Editor:
Hossein Amirsadeghi

Essays by:
Anthony Downey
Mark Irving
Hamid Keshmirshekan

From the 'Fashion' series, by Peyman Hooshmandzadeh, 2008

Long considered a bastion of creativity in the region, Iran is currently experiencing a remarkable artistic revival in the middle of the most challenging of circumstances.  Iranian artists - whether based inside or outside the country - are creating remarkable works that reflect their country's social and political environment, while incorporating their own personal worldviews and those of their adopted homelands.  Seen together, these works form a new and exciting movement that can only gain in importance in the coming years.

Miss Hybrid 6, by Shirin Aliabadi, 2006. Inkjet print on plexiglass. Courtesy of Shirin Aliabadi and the Third Line Gallery in Dubai

Different Sames: New Perspectives in Contemporary Iranian Art catalogues this new movement, capturing its brilliance and creative energy.  Packed with wonderful images, it is an important and lively compendium of thought provoking essays, historical context and profiles of the leading artists, whether well-established or emerging.  Exclusive interviews with the key artists, collectors and curators offer fascinating new insights, and allow the book to explore the differences and similarities between current international movements in art and the art produced both in Iran and by artists of the Persian Diaspora.

Art changes the way we look at the world, and Different Sames is an attempt to explain today's Iranian art movement in this spirit.

Order through Iran Heritage Foundation

'Action 28: You were dead, theirs was the future … Homage to Robert Mapplethorpe' by Reza Aramesh, 2007 - C-Type print mounted on aluminum

Related Article by Nargess Shahmanesh-Banks on wallpaper.com

It is near impossible to write a book on contemporary art in Iran without establishing a socio-political foundation. In a country where all aspects of life have been politicised in the last 30 years – that is since the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of the Islamic Republic – the visual arts, in particular have been reflecting, analysing and attempting to make some sense of the complexities of this ancient land.

... Payvand News - 07/02/09 ... --

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