Life Is Beautiful: A Look At Farhad Moshiri’s Book Launch And Exhibition

Alserkal Avenue played host to a pop-up exhibition of works by the Iranian artist in celebration of the first monograph of his work

On March 18, pivotal members of the art world community gathered together in Alserkal Avenue to celebrate the launch of the first major monograph devoted to contemporary Iranian artist Farhad Moshiri. Published by Skira, this stunning double-volume hardcover tome is the brainchild of Dina Nasser-Khadivi. The book serves as the first consolidated critical review of Moshiri’s work that demonstrates through a series of in-depth essays and illustrations the comprehensiveness of the artist’s oeuvre. The book spans the last 20 years of Moshiri’s work presenting a look at his admiration for the ironic hybrids between contemporary and historical Iranian symbolism as well as his exploration of present-day society through an unforgettable Pop Art aesthetic. Also included are works that have never been published before as well as critical essays by Negar Azimi, Dr. Maryam Ekhtiar of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Aram Moshayedi from the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles and Vassilis Oikonomopoulos from the TATE Modern.

Edited by Dina Nasser-Khadivi and Farah Rahim Ismail. Farhad Moshiri is available for purchase at Rizzoli and Skira. – Rebecca Anne Proctor