. The first gallery to function as a cultural marketplace was established in 1964 under the name Iran Hall, which later changed to Qandriz Hall in mourning for one of its founders.

From 1966 onward, after the commercial and cultural success of Massoumeh Siahon, a wave of modern galleries spread across Iran, and by 1978, Tehran had become the cultural capital of the Middle East and Western Asia. With the Islamic Revolution and the subsequent war, nearly a decade of cultural activities in Iran was sidelined. However, with the reopening of Siahon Gallery and the establishment of Golestan Gallery, a new era of gallery management began. In the mid-1980s, a new form of gallery management emerged, with a new generation of gallery owners taking center stage. In this new model, the gallery and the artist collaborate on a single artistic event presented to viewers. Additionally, since the 1990s, gallery visiting has become a part of the social experience of the middle class, with a significant portion of Tehran’s cultural audience involved.

In recent years, various types of galleries have emerged in the Iranian art scene, and with international participation in art markets, biennales, and auction houses, they have introduced and supported local artists. However, due to the economic constraints of the Iranian trade system, this contribution does not proportionally reflect the number or extent of gallery activities. Given this historical background and the importance of Tehran as one of the main cultural centers of Western Asia, there is a pressing need for the consolidation of gallery activities. The establishment of a professional association for gallery owners aims to expand and develop the economic activities of galleries, as well as create a new organizational structure for this profession.

Written by: Shahrouz Nazari