How War and Sanctions Make It Harder for Iranian Art to Reach the Global Market / Efforts to Introduce Iran's Dynamic Art Scene to the World

War and economic sanctions have confronted Iranian art with a set of interconnected challenges, from closed galleries and canceled exhibitions to difficulties in sourcing materials, fewer sales opportunities, and restricted ties with international markets. The impact goes beyond artists' declining income. It also affects their ability to continue professional work, the visibility of their work, and the presence of contemporary Iranian art on the global stage.

According to Ambassador Arjan, in a situation where war, economic sanctions and the difficulty of accessing international markets have disrupted the professional activities of many Iranian visual artists, a project titled "Continuum; "Supporting Iranian artists" tries to provide a way for artists to continue their activities and provide a living by creating a platform for the direct sale of works of art. This project, which started its activity on August 13, 2026, connects more than 200 artists living in Iran with collectors and international buyers and allocates the income from the sale of works to the artists.

This initiative was created by the efforts of Dario Doran, an Iranian-Canadian curator and collector, and Maryam Rasti, an Iranian curator. "Continuum" is the first project of the "Art Projects of the Era" series, and its purpose is to create a connection between contemporary Iranian art and global audiences. In a report on August 31, the specialized newspaper "Art Newspaper" described this project as a rare opportunity for Iranian artists to access the global art market.

direct sale of works; A way to continue artistic activity

According to the information published on the official website of this project, "Continuum" has provided a platform for the supply and sale of the works of emerging and lesser-known Iranian artists. In the published reports about this initiative, more than 500 works of art from more than 200 artists have been mentioned; In some early reports, the number of works was about 700. This collection includes painting, drawing, photography, hand printing, sculpture and mixed works.

One of the main features of this plan is to allocate all sales revenue to the artist. The eleven commercial galleries of Iran that were mentioned in the Guardian newspaper's report have given up receiving sales commissions, and the "Duran Art Projects" collection does not receive any fees for using this platform. In this way, the sales amount of each work goes directly to its creator.

The pricing of the works has been done in three ranges: up to 500 dollars, from 500 to 2500 dollars and from 2500 to 5000 dollars. This pricing method is intended to make purchasing possible for a wider range of collectors and international enthusiasts.

Those interested can view the works on the project's official website and register their purchase request. After checking the availability of the work, payment information and purchase completion steps will be provided to the applicant. According to the website's description, shipping and insurance costs are calculated separately, and the buyer receives information about these costs before paying.

Sanctions and the difficulty of transferring artworks

One of the important obstacles facing Iranian artists is not only the limitation of domestic sales; Difficult access to international payment networks and the problems of transferring works have also limited their connection with the global market.

"Art Newspaper" has pointed out in its report that sanctions, financial transfer problems and difficulties related to sending works have complicated the cooperation of foreign galleries with Iranian artists. Travel restrictions and the difficulty of obtaining visas have also reduced opportunities for many artists to participate in art residencies abroad.

In such a situation, "Continuum" tries to manage the payment and shipping route in addition to introducing the works. However, the physical transfer of works still faces difficulties. The Guardian reported that the closure of air routes to the region disrupted initial plans to send the works via Dubai and Istanbul, prompting organizers to use alternative routes, including transporting the works overland to Armenia.

For this reason, the delivery time may reach three to six months. The organizers have announced this time frame for clear information to the buyers; However, the exact shipping time depends on the shipping conditions and the selected route.

An initiative that was formed from the heart of the crisis

According to the Guardian on October 14, the initial idea of this project was formed when Dario Doran and Maryam Rasti faced artists who were losing the possibility of continuing their professional activities due to the cancellation of exhibitions, closing of galleries, lack of raw materials and forced relocation.

Duran, who was forced to leave Shiraz during the war, wrote an open letter to collectors, museum managers and gallery owners abroad after talking with artists and observing their living conditions. The positive reaction of art activists in cities such as London, New York, Paris, Dubai, Toronto and Mumbai provided the basis for the expansion of the project, which was initially supposed to be only a limited catalog of the works of a number of artists.

This initiative was developed over five months in collaboration with domestic galleries and a network of international supporters. The organizers emphasized from the beginning that the aim of the project is not simply to collect works about war or to turn the suffering of artists into a topic to attract the attention of foreign audiences; Rather, they try to see the works in their true variety and as the product of the professional activity of the artists.

Iranian art beyond the image of crisis

One of the points emphasized by the organizers is to avoid limiting Iran's contemporary art to a specific style or theme. From their point of view, an Iranian artist should not have to represent his national identity in an obvious way in his work or create a work about political and social crises in order to attract the attention of the international audience.

In this collection, along with the works that are directly or indirectly related to the experience of the crisis, abstract paintings, geometric designs, portraits, photographs and experimental works have also been presented. This approach is followed with the aim of introducing a diverse range of artistic methods and avoiding reducing Iranian art to the narrative of war.

Earlier, in an interview with "Art Newspaper", Maryam Rasti emphasized the problems that existed in Iran's art scene even before the war. According to him, some artists had no sales even months before the start of the conflicts, and the visual arts space was already struggling with economic and social restrictions.

Supporting an artist, supporting a cultural chain

The importance of such projects is not limited to the income from the sale of a work. Continuing the activity of an artist can provide the possibility of maintaining the workshop, purchasing raw materials, training and transferring experience to the next generation. For this reason, the sale of works in this project has been proposed as part of the effort to maintain the chain of artistic activities in Iran.

In the Guardian report, an Iranian painter spoke about the psychological impact of seeing his works in the international space. He explained that even if the works are not sold, the feeling of being seen and not being forgotten is valuable for an artist who works in difficult conditions.

Another artist, whose works are presented in this collection, has also spoken about the difficulty of obtaining raw materials and using alternative tools. According to him, in order to continue working, artists are forced to compensate for the lack of facilities with creativity; However, access to the usual facilities and presence in the world art system is still important to them.

These experiences show that supporting artists does not only mean buying works; Making it possible to be seen, maintaining communication with global audiences and providing conditions for continuing work is also a part of it.

A network of cooperation inside and outside Iran

According to the information of the official "Continuum" website, a number of galleries and art activists in different cities of Iran are participating in this project. Along with them, a series of galleries, foundations, organizations and individuals abroad also support this initiative.

This network can also be important for artists who work outside of Tehran; Because access to the art market and international audience should not depend solely on the artist's place of residence or professional connections.

"Continuum" can be seen as an attempt to link livelihood support with the international introduction of Iranian contemporary art. Despite the difficulties of transferring works and economic limitations, this project tries to create a direct path between the artist and the buyer; The path in which the continuation of artistic activity and maintaining the possibility of creating works is in the center of attention.

Finally, war and embargo cannot be measured solely by the number of canceled exhibitions or unsold works. The deeper effect of these two situations is the gradual erosion of the possibility of continuation: when the artist takes a break from his work to support his living expenses, the gallery does not have the possibility of long-term planning, the work does not find its way to the foreign market, and the audience finds less opportunity to encounter the contemporary art of his country.