ArtDayMe : The Public Relations and Advertising Department of Eghtesad Novin Bank wrote on enbank.ir:

The grand foyer of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art became the setting for a distinguished and exceptional evening celebrating 25 years of Eghtesad Novin Bank’s pioneering presence, while honoring the cultural and artistic heritage of Iran. The evening brought together some of the most prominent figures in contemporary Iranian art. Alongside the unveiling of a selection of outstanding works from the Novin Collection, Eghtesad Novin Bank marked a new chapter in the relationship between the economy and culture as part of its corporate social responsibility.

The event, held on August 18, 2026, at the museum, was attended by prominent figures including Bahman Farmanara, Lili Golestan, Morteza Kazemi, Yadollah Kaboli, Einuddin Sadeghzadeh, Ebrahim Haghighi, Bahram Dabiri, Golnaz Fathi, Zahra Haghshoar, Ali Dolatshahi, Ali Dorostkar, as well as representatives and directors of MAAD, Mojdeh, Taraneh Baran, Shokouh, Maher and Iris galleries, alongside a number of prominent figures from Iran’s economic and business community.

In the museum’s grand foyer, in addition to the physical display of 25 selected works from the Novin Gallery Collection, the complete collection is being presented through a photo-and-video presentation for ten days.

 

_ Ali Mousavizadeh: New Financial Facilities for Artists and Art Buyers

 

Dr. Ali Mousavizadeh, Deputy CEO of Eghtesad Novin Bank, emphasized the bank’s identity as an institution supportive of the arts and said:

“Our mission goes beyond acquiring works of art. Our primary objective is to create opportunities for people who value culture—the very society from which these works emerged—to encounter and experience the collection.”

Referring to the bank’s record of corporate social responsibility, including the construction of 53 schools in deprived and underserved areas of Iran, as well as extensive charitable initiatives in fields such as healthcare, culture and the arts, he added:

“Art occupies a strategic position within Eghtesad Novin Bank’s corporate social responsibility framework. Our support for distinguished initiatives such as Sepanj, which seeks to encourage people from different segments of society to reflect on and pursue a better and more fulfilling life, as well as our support for authentic Iranian music, represent only part of our activities in this field.”

The bank’s Deputy CEO also announced the development of new financial instruments designed to facilitate the buying and selling of artworks. Referring to the potential of the NovinTech platform for art-market participants, he noted that Eghtesad Novin Bank is adopting an innovative approach under which artworks will be accepted as collateral for financing facilities.

 

_ Maryam Yaghoubzadeh: Eghtesad Novin, a Patron of the Arts

 

Maryam Yaghoubzadeh, Head of the Public Relations and Advertising Department of Eghtesad Novin Bank, emphasized the continuation of the bank’s support for the arts.

She said:

“The connection between the economic sphere and contemporary art has been established at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art for the first time. Since Eghtesad Novin is a pioneer in organizing an exhibition at this prestigious institution, this event can be regarded as a milestone in the history of Iranian art.”

Recalling the commitment of the bank’s new management team to strengthening the institution’s position within Iran’s banking system, she added that its strategic objectives and its ambition to rank among the country’s leading banks have been pursued alongside a commitment to fulfilling its social responsibilities on a global scale.

Yaghoubzadeh concluded by emphasizing the bank’s inseparable relationship with its customers:

“All parts of Eghtesad Novin Bank are indebted to the trust of our customers and the public. That is why our slogan, ‘With You, We Are Novin’, reflects this profound and value-driven relationship.”

 

_ Lili Golestan: Eghtesad Novin Was the First Private Bank to Acquire Works of Art

 

Lili Golestan, a prominent figure in the Iranian visual arts, translator and director of Golestan Gallery, spoke at the unveiling ceremony of the Novin Collection and highlighted the bank’s pioneering role in supporting the arts.

She said:

“Eghtesad Novin was the first bank to take an innovative approach to acquiring works of art. It was a progressive and groundbreaking initiative that helped establish an authentic movement at the time, and it was not long before it became an inspiring model for other banking and economic institutions in the country.”

Golestan also addressed the economic dimensions of art and the long-term value of investing in artworks:

“Today, it is clear to everyone that owning and acquiring works of art goes beyond visual pleasure. It represents a secure form of investment and a smart means of saving that can generate remarkable added value over time.”

She noted that Eghtesad Novin had recognized and acted upon this reality more than two decades ago.

Golestan further praised the bank’s strategic and sustained support for artists and the preservation of Iran’s artistic heritage:

“Throughout all these years, Eghtesad Novin Bank has consistently stood at the forefront of supporting authentic artistic movements and Iranian artists. The result of this elevated vision is now embodied in a distinguished, exceptional and valuable collection within the bank’s holdings—a precious collection that we hope, through the thoughtful leadership of the institution, will become increasingly rich, comprehensive and complete in the years ahead.”

 

_ Yadollah Kaboli: Eghtesad Novin Is Moving Alongside Iranian Art

 

At the ceremony, Yadollah Kaboli, the celebrated Iranian calligrapher, praised Eghtesad Novin Bank’s sustained contribution to culture and the arts and emphasized the spiritual value of artworks.

