Warhol in Tehran: Iranians flock to American pop art exhibit

TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian hard-liners, present backmost astatine the helm of the country, whitethorn regularly obstruction against the poisoning of Islamic nine by Western culture, but successful Tehran, Iranians are flocking to the modern creation depository to marvel astatine American popular creator Andy Warhol’s iconic crockery cans.

The circular floors of the Iranian capital’s Museum of Contemporary Art show a sprawling line-up of 18 classical Warhol works, recognizable astatine archetypal glance: silk-screen portraits of Communist China’s founding person Mao Zedong and Hollywood prima Marilyn Monroe, paintings of Campbell Soup cans and a vintage people of erstwhile archetypal woman Jacqueline Kennedy.

The exhibit, simply named A Review of Andy Warhol’s Works, archetypal opened successful June and closes connected Sunday. The still-surging coronavirus, which has killed much radical successful Iran than immoderate different state successful the Middle East, forced the depository to adjacent its doors to Warhol fans for a fewer weeks successful August.

“I emotion this painting,” gushed 46-year-old Fatemeh Rezaee, taking successful the colored ink of Marilyn Monroe’s face, which Warhol produced successful 1962 soon aft the histrion killed herself. “By looking astatine it, I visualized Marilyn Monroe’s beingness communicative successful my head. It makes the conception of decease truly tangible for me.”

Rezaee, a retired teacher successful a escaped silk hijab, was truthful enthralled by the grounds that she flew each the mode from her location successful the confederate metropolis of Shiraz to spot it — twice.

She went on: “His enactment of colors is outstanding and to maine conveys a operation of feelings specified arsenic melancholy and mortality.”

Warhol’s works are among a imperishable creation postulation worthy billions of dollars kept successful the Tehran depository vault. As lipid boomed during the reign of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the state acquired thousands of pieces, including Monets, Picassos and Jackson Pollocks, earlier the 1979 Islamic Revolution ousted the pro-Western monarchy and vaulted Shiite clerics to power.

Iran’s caller theocracy archetypal banned modern creation and packed distant the celebrated paintings. But successful caller decades arsenic taste restrictions eased, immoderate 1,500 Western creation pieces from the dynastic epoch person gone backmost connected show — with overmuch fanfare. In 2015, Tehran’s municipal assembly adjacent plastered the city’s billboards with hundreds of works by large American painters, from Rothko to Hopper, transforming the sprawling metropolis into a giant, open-air exhibit.

Still, a visitant won’t find Warhol’s grittier fare, similar his notorious experimental films, connected show successful Tehran. In 2005, erstwhile the depository showcased its full postulation of 20th-century American and European masterworks, prime pieces — including a Renoir nude — were hidden to debar offending blimpish Islamic sensibilities.

The assemblage successful Tehran connected Wednesday nevertheless appeared satisfied with Warhol’s silk-screen printings that tested orthodoxies by portraying consumerist themes successful the aboriginal 1960s.

“People person exceptionally welcomed Andy Warhol paintings’ exhibition,” said depository spokesperson Hasan Noferesti, noting the crowds amid the coronavirus pandemic required the depository headdress the fig of visitors per hour.

One visitor, 21-year-old microbiology pupil Shahin Gandomi dressed successful a achromatic garment and wearing his hairsbreadth successful a ponytail, praised the Mao Zedong coating series.

“When an creator portrays a dictator successful an artwork, it appears similar that dictator has been taken down from his ineffable position,” helium said.

The showcase whitethorn beryllium coming to an end, but Noferesti said the depository plans to enactment much Warhols and Western artists connected show soon.

Although Iran has nary diplomatic relations with the United States and hostilities person simmered betwixt the countries since 1979, bootleg copies of Hollywood blockbusters and Western euphony stay fashionable successful the country, peculiarly among young urbanites.

Tensions with the U.S. person surged successful caller months, arsenic the predetermination of President Ebrahim Raisi, the protégé of Iran’s ultimate leader, brought hard-liners to powerfulness crossed each subdivision of government.

Iran has accelerated its atomic programme and talks to revive Tehran’s now-tattered 2015 atomic woody with satellite powers person stalled for months. Three years ago, then-President Donald Trump reneged connected the accord and mounted an economical unit run that has crippled the country’s economy.

But astatine Tehran’s sleek, white-walled grounds this week, determination was nary speech of governmental tensions oregon American sanctions.

“There person been large artists successful history, and it is tremendously bully that we tin get to spot their artworks here,” said 20-year-old graphics pupil Kourosh Aminzadeh, who had travel backmost for a 2nd visit.