Hamidreza Shafiei: It's Important to See Middle Eastern Artists

Once again, the death of renowned Iranian artist Farhad Moshiri at the age of 61 has highlighted the need of properly presenting, honoring, and valuing Middle Eastern artists while they are still alive.

IranArt : Hamidreza Shafiei, Vesta Color's manager, comments: "The death of maestro Farhad Moshiri was a significant loss for contemporary art. His perspective was unique and distinct as a Middle Eastern artist. His two pieces from 2008 and 2013 sold for over a million dollars, making him one of the few artists in the area with such success. His works were exhibited in some of the most renowned galleries in Europe and America, and he was included as one of the world's 500 most expensive artists. You have to admit, though, that he never received the recognition he deserved and was never given a formal honor."

Art director; Hamidreza Shafiei, goes on: "Moshiri is the creator of innumerable outstanding and enduring works, each of which lends itself to numerous essays from the sociological and artistic perspectives.Unfortunately, there are only a few brief descriptions of these pieces in auction or exhibition books."

Shafiei highlights: "For the vast majority of artists in the Middle East, this lack of recognition and lack of creating content is a recurring pattern. Just looking at Iranian, Emirati, Iraqi, Saudi, Lebanese, Palestinian, or Omani artists will demonstrate their struggles due to their lack of visibility."

Artists are spiritual assets, as the Vesta Color Manager reminds us. He states that in industrialized countries, prominent artists' homes and studios have been converted into museums and are significant tourist attractions. The Middle East should also embrace this concept.

Shafiei says: "According to worldwide lessons, nations that excel in the arts are surrounded by components such as polished presentation, successful marketing, and persuasive advertising. Just take a look at the volume of content created each year by contemporary artists like Jeff Koons, Gerhard Richter, and Damien Hirst, as well as deceased artists like Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol. This not only shows support for artists, but also opens up new options in the art industry."

Ultimately, Hamidreza Shafiei makes the point that creating quality content is essential to getting recognized. 

"If the Middle East intends to present its successes and spiritual beauty to the rest of the world in a professional manner, it must put out more effort and create a platform for artists to get acclaim while they are still living. Particularly considering that one cell phone might now contain all of the information in the globe," he says.