TEHRAN – The Tehran Auction held its second annual sale on Friday at the Espinas Palace Hotel in Tehran, having grossed over 123 billion rials (over $3 million). 

Dedicated to modern and contemporary art with about 120 lots on offer, Farhad Moshiri’s “Black Numbers on White” (2002) was the most expensive item sold at 8.5 billion rials (over $213,000).  

Auctioneer Hossein Pakdel conducted the 6th edition, which was attended by a large number of art aficionados and officials including Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic Affairs Ali Moradkhani and Tehran City Council member Ahmad Masjed-Jamei.

“Flautist”, a sculpture by Bahman Mohasses, was the second most expensive item sold at the auction, which was sold for 6 billion rials (over $150,000).

Another of Moshiri’s works, “Sleep Fragile Flower” (2003), and Reza Derakshani’s “Green × Green Hunt” (2011), each sold at 5 billion rials (over $125,000), taking third place in the auction. 

Manuchehr Yektai, Hossein Zendehrudi, Kurosh Shishegaran and Puya Aryanpur stood next with their artworks at the sale.

Works by Sedqat Jabbari, Mohsen Rastani and Raffie Davtian failed to find buyers.

Photo: Auctioneer Hossein Pakdel conducts an auction of “Black Numbers on White”, a calligraphic work by Farhad Moshiri, during the Tehran Auction at the Espinas Palace Hotel in Tehran on December 23, 2016. The artwork was the first top seller, fetching over $213,000. (Honaronline/Mohammad Namazi)

RM/YAW