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Persian art puts down new roots in London
The sixth Iranian Contemporary Art Biennial, titled ‘With My Roots,’ brought together artists from across the global Iranian diaspora at London’s Mall Galleries from May 23 to 30, showcasing the growing international reach of Iranian contemporary art in one of the British capital’s most prominent cultural venues.
Organized by Capital Art London and inaugurated during a private preview on May 22, the exhibition featured 182 works selected from more than 530 submissions. The final collection represented 127 Iranian artists residing in 17 countries, offering a broad survey of contemporary artistic expression shaped by cultural heritage, personal experience and global engagement, IRNA reported.
Located beside Buckingham Palace on The Mall, the gallery’s exhibition spaces were transformed into a vibrant showcase of painting, photography, digital art, installation and video. The biennial sought to highlight artistic voices that move beyond technique alone to explore identity, memory and the enduring influence of Iranian culture across generations and geographies.
The event attracted a diverse audience of international visitors, collectors, art professionals and members of the Iranian community, underscoring the expanding visibility of Iranian artists on the global cultural stage and their ability to forge cross-border connections through visual storytelling.
A centerpiece of this year’s edition was ‘Eternal Iran,’ a special exhibition dedicated to the richness and continuity of Iranian civilization. The section featured 15 works by acclaimed Iranian miniature master Hossein Ali Machiani, whose paintings reflected the elegance of classical Persian miniature traditions while engaging contemporary audiences through themes of cultural continuity and artistic authenticity.
According to organizers, 305 works advanced to the jury stage before 182 pieces were selected for display. By bringing together emerging talents and internationally recognized practitioners from the United Kingdom, Europe, North America and the Middle East, ‘With My Roots’ offered a sweeping portrait of contemporary Iranian creativity and opened new avenues for cultural dialogue, artistic exchange and engagement with the global art market.