The 16th Fajr Visual Arts Festival ended with presence of Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, honoring winners of this event.
According to Artmag.IR, quoted by IRNA, closing ceremony of 16th Fajr visual arts festival was held on Thursday evening, 3rd of March, with presence of Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili, Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Seyed Mahmoud Eslami, Deputy Director of Management and Resources Development of Ministry of Culture, Seyed Majid Pourahmadi, Advisor to Minister and CEO of Art Credit Fund, Mahmoud Salari, Deputy Minister of Art Affairs, Mohammad Khorasani Zadeh, Director General of Visual Arts of Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Amir Abdolhosseini, Secretary General of festival, a group of secretaries, judges of this event and artists, were held in Vahdat Hall and Fajr 2024 has ended.
Fajr visual festival needs a national gallery
At beginning of this ceremony, which was accompanied by performance of Mozhdeh Lavasan, Amir Abdolhosseini, Secretary General of 16th Visual Arts Festival, said a verse from Saadi’s poem, “The painter and creator of world, all these faces he created/ so that you can see his works and worship their creator” stated: This festival started with approach of innovative, creative, unifying and hopeful art, accompanied by teachers and with presence of artists.
He mentioned abundance of works of 16th Fajr visual arts festival, brilliance of provinces, the connection of academic and professional community with visual arts, importance of presence of visual book publishers and screening of visual documentary films, and added: We also experienced other phases that made 16th Fajr He became an energetic young man who has many dreams for his 20th birthday.
Abdolhosseini, referring to the words of professors of communication sciences, that “children are living messages that we send to a time when we will not see them” said: this sentence is also very valuable in field of visual arts, a culture that has existed from past to our present day. Reaching is important, essence of human perception and imagination reaches future generations through visual arts. Visual arts always create history, culture and identity.
He said: I consider lack of a useful and beautiful wall to be most important challenge in 16th Fajr. This festival, with breadth and variety of art subcategories, with a development-oriented and forward-looking view, needs a more suitable exhibition space and a national gallery.
The Secretary General of 16th Visual Arts Festival added: Just as suitable halls are prepared for cinematographic, theatrical and musical works, we hope that Fajr Visual Arts Festival, as country’s largest art event, will be held in a worthy atmosphere.
To know the public opinion of visual arts
Mohammad Khorasani Zadeh, Director General of Visual Arts of Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, also considered Fajr Visual Arts Festival as the most extensive event of Fajr Festival of Islamic Revolution and stated: The 16th Fajr Visual Arts Festival proved that this field as owner of most extensive, original, noble, most connected and well-established artistic community can join hands with one heart and one voice and create such glory for national celebration of unity of Iranians.
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He said: This year, 22 national secretaries, more than 60 national judges, 32 provincial secretaries and more than 12,000 works at provincial level, etc. gathered together and various events took place. In this festival, each province is also for artists, It had a rotating exhibition, local atmosphere and honors.
The head of Policy Council of 16th Fajr Festival of Visual Arts added: In this way, 16th Fajr, in a situation where our enemies used everything in their power to separate nation, proved that visual artists hand in hand for this starry border stood next to each other.
Referring to remarkable capacity of visual arts community, Khorasani Zadeh said: I ask high-ranking officials of this group, audience and viewers to help this proud art arena to be better seen and the public opinion of visual arts to know. It’s a pity, when we ask people what visual art is, they only remember a few words; Visual arts is a world and our support has been limited; Help raise flag of Islamic Republic of Iran in international events.
Iran’s vacancy in Venice Biennale
Director General of Visual Arts of Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance said: Iran’s place has sometimes been empty in Venice Biennale. Our people are used to complaining if they don’t see Iranian flag in an Olympic event, but no one complains why we only participated in Venice Biennale 9 times. We should be present at this event every year and artists, while introducing their works, should say that our Iran is Iran of artists.
Referring to support of galleries, he added: Galleries also need more support and support, we should think that investment in field of visualization, which can even be considered as support of national currency, should have a place in cultural portfolio of Iranian family.
Mohammad Khorasani Zadeh stated: Based on this, we need to have better spaces to host other countries; How long should other countries hold art events and we don’t have an official international biennial in Tehran?
