Christie’s offered this comment:
Christie’s is proud of its leading role in presenting Iranian art on an international platform through our bi-annual sales in Dubai. To date we have no plans to open a further sale room in the region and we have not been approached by the Iranian ministry of culture.
That statement was in response to this is an interesting report:
Quoted by the official IRNA news agency, Culture Minister Ali Janati said negotiations with Christie’s are under way to hold auctions at Iran’s Gulf resort Kish Island.
“The close distance to Dubai has allowed Iranian artists — who can afford the travel costs — to present their work there,” Janati said, noting that local auctions could attract a bigger audience.
The art scene in Tehran, although considered a lightweight in global standards, is expanding with the country’s nouveau riche buying big, observers say.
