Fragments of Persian Modernity: Pieces from Iranian Modern and Contemporary Art

Ava Gallery, in collaboration with Hoor Gallery and ZAFI Gallery, proudly presents Fragments of Persian Modernity: Selected Pieces from Iranian Modern and Contemporary Art at Foundry Dubai.

This landmark exhibition brings together a compelling selection of works that map the evolution of Iranian art from the modernist movement to the present day.

Featuring works by some of Iran’s most significant modern and contemporary artists—

including Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, Aydin Aghdashloo, Parvaneh Etemadi, Nicky

Nodjoumi, and Manoucher Yektai—the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to engage with

the visual language that has emerged from a uniquely Iranian negotiation with modernity.

Spanning generations and media, Fragments of Persian Modernity is a nuanced reflection on how Iranian artists have responded to shifting cultural, political, and aesthetic paradigms. Each artwork, whether through abstraction, figuration, symbolism, or material exploration, stands as a fragment of a larger narrative—one that speaks to resilience, innovation, and the enduring dialogue between heritage and change.

Through these carefully selected pieces, the exhibition not only honors the rich legacy of Iranian modernism but also highlights the ongoing contributions of contemporary voices shaping the future of Persian art on the global stage.

Participating Artists:

Farah Abolghasem, Aydin Aghdashloo, Massoud Arabshahi, Nasser Assar, Fereydoun Ave, Yaghoub Emdadian, Parvaneh Etemadi, Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, Raana Farnoud, Pariyoush Ganji, Ali Golestaneh, Mohammad Hossein Emad, Mehdi Hosseini, Farshid Maleki, Shohreh Mehran, Sirak Melkonian, Nosratollah Moslemian, Manouchehr Motabar, Ahmad Nasrollahi, Nicky Nodjoumi, Farah Ossouli, Houshang Pezeshknia, Ali Akbar Sadeghi, Homayoun Salimi, Mohammad Ali Taraghijah, Gizella Vargasinaei, Manoucher Yektai, and Hosseinali Zabehi