Iranian artist Nicky Nodjoumi is represented in the British Museum collection through several works including the recently acquired "The Accident". At this special event Nodjoumi talked about this magnificent work in the context of his artistic practice and took the audience through a biographical journey. He discussed his academic training, his dealings with Savak as a young politicised Iranian, his time in New York, to his return to Iran in 1978,his solo exhibition at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMoCA) in 1980, the subsequent confiscation of his artworks, and his final return to exile in the United States.

 

This was followed by a conversation between the artist and Hamid Dabashi, Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University, New York in which they explored Nicky Nodjoumi’s practice within a historical context. The afternoon was introduced and chaired by British Museum curator Venetia Porter with concluding remarks by Vali Mahlouji.

 

To view images from this event click here.

To hear a sound recording from this event click here

 

 

 

 

Born in Kermanshah, Iran in 1942 Nicky Nodjoumi’s works are in several prominent collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Depaul Art Museum in Chicago, and the National Museum of Cuba. In September 2013 his work was included in Iran Modern, which opened at the Asia Society in New York. In 2014, his work "The Accident" was featured in a solo exhibition at the Cleveland Institute of Art and subsequently was acquired by the British Museum with the assistance of Maryam and Edward Eisler.

 

Hamid Dabashi  Hamid Dabashi is the Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University in New York, an internationally renowned cultural critic and award-winning author. He has written 25 books, and over 100 essays, articles and book reviews in major scholarly and peer reviewed journals on subjects ranging from Iranian Studies, medieval and modern Islam, comparative literature, world cinema, and the philosophy of art.

 

The Different Perspectives on Modern and Contemporary Iranian Art program sponsored by MOP Foundation, in partnership with the British Museum and in collaboration with independent curator and writer Vali Mahlouji, focuses on the increased interest in Iranian art and features Iranian artists, curators, and critics. These talks explore the oeuvre of significant Iranian artistic figures and assess the legacy and importance of these artists' works within the context of modern and contemporary Iranian art production and beyond. Each panel discussion includes leading figures in the Modern and Contemporary Art industry.