ArtDayMe – Mojdeh Tabatabaei, founder and director of Mojdeh Art Gallery, is a prominent name in Iran’s art scene. Before her gallery career of more than two and a half decades, she was a painter and engaged in theater. Born in 1968 in Tehran to a cultured family that nurtured her growth as a Middle Eastern woman, Tabatabaei first entered the arts by earning a Bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts with a focus on Stage Design at the University of Tehran. Her academic background initially led her to the world of performance.

Yet, her search for the right artistic atmosphere drew her toward the visual arts. In 1991, she devoted herself to watercolor painting, producing works in both small and large formats that soon gained recognition among professionals.

She achieved a mastery in watercolor that enabled her to teach the craft to teenagers and young adults. By the early 1990s—at a time when Iran’s capital had just emerged from eight years of war—her art institute in northern Tehran quickly rose to prominence. But this, too, was not Tabatabaei’s ultimate aspiration.

Her path took a decisive turn when she participated in an exhibition at Seyhoun Gallery and met the esteemed Masoumeh Seyhoun—one of the most influential figures in Iran’s gallery history. From 1993 to 2001, Tabatabaei worked alongside her, learning the principles, knowledge, and secrets of gallery management.

While pursuing her career in theater, she also continued her academic journey, completing a Master’s degree in Art Research in 1997. It was not long before she found her true calling: gallery management.

In October 1999, when her daughter Kimia was only two years old, Tabatabaei founded Mojdeh Art Gallery. At that time, Iran’s cultural sphere was experiencing a relative opening, and Mojdeh seized the opportunity. In addition to curating influential exhibitions, she initiated international collaborations across Paris, London, New York, Switzerland (twice), Florence Biennale,Beijing, Yerevan, Bahrain, Seoul, Tbilisi, Malaysia, and the UAE. Within just a few years, Mojdeh Art Gallery had established itself as a driving force in Iran’s contemporary art scene.

[Mojdeh Tabatabaei and Naja Mahdavi at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia]

In its early years, the gallery focused largely on calligraphic painting and innovative young artists, carving out a strong presence on the international stage. Since 2006—when Christie’s launched its first auction in Dubai—Tabatabaei and her gallery have been firmly embedded in the regional art market. Mojdeh Art Gallery has since left a lasting footprint by simultaneously supporting Iran’s cultural image and boosting the economics of art. The gallery’s relationships with Bonhams and Sotheby’s also began during this period and remain ongoing.

During its second decade, Mojdeh Tabatabaei redefined the gallery’s strategy: adopting a research-oriented approach, publishing scholarly books, honoring Iranian masters, and developing art markets both inside and outside Iran through innovative methods. Several milestones from this era remain etched in Iran’s art history:

• The publication of A Selection of 60 Years of Paintings by Master Manouchehr Niazi, coinciding with his 78th birthday (Winter 2014).

• The exhibition Life and Works of Mehdi Sahabi at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, curated by Tabatabaei, accompanied by two publications (Fall 2021).

• The publication of The Life and Works of Bahman Rezaei—a pioneer of Iranian caricature—in collaboration with the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (Winter 2024).

• And of course, numerous groundbreaking exhibitions introducing emerging Iranian talents.

Today, as Mojdeh Tabatabaei prepares for the gallery’s third decade of activity, the trajectory suggests that this established institution will continue to surprise with innovative and ambitious projects.

Highlights of Mojdeh Art Gallery’s Activities

• More than 280 art exhibitions since its founding.

• Publication of five specialized books, including: 

• The Life and Works of Bahman Rezaei, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, 2024.

• The Struggle for Meaning: A Semiotic Analysis of Mehdi Sahabi’s Visual Works, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, 2022.

[Mojdeh Tabatabaei alongside a group of Iranian art masters and colleagues from Mojdeh Gallery at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art]

• The Life and Works of Mehdi Sahabi, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, 2021.

• The Struggle of Words: Essays in Translation Studies with a Focus on Mehdi Sahabi’s Visual and Literary Language, Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, 2021.

• The Rise of Imagination: A Review of Manouchehr Niazi’s Works, Golestan Youth Cultural Institute, 2014.

• Production of biographical films on Iranian masters.

• Participation in major national and international events, including biennials, art fairs, and expos.

• Discovery and mentorship of emerging Iranian talents, introducing new techniques and ideas to the art market.

• Research and study of the art economy, with a tireless effort toward the growth and vitality of Iranian art.

• Collaboration with regional galleries to nurture artists across Iran.