Transform/Nation

There's something magnetic about the artwork of nations and people who are just beyond the reach of the average gallery and collector - thus the hot interest in Cuban and Iranian art for example.

Transform/Nation: Contemporary Art of Iran and Its Disapora opens June 21st, 2007 at the Ellipse Arts Center in Arlington, Virginia while a simultaneous, sister exhibition will be held at the Nikzad Gallery in Tehran, Iran, which implies (I assume) that the exhibitions have been blessed (no pun intended) by the heavy handed nutcase who rules that amazing and beautiful country.

Curated by Narges Bajoghli, Nikoo Paydar, Maryam Ovissi, and Leyla Pope, the exhibition runs through August 4, 2007 and the exhibiting artists are: Samira Abbassy, USA, Haleh Anvari, Iran, Kaya Behkalam, Germany, Mina Ghaziani, Iran, Pantea Karimi, USA, Bani Khoshnoudi, France, Haleh Niazmand, USA, Amir Rad, Iran, Afarin Rahmanifar, USA, Jairan Sadeghi, USA, Samineh Sarvghad, Iran, Farideh Shahsavarani, Iran, Samira Yamin, USA and Siamak Nasiri Ziba, Iran.