TEHRAN-The 18th edition of Tehran Auction, a prestigious event dedicated to contemporary art in Iran, is being held online for the first time.

The three-day event kicked off on Wednesday, featuring 114 artworks by 113 artists specializing in painting, sculpture, and photography, with female artists having a strong presence in this edition, IRNA reported.

In previous years, Tehran Auction held separate contemporary and modern art auctions in summer and winter, but this year, they have included an online auction to bridge the gap between the two events, the report added. 

The 18th edition of Tehran Auction showcases a noteworthy list of artists, many of whom are participating for the first time or have only participated a few times before. 

This edition features a standout bid on two pieces by the late Parviz Kalantari, which hold the highest estimated value of 55 billion rials ($110,000). With this valuation, Kalantari reigns as the most expensive artist in the current event. 

In addition to works from renowned artists such as Parviz Habibpour, Mohammad Ehsai, Parviz Kalantari, Parviz Tanavoli, Parvaneh Etemadi, Yadollah Derakhshani, Kamran Diba, Masoud Arabshahi, Kurosh Shishegaran, and Farshid Mesghali, works from young artists such as Zahra Sadri, Hossein Mohammadi, Savalan Jama'ati Samarin, Faramarz Khani, Mostafa Chubtarash, Zahra Amir-Yeganeh, Maedeh Amiri, Taher Purheidari, Zahra Shafi, and Roshana Rostami will also be showcased. 

The two untitled artworks by Parviz Kalantari consisting of oil and wheat bran on canvas, with an estimated value of 30 to 40 billion rials ($60,000 to 80,000), and a combination of materials on canvas with an estimated value of 10 to 15 billion rials ($20,000 to 30,000), are the most expensive pieces in this event. 

The lowest estimated values are for artworks such as Roshana Rostami's acrylic on canvas untitled piece and Zahra Sadri's oil on canvas "Fever", both valued at 400 to 600 million rials ($800 to 1,200).

The proliferation of e-commerce has provided new opportunities for art exchanges, the organizers announced in a press release and added: “Online art purchasing, which has become increasingly popular among art enthusiasts in recent years, has gradually become a significant part of the art market. Large auction houses such as Christie's, Sotheby's, Phillips, and Bonhams, especially since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, have increasingly turned to online auctions to provide convenience and advantages for art exchanges.”

“The Tehran Auction also aims to make more efforts to utilize modern solutions for presenting and selling artworks."

The exhibition of these artworks will be underway in Tehran’s Agora building until Friday.  

Back in July, an untitled painting by Sohrab Sepehri sold at 17th Tehran Auction for 213 billion rials ($426,000) establishing a new record for an artwork in national sales.

The 80x130-centimeter oil painting was created in the 1960s and was gifted to previous owner by UK-based Iranian filmmaker and literary figure Ebrahim Golestan.

Sepehri’s another painting also fetched 124 billion rials ($248,000), making it the third most expensive work sold in the auction. 

The 72x72-centimeter oil painting done in the 1960s is from Sepehri’s Tree Trunk series. 

The second most expensive work sold at the sale was a 130x320-centimeter untitled oil painting by Kurosh Shishegaran. It sold for 170 billion rials ($340,000).

The 17th edition of the Tehran Auction collected 2.1 trillion rials ($4.2 million) by selling 100 artworks.

Only 10 works, including a photo print by world-renowned Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami, an oil painting by Jazeh Tabatabai and a bronze sculpture by Bahman Dadkhah failed to find a buyer at the auction.

The 16th edition of the Tehran Auction fetched 781 billion rials (over $2.44 million based on Iran’s free-market exchange rate: $1 = 320,060 rials at that time) by selling 117 artworks at its second sales of the year.

“The Simorgh Hunting”, a mixed media on canvas by Reza Derakhshani, sold for 80 billion rials (about $ 250,000), a price that made it the most expensive artwork sold at the national sale.

The 198x625-centimeter painting done in 2016 is from Derakhshani’s series “Hunting”, which has been inspired by elements from Iranian miniature – Persian painting and stories from Persian literature.

The 15th edition of the Tehran Auction collected 1588.9 billion rials (over $5.9 million based on Iran’s free-market exchange rate: $1 = 265,660 rials at that time). All 80 artworks offered at this auction were sold.

“Seated Poet”, a bronze sculpture by Parviz Tanavoli, sold at the auction for 146 billion rials (about $550,000) setting a record for an artwork in national sales.

The 14th Tehran Auction took in 421.8 billion rials (about $1.6 million based on Iran’s free-market exchange rate: $1 = 246,000 rials).

The 13th Tehran Auction grossed about 880 billion rials (about $4 million based on Iran’s free-market exchange rate: $1 = 221,000 rials).

SAB/