The winner of the Magic of Persia Contemporary Art Prize (MOP CAP) was announced at an auction and gala at the Royal College of Art, London, on Saturday 17th October 2009. Mahmoud Bakhshi Moakhar was chosen from the six MOP CAP Finalists as the inaugural MOP CAP Winner, and will be rewarded with a solo show at a space in the Saatchi Gallery, in Autumn 2010.

MOP CAP is a global search to identify the most talented emerging Iranian artists and provide an international platform for their career. Selected from over 120 nominees, the six finalists exhibited at the Royal College of Art, 15 – 17 October, where the judges reviewed their work and decided on the winner. The MOP CAP Finalists were:

Farhad Ahrarnia
Mahmoud Bakhshi Moakhar
Vahid Chamani
Sahand Hesamiyan
Abbas Kowsari
Newsha Tavakolian

The winner was selected by a jury whose members include leading figures from the Iranian and International art scenes: Kamran Diba, YZ Kami , Shirin Neshat, Julia Peyton-Jones, Parviz Tanavoli and chaired by Sheena Wagstaff. The prize was announced following an auction of the Finalists' works by Jussi Pylkkänen, President of Christie's Europe and Middle East.

MOP CAP Winner

Mahmoud Bakhshi Moakhar was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1977, and is a graduate of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Tehran. He has exhibited internationally since 2006, including most recently at Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac in Paris. He draws inspiration for his works from the political and social issues that surround him. Mahmoud has regularly exhibited at the Tehran sculpture Biennial at the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Bangladesh Biennial and most recently was featured in an exhibition at the Barbican Centre in London.

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MOP CAP Finalists

Farhad Ahrarnia
Farhad Ahrarnia was born in Shiraz, Iran, in 1971. He attended Sheffield Hallam University, Northern Media School, from 1992 to1997. He works in a wide range of Media including textile, photography and video. The works submitted consist of a number of found images from media and cyberspace which are digitally printed onto cotton aida and are subsequently embroidered upon by using colourful threads.

Mahmoud Bakhshi Moakhar
Mahmoud Bakhshi Moakhar was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1977. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Tehran, and has exhibited internationally since 2006. He draws inspiration for his works from the political and social issues that surround him. Mahmoud has regularly exhibited at the Tehran sculpture Biennial at the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Bangladesh Biennial and most recently was featured in an exhibition at the Barbican Centre in London.

Vahid Chamani
Vahid Chamani was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1984, where he continues to live and work. He attended Tehran Fine Arts School and Tehran University, and is an associate member of the Iranian Painters Society. Vahid's paintings are inspired by the Iranian cultural instability and the anxiety of Iran's current political and social climate.

Sahand Hesamiyan
Sahand Hesamiyan was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1977. He studied sculpture at Tehran University, and has participated in a number of group exhibitions in Tehran. Sahand creates geometric sculptures, which are inspired by traditional Iranian arts such as tile working and architecture. He aims for people to see geometry as sculpture, where in traditional arts, these forms have always been trapped on the surface.

Abbas Kowsari
Abbas Kowsari was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1970. He has worked as a photographer for over ten leading Iranian newspapers and is currently senior photo editor for E'temad newspaper in Tehran. His photographs have been published in The New York Times, Time magazine, Paris Match, Der Spiegel, Beneton's Colors magazine and several other international publications.

Newsha Tavakolian
Newsha Tavakolian was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1981 and is a self-taught artist who began working with the Iranian press as a professional photographer at the age of 16. Working internationally, Newsha has covered Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Saudia Arabia and Pakistan, Yemen, Azerbaijan and India. Her work often focuses on women's issues and has been published in Time Magazine, Newsweek, Stern, Le Figaro, Colors, New York Times Magazine, National Geographic, Le Monde 2, NRC Handelsblad and many others. She is a founding member of EVE (Evephotographers) and received the still photography award from the All Roads Film Project sponsored by National Geographic in 2006.

For extended biographies please visit: www.mopcap.com

Magic of Persia

Magic of Persia (MOP), a non-profit, non-political charity registered in the UK, educates young people on the value and unique contribution of Persian culture to society. MOP achieves its mission through the development and promotion of education and communication programmes, in partnership with world-class institutions. www.magicofpersia.com

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