The first part of the TEHRAN TIMES' interview with miniature and wood-inlay artists Mohsen Ghiassi and Hossein Qaem-Panah appeared on Thursday, July 5. Following is the second part of the interview.

Hossein Qaem-Panah, 42, a wood-inlay artist who, along with Mohsen Ghiassi, presented magnificent works in the recently held "The Dialogue of Wood and Color" Exhibition at Sa'd-Abad Galley, is a graduate of law and politics from Tehran University. He started to create inlaid work some eight years ago. He is the founder of Tarh Center and is also in charge of the exhibitions and communications affairs of the center.

On problems besetting the visual arts, Qaem-Panah referred to the absence of a specific program; lack of coordination between organizations and institutions such as the Art Bureau of the Islamic Propagation Organization, art galleries, museums, the Cultural Heritage Organization, the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance; the lack of a quality control center for art works, the lack of experts responsible for approving works to be displayed in museums and art centers, and the lack of coordination among organizations in holding art exhibitions abroad.

In regard to the above problems, Qaem-Panah noted that the country's national and traditional art has suffered great losses, adding that it will take time to repair the damage, and that unfortunately, inlaid works have not been popular in recent years.

Asked about the measures taken to promote inlaid works abroad, Qaem-Panah said: "After the victory of the Islamic Revolution certain steps were taken to promote inlaid works inside and outside the country. However, I believe that, due to the absence of a quality control center for art works, some cheap works presented in the exhibitions have taken the place of high quality works and this has reduced foreigners' interest in this art."

He further elaborated on the status of inlaid works in Iran, saying that under the current circumstances, its status is not satisfactory and this is due to market saturation.

Qaem-Panah said that the dynamism of a wood-inlay artist depends on different factors such as understanding the time and the taste of art-lovers, thinking before creating an art work, and using suitable colors and design.

He said that the field of wood-inlay work needs to change. He went on to say that since 1993, Tarh Center has tried to promote change through using miniature and non-Iranian themes in inlaid works, adding that the main goal of the center is growth, change and evolution of inlaid works.