The head of Policy Council of 16th Fajr Visual Arts Festival stated: With end of Fajr Festivals in 2024, we will plan for 17th Fajr Visual Arts Festival, rules of this event will be revised. Fajr visual festival along with youth visual festivals, teenage visual festival and international events should have an integrated collection.
Khorasani Zadeh said: I appreciate that in space of single article of Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution, a path was provided for expo and we will take care of it.
Next, message of Mahmoud Salari, Deputy Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance for Art Affairs, was broadcast. We witnessed something new.
Referring to presence of masters in visual arts festival, he added: The presence of masters had increased scope of activities of this festival.
Salari said about measures taken in this festival: This year, the sections of writers of revelation and writers of Soreh Hamad were held for first time, and more attention was paid to urban murals, which are less noticed. I hope that artists of this field shine more day by day, stay and last.
After playing a music clip from movie “Qadamgah”, composed by Amir Abdolhosseini, and singing by Mohammad Motamedi, on occasion of birth anniversary of Hazrat Mahdi (A.S.), names of selected sections of 16th Fajr Visual Arts Festival were announced. Their names are as follows:
Culture-oriented design:
Golden Tooba was awarded to Seyed Hadi Emami and his colleague Fatemeh Hamidi from Isfahan.
Publishers of specialized books:
Golden Tooba was awarded to publication of book “Aban” under management of Kaveh Ali Mardi.
Scientific (knowledge of visual arts):
With appreciation of Sanaz Bahejab Ghodsi, Fatemeh Paknejad and Alireza Karimi, Golden Tooba was awarded to Pouria Tahmasebi.
Visual documentaries:
In recognition of Hadi Afrideh, Abtin Shamili from Shiraz received Golden Tooba.
Celebrating excellence of visual arts:
In this ceremony, with presence of Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Deputy Minister of Art Affairs, Director General of Visual Arts and Secretary General of festival, seven veteran visual arts artists; Reza Bangiz, painter, Mohammad Mehdi Rouhani, graphic designer, Afshin Shahroudi, photographer, Mehdi Heydari, ceramist, Mohammad Hossein Salvatian, illustrator, Bahram Azimi, cartoonist and caricaturist, Mansour Thomsen, painter, seven outstanding masters of visual arts were awarded with badge of excellence in visual arts, Golden Tooba statue and a certificate of appreciation, honored.
Then, Afshin Shahroudi, a veteran in field of photography, said: Director General of Visual Arts depicted a vision of future, which is very pleasant. As a photographer, I receive this badge in a situation where photography, especially social documentary photography, faces many challenges and has difficult conditions.
He said: If we don’t have opportunity or if we don’t have possibility to portray social conditions, it will not be good for future. Because if in terms of image memory, future of society is not rich compared to its social images, it will bring distortion of history. Also, artists of other disciplines also have difficulties, and cumbersome regulations make it impossible to organize trade union activities, and artistic productions decrease and vitality is taken from society.
This veteran photographer stated: A society where art is active, hope for future and vitality flows in it. After Second World War, when whole European society was involved in effects and consequences of war, France, Moliere, chose one of prominent literary figures as a minister. The position of Minister of Culture is very important and can be very effective in future of society. I hope that according to these points, conditions will be provided so that art of photography and all other arts will inject more vitality and vitality into society by promoting artistic productions.
Imagination of Art
The award and Golden Tooba in “Imagination of Art” section were awarded to Saeed Karimi, artistic secretary of Fars province and Pouria Jalali, general director of culture and Islamic guidance of Kermanshah province.
Free section
In presence of Kazem Chalipa, Mahindokht Salek Mahdavi, Mehran Hoshiar, Yadullah Kabuli Khansari, winners of free division were introduced and honored.
Designing and painting; In this section, in addition to honoring Amir Mohammad Moghadam and Mojtaba Hejazi, Golden Tooba was awarded to Mohammad Javad Taherkhani.
Calligraphy; In this section, Golden Tooba was awarded to Majid Dastani and Faramarz Teimournejhad was honored by Naqadeh, Hamid Ahmadi, Robabeh Zeynali and Shaghayegh Miri.
Miniature; In this section, Setareh Ghanbari was selected and Ahmed Saraiyan, Somayeh Shahrivar and Mohammad Kiani were honored.
Sculpture; In this section, Hossein Hasanshahi received Golden Tooba.
