TEHRAN- The organizers of the 18th edition of Fajr Visual Arts Festival announced that the event, which was temporarily suspended following the brutal Zionist-U.S. aggression against the country, has resumed virtually starting on March 15.

The organizing committee was in the midst of preparing several exhibitions when the attacks occurred on the morning of February 28; IRNA quoted Aydin Mehdizadeh, the head of the festival’s policymaking council for the event, as saying. 

The aggression led to the martyrdom of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, along with several high-ranking military commanders, plunging the nation into mourning for their leader. "Due to this barbaric assault, the festival's physical exhibitions were temporarily closed to be presented to the public at a more appropriate time," Mehdizadeh explained.

The 18th edition of the prestigious festival was inaugurated beside the UNESCO-listed Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System in southwestern Khuzestan province on February 25. This coincided with the opening of the main section, titled “Baba Ab Dad” (Father Gave Water), which premiered at the Imam Ali (AS) Religious Arts Museum on February 26.

Mehdizadeh further noted that while the committee had planned to host physical exhibitions under the banners of "Festival of Festivals" and "National Solidarity," the ongoing wartime conditions have necessitated a shift to a digital format. 

"Consequently, the exhibitions of the Fajr Visual Arts Festival will be available for public viewing online via the festival's official website," he concluded.

The 18th edition of Fajr Visual Arts Festival opened o under the motto “My Land / Iran, the Embodiment of Water.”

As a part of the festival, the “My Land” section, a yearlong cultural initiative, began its provincial programs from February 9 and will continue throughout the year in workshop formats across the country. The initiative seeks to promote public awareness of water resource management through art.

The project is organized in collaboration with the Water and Wastewater Deputy of the Ministry of Energy and the Iran Water Resources Management Company.

Secretary of the “My Land” section Saeedeh Arian announced that all 31 provinces are participating in more than 170 artistic events during the festival. Each province is organizing five educational workshops (artist-instructor format), an exhibition showcasing workshop achievements, and supplementary visual arts programs related to water culture.

A distinctive feature of the “My Land” program is the revival of eight traditional rain seeking doll rituals. These cultural symbols are known by various local names in different cities.

Earlier, Mehdizadeh said that the 18th edition revolves around three key concepts of water, art for the people, and integrated art. “These themes are interwoven within a renewed structural framework for the festival,” he noted.

By placing water at the heart of artistic expression, the 18th Visual Arts Fajr Festival seeks to bridge heritage, community engagement, and contemporary creativity, reaffirming art’s role in cultivating environmental responsibility and cultural identity across Iran.

The Fajr Visual Arts Festival is one of Iran’s most prestigious annual art events, held as part of the nationwide Fajr cultural celebrations marking the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. 

Organized by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, the festival brings together leading artists, emerging talents, and art institutions from across the country to showcase works in diverse fields such as painting, sculpture, photography, illustration, calligraphy, new media, installation, and performance art. 

Over the years, the festival has evolved into a dynamic platform that not only presents contemporary artistic achievements but also promotes public engagement, cultural dialogue, and thematic explorations reflecting social, national, and environmental concerns.

The Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System, located in Khuzestan province, is a masterpiece of ancient engineering that dates back to the Achaemenid era and was further developed during the Sassanid period. Registered on UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 2009, the vast complex was designed to harness the waters of the Karun River through an intricate network of dams, bridges, canals, tunnels, and watermills. The system functioned both as an irrigation network and as an industrial mechanism, supplying water to agricultural lands while powering mills that supported the region’s economy.

SAB/