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MOP CAP Finalist’s Exhibition 2009
The long-awaited exhibition of works by the Magic of Persia Contemporary Art Prize Finalists. The winner of the Prize, Mahmoud Bakhshi Moakhar, was announced on 17th October 2009.
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Royal College of Art, London
Thursday 15th – Saturday 17th October 2009
Admission Free
Opening Hours: 10am – 8pm
The Magic of Persia Contemporary Art Prize (MOP CAP) is a global search to identify the most talented emerging Iranian artists and provide an international platform for their career. Selected from over 120 nominees and exhibiting at the Royal College of Art, are the six finalists:
Farhad Ahrarnia
Mahmoud Bakhshi Moakhar
Vahid Chamani
Sahand Hesamiyan
Abbas Kowsari
Newsha Tavakolian
The winner was selected by a jury whose members include leading figures from the Iranian and International art scenes: Kamran Diba, YZ Kami, Shirin Neshat, Julia Peyton-Jones, Parviz Tanavoli and chaired by Sheena Wagstaff.
Following an auction of the finalists’ works by Jussi Pylkkänen, President of Christie’s Europe and Middle East, the winner was announced on Saturday 17th October 2009 during a cocktail reception at the Royal College of Art.
The MOP CAP winner will be awarded a solo exhibition at The Saatchi Gallery in Autumn 2010.
The MOP CAP 2009 finalists were:
Farhad Ahrarnia was born in Shiraz, Iran, in 1971. He attended Sheffield Hallam University, Northern Media School, from 1992 to1997. He works in a wide range of Media including textile, photography and video. The works submitted consist of a number of found images from media and cyberspace which are digitally printed onto cotton aida and are subsequently embroidered upon by using colourful threads.
Mahmoud Bakhshi Moakhar was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1977. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Tehran, and has exhibited internationally since 2006. He draws inspiration for his works from the political and social issues that surround him. Bakhshi Moakhar has regularly exhibited at the Tehran sculpture Biennial at the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Bangladesh Biennial and most recently was featured in an exhibition at the Barbican Centre in London.
Vahid Chamani was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1984, where he continues to live and work. He attended Tehran Fine Arts School and Tehran University, and is an associate member of the Iranian Painters Society. Chamani’s paintings are inspired by the Iranian cultural instability and the anxiety of Iran's current political and social climate.
Sahand Hesamiyan was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1977. He studied sculpture at Tehran University, and has participated in a number of group exhibitions in Tehran. Hesamiyan creates geometric sculptures, which are inspired by traditional Iranian arts such as tile working and architecture. He aims for people to see geometry as sculpture, where in traditional arts, these forms have always been trapped on the surface. Abbas Kowsari was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1970. He has worked as a photographer for over ten leading Iranian newspapers and is currently senior photo editor for E’temad newspaper in Tehran. His photographs have been published in The New York Times, Time magazine, Paris Match, Der Spiegel, Beneton’s Colors magazine and several other international publications.
Abbas Kowsari was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1970. He has worked as a photographer for over ten leading Iranian newspapers and is currently senior photo editor for E’temad newspaper in Tehran. His photographs have been published in The New York Times, Time magazine, Paris Match, Der Spiegel, Beneton’s Colors magazine and several other international publications.
Newsha Tavakolian was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1981 and is a self-taught artist who began working with the Iranian press as a professional photographer at the age of 16. Working internationally, Newsha has covered Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, Yemen, Azerbaijan and India. Her work often focuses on women’s issues and has been published in Time Magazine, Newsweek, Stern, Le Figaro, Colors, New York Times Magazine, National Geographic, Le Monde 2, NRC Handelsblad and many others. She is a founding member of EVE (Evephotographers) and received the still photography award from the All Roads Film Project sponsored by National Geographic in 2006.
Programme of events:
Thursday 15th October 10am – 12pm - Private preview & champagne breakfast
Saturday 17th October 6pm – 9pm - VIP cocktail reception, auction & announcement of MOP CAP Winner
For extended biographies please visit:
www.mopcap.com |
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