He described art as “the deepest and most unadorned dialogue between thoughtful and enlightened human beings throughout history,” adding that every dimension of art is filled with beauty and timelessness, and that what an artist places on canvas or paper transcends any purely material valuation.

Kaboli described the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art as one of the world’s most distinguished artistic institutions and said that choosing the museum as the venue for unveiling a selection from Eghtesad Novin Bank’s art collection demonstrated the bank management’s understanding of the elevated position of art.

Referring to his own history of collaboration with the bank, he added:

“Calligraphy is one of the most prestigious and deeply rooted art forms born from the soil of Iran, and it is a source of great satisfaction for me to have traveled alongside an institution such as Eghtesad Novin in advancing this art.”

 

Unveiling of Yadollah Kaboli’s Calligraphic Painting, “Ba Shoma Novinim”

 

One of the most notable initiatives of the event was the creation of a new artwork incorporating Eghtesad Novin Bank’s slogan, “Ba Shoma Novinim” (“With You, We Are Novin”), by Master Yadollah Kaboli to mark the bank’s 25th anniversary.

The unveiling of Kaboli’s “Ba Shoma Novinim” during the ceremony was warmly received by art enthusiasts and members of the economic community in attendance.

Kaboli referred to the difficulties and complexities involved in rendering the phrase through calligraphy and described the work as a gift in recognition of the bank’s innovative approach to the Iranian artistic community over the years.

The distinguished artwork was unveiled in the presence of Bahman Farmanara, Dr. Ali Mousavizadeh, Deputy CEO of Eghtesad Novin Bank, and Maryam Yaghoubzadeh, Head of the Public Relations and Advertising Department.

 

_ Morteza Kazemi: Establishing an Art Export Association Is Essential

 

Morteza Kazemi, a well-known figure in the Iranian art scene and an expert in the art economy, was another speaker at the ceremony.

Referring to the significant contribution of the arts to gross domestic product in both developed and developing economies, Kazemi noted the removal of previous restrictions on institutional investment in artworks and praised Eghtesad Novin Bank as a pioneer in this strategically important field.

Explaining the changing nature of artworks as financial assets, he said:

“An artwork is not a luxury or merely ornamental commodity; it is a sustainable asset. Eghtesad Novin Bank’s initiative to build and publicly present this collection is an unparalleled event in Iran’s economic landscape.”

Kazemi also pointed to the long-standing tradition of art commerce in international markets, describing it as a platform for trade and cross-cultural exchange.

He emphasized that, in order to facilitate the participation of Iranian artists in international markets and generate foreign currency revenues for the country, establishing an “Art Export Association” is both necessary and unavoidable.

 

_ Einuddin Sadeghzadeh: Accepting Artworks as Bank Collateral

 

Einuddin Sadeghzadeh, a prominent calligrapher and calligraphic painter, emphasized the primacy of art over purely economic considerations and outlined practical approaches for sustaining this supportive movement within the banking system.

Arguing that the economy itself should ultimately serve the cultural and artistic sphere, he stressed the need to move beyond purely speculative approaches to the art trade.

He said gallery owners should not focus exclusively on financial concerns and increasing the market value of artworks; rather, their primary responsibility should be to provide intelligent and meaningful support for authentic artistic movements.

The innovative artist also called for the creation of a dedicated space for the permanent display of distinguished works from the Novin Collection, while presenting several key proposals for establishing a more effective connection between art and banking.

Emphasizing the need to institutionalize art insurance, he proposed that banks expand their support for artists by accepting high-value artworks as legitimate collateral for financing facilities.

 

_ Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art Director: Eghtesad Novin Is Reviving Iran’s Long Tradition of Patronage of the Arts

 

Reza Dabiri-Nejad, Director of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, also addressed the gathering.

Referring to Iran’s deep-rooted tradition of patronage of the arts, he emphasized the importance of continuing cooperation and synergy between financial institutions and artistic and cultural centers.

Dabiri-Nejad noted that throughout Iranian history, the arts have benefited from the financial support of patrons committed to culture.

“In the history of this land, many merchants and entrepreneurs with refined taste and intellectual vision understood the profound value of art and devoted themselves to acquiring and supporting distinguished works. This tradition is being revisited today through the responsible approach adopted by Eghtesad Novin Bank.”

Highlighting the symbolic importance of holding the event at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, he added:

“As an institution dedicated to preserving Iran’s artistic heritage, the museum welcomed the opportunity to host the presentation of Eghtesad Novin Bank’s valuable collection. We now hope that this collaboration can become a model for sustainable and mutually beneficial support between financial institutions and cultural organizations, paving the way for an even stronger and more productive relationship.”

 

_ Unveiling of the Second Edition of the Eghtesad Novin Bank Gallery Collection Book

 

The second edition of the Eghtesad Novin Bank Gallery Collection book was unveiled to mark the bank’s 25th anniversary.

The bank’s Public Relations Department published the new edition with a redesigned visual identity and presentation.

The grand finale of the ceremony was the unveiling of the book on the stage of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, in the presence of a distinguished gathering of artists and prominent figures from Iran’s economic and business communities.