Ceramics and art watercolors; In this section, Fatemeh Pouryousfi received Golden Tooba and Zahra Yousefi was honored.
Then with presence of Seyed Mohammad Hashemi, Deputy Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Mohammad Reza Sharifzadeh, Hajar Salimi Namin, Saeed Mahmoudi Aznaveh, Bahman Abdi, Saber Sheikh Rezaei, were awarded awards for photography, cartoon and caricature, illustration and new artistic media.
Photography; Mohammad Rezaei was chosen and Kiumars Khoushsefat from Bandar Anzali was honored.
Cartoons and caricatures; In this section, Alireza Zakari was introduced as chosen one.
Graphic Design; Rasool Haghjoo was introduced and Hamed Maghrouri was honored. Haghjoo said in a speech: I hope that a day will come when all arts are considered a job and artist does not have to turn to jobs for which he was not made to make a living.
Illustration; Golden Tooba was awarded to Sedigheh Ghaed Amini Harouni of Mubarakeh and Somayeh Mohammadi was honored.
In New Art Media Section, Amin Mohammadi Cheri was selected, Sara Jahangiri and Seyed Mohammad Mir Norollahi were honored.
Seyed Majid Pourahmadi, CEO of Art Credit Fund, Mohammad Zaroui Nasrabad, Head of Visual Arts Center, Shoaib Hosseini Moghaddam, Secretary of Peaks Department, and Somayeh Ramezan Mahi presented awards for thematic section (Peaks). In this section, Tahereh Shamsi, Kamyar Sadeghi, Mahmoud Bazdar, Hamed Mortazavi Alavi, Akram Sadat Mirtavana were honored and Maryam Komar was recognized as winner of this section.
Maryam Komar stated: I am grateful to all directors and judges, collection I worked on is result of three years of effort in provinces of Kurdistan, Kermanshah and West Azarbaijan, and according to them, I wore their cultural clothes and appeared here. I would like to mention Kurdish lionesses who lived in love and there are not many of these women. I thank God that I was present in Kurdistan, city of culture, and I am narrating these stories during war of narratives.
Selected institutions
Seyed Majid Emami, Secretary of Council of Public Culture, Mahmoud Salari, Deputy of Art Affairs, Qadri, one of trustees of Holy Defense, and Ali Farozanfar, Director General of Guidance of Tehran Province, presented awards for institutions.
In this period of festival, three selected works of Arash Niknejad from Ahvaz, Somayeh Sadeghi from Malayer, Seyed Mohammad Reza Mousavi from Qom, were purchased by Tehran Municipality Beautification Organization and will be displayed in designated places.
Seyed Ali Mirfattah, from Tehran, was introduced as chosen one of Association of Visual Arts of Revolution and Sacred Defense.
Also, Presidential Vice President of Women and Family Affairs, while recognizing Alireza Pour Akbari from Tehran and Naam Honar Art Cultural Institute, recognized Fatemeh Abedini from Tehran and Abdul Hamid Qadirian from Tehran.
In presence of Amir Abdolhosseini, general secretary of festival and Masoud Zendeh Rooh, artistic secretary of this period of festival, for first time, a journalist active in this festival was honored with a plaque of appreciation, which was awarded to Naimeh Safari Tabar, a reporter of Fars news agency.
Golden Tooba popular votes
At end of this period of festival, for first time, “Golden Tooba public votes” was awarded to best work from eyes of Fajr 16th audience.
The Secretary General of 16th Fajr Visual Arts Festival said: When someone passes by work, he becomes a viewer, and when he fully receives message of work of art and communicates with it, we call him audience. At Fajr Film Festival, audience’s perspective is important, and Crystal Simorgh brings best film from audience’s perspective for best work. We followed suit and chose best work from among 2,200 votes collected from audience, which is first time that best work is awarded.
Therefore, in section of best work from audience’s point of view, five works won most votes; first vote; Seyed Kamaloddin Rafiei from Tehran, second vote; Amirhossein Mirabi, third vote; Mohammad Amin Oji and Maryam Safaei from Bushehr, fourth vote; Farshchian Moghaddam from Tehran and fifth vote; Mohsen Kaboli from Gorgan.
At the end, Golden Tooba of this section was awarded to Seyed Kamaloddin Rafiei, a painter.
