A century of Zari weaving on display in Tehran
The exhibition “Golden Wovens: One Hundred Years of Zari Bafi in Tehran” inaugurated on Tuesday with the aim of introducing and re-examining a century of contemporary Iranian Zari weaving. The event brings together a wide-ranging collection of Zari- and velvet-weaving works produced in Tehran, offering visitors an in-depth look at the evolution of this historic craft.
Zari-Bafi (Zari weaving) is a traditional Iranian craft of weaving luxurious brocade fabrics using silk threads combined with gold or silver.
The exhibition focuses on the revival of Zari weaving in the modern era — an art whose process of reorganization began in 1925 with the establishment of the Zari Weaving Institute at the Golestan Palace complex, chtn.ir wrote.
According to available historical documents, the institute was founded by order of the country’s highest authority at the time, with the objective of supplying essential equipment and ensuring the continuation and institutional support of Zari-weaving activities.
Works on display date from 1938 to the present day and showcase the craftsmanship of 85 master Zari and velvet weavers from different generations. Collectively, these pieces illustrate the technical developments, workshop practices, and aesthetic sensibilities of Tehran’s Zari weaving, situating them within the broader social and economic transformations of the past century.
Organizers of the exhibition state that the event seeks to document this artistic tradition, introduce its technical and aesthetic capacities to a wider audience, and emphasize the significance of Zari weaving within Iran’s contemporary social and cultural history.
This exhibition will continue until January 28.