TEHRAN -- The 4th International Painting Biennial of the Islamic World is to open at the Saba Art and Culture Complex today.

Organized by Iran’s Academy of Art, the biennial aims to promote cultural relations and exchanges of contemporary art-related experiences among painters across the Islamic world, to appreciate the pictorial experiences of young painters in Islamic societies, and to examine and emphasize the fundamentals of the spiritual identity of Islamic art in the contemporary works.

One thousand paintings out of 10,000, sent to the secretariat, will be showcased during the 25-day event.

Thirty-five countries, including Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Italy, Pakistan, India, Turkey, Syria, Palestine, Algeria, Egypt, Afghanistan, Tunisia, Norway, and Malaysia will be competing at the Free and Oriental Vision sections of the occasion.

Scientific council and selection group comprises Iraj Eskandari, Mohammad-Ali Taraqqijah, Mehdi Hosseini, Habibollah Sadeqi, and Mostafa Gudarzi while celebrated Iranian painter Aidin Aghdashlu, Abdolmajid Hosseini-Rad, and Parviz Kalantari are among the jury members.