TEHRAN – President Ebrahim Raisi on Thursday visited an exhibition of the 14th Fajr Visual Arts Festival.
Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili and a number of organizers accompanied Raisi on his visit to “Mirror on the Mirror”, an ongoing festival exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tehran.
The exhibition is dedicated to the presentation of a collection of works of art on the Islamic revolution.
“A work of art can represent hours of speeches and materials discussed in a book in a single image, supporting the messages of the speeches and the book for use by multiple generations,” the president said during a speech delivered. after his visit to the exhibition.
“For people of any language at any time, works of art are expressive and do not need to be interpreted or explained,” he added.
Raisi stressed the need to develop the art market to improve artists’ living standards, and said the ministry of culture should provide the necessary facilities to offer works of art appropriately.
In order to maintain the presence of art in the public space, he asked cultural officials to use Iranian embassies around the world, organizations, amusement parks and other public centers to present the works of ‘art.
He also underlined the key role that art can play in international diplomacy and called on cultural officials to fully exploit the country’s artistic potential to strengthen cultural relations with other nations, especially with neighboring countries.
In a statement released by the organizers, Fajr Visual Arts Festival Secretary General Abbas Mirhashemi expressed his thanks to Raisi for his visit.
“Certainly, Mr. President’s remarks on the art market can remove bureaucratic obstacles to the development of visual arts,” he said.
“His remarks on the important place of art in regional and international diplomacy reflect the strong will of the government to regulate the affairs of the visual arts,” he added.
The 14th Fajr Festival of Visual Arts officially opened at the Saba Institute of Art and Culture in Tehran on February 4.
Several other art centers in the capital are also hosting festival exhibitions until February 19.
Photo: President Ebrahim Raisi accompanied by several cultural officials visits an exhibition of the 14th Fajr Visual Arts Festival at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tehran on February 10, 2022. (President.ir)
MMS/YAW