TEHRAN -- The Mohsen Gallery was established here in Tehran on Friday in the name and memory of the young photographer Mohsen Rasulof.

Mohsen Rasulof, 24, died in the plane crash in Kyrgyzstan in August 2008. The passenger jet, carrying 90 people, crashed shortly after takeoff near the Kyrgyz capital, killing 68 on board.
The gallery was inaugurated in the presence of several veteran artists including painter Aidin Aghdashlu, photographer and art researcher Hamid Suri and a group of young artists and photographers.
Aghdashlu made a short speech at the ceremony and said, “When an artist does his job well, he needs other experts to market his wares to the society. This was not common practice in Iran in past years, as the artist himself had to take the initiative and sell his own artwork.
“Art galleries play a big role in the economy of art. Each gallery is a place where art products are put on sale. It is a place for exchanging views. Running a gallery is not an easy task since it deals with the public, the economy and the society,” he remarked.
Hamid Suri next talked about the role of the private sector in promoting Iran’s art economy and stated, “In the past years, it was only Tehran’s Museum of Contemporary Art where artists could display their creations, but today there are a number of private institutions which help young talented artists to present their works.”
Mohsen’s brother Ehsan, also present at the ceremony, expressed his delight over opening a gallery in the name of his brother and said that this gallery would try to connect the curator with art admirers, collectors and critics.
The gallery’s first photo exhibition, named “The Other”, is displaying works by young photographers Behnam Kamrani, Babak Kazemi, Sohrab Kashani, Behruz Raei, Hamed Sahihi, Katayun Karamipur, Samira Eskandarfar and several others.
The photos are up for sale at the gallery and will be on exhibit until January 20. The gallery is located on Naji St., Farzan St., East Mina Blvd. in the Zafar neighborhood.
Photo: Veteran painter Aidin Aghdashlu delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the Mohsen Gallery in Tehran on January 8, 2010.