Iranian Art Beyond Borders: 10 Iranian Artists with Exclusive Global Markets

Before the establishment of Tehran Auction in 2012, cities like Dubai, London, and Paris were the primary hubs for the sale of Iranian art. With the advent of the Tehran Auction, the city became a player in the global art market. Some artists, whose works were rarely publicly sold, found their way into international markets through this auction. However, there are still artists whose works are exclusively sold domestically, with no presence in foreign markets.

On the other hand, there are Iranian artists who have exclusively shaped their careers outside of Iran, never having entered the domestic art market. These artists, often younger and part of the Iranian diaspora, cannot be confined to one artistic category. However, themes of identity and cultural heritage from their homeland are evident in some of their creations. Below is a look at the market presence of 10 such Iranian artists.

1. Ali Banisadr

Born in 1976, Ali Banisadr is the top-selling artist on this list, with a total sales value of $8.9 million since his works first entered auctions in 2012.

• Most expensive artwork sold: Motherboard (2013) sold for $572,000 at Phillips in 2020.
• The average price of his 45 sold works is $202,300, with three of his works exceeding $500,000.

Although Banisadr’s works are sold exclusively outside Iran, they have been frequently auctioned in Middle Eastern art sales. Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Phillips, and Bonham's have achieved the highest sales results for his works.

2. Tala Madani

Born in 1980, Tala Madani is the second-highest-selling artist in this list. Of the 101 works presented at auction, 89 have been sold, generating a total of $1.76 million.

• Most expensive artwork sold: House (2007) sold for $73,000 at Christie’s in 2018.
• The average price of her works is around $20,000, with most sales occurring between $10,000 and $50,000.
• Phillips has led the market for her works, contributing $680,000 in total sales.

Although Madani’s works don't typically fall under the Middle Eastern art category, two of her pieces have been auctioned under that label.

3. Shirazeh Houshiary

Born in 1954, Shirazeh Houshiary’s works first entered auctions in 2004. Her total sales amount to $1 million, with 36 out of 56 works sold, achieving a 65% sales rate.

• Most expensive artwork sold: Door (2005) sold for $205,800 at Christie’s.
• Most of Houshiary’s abstract works are sold between $10,000 and $50,000.
• Artcurial and Bloomsbury have achieved a 100% sales rate for her works, while Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Bonhams have seen the highest total sales.

4. Kour Pour

Born in 1987, Kour Pour is the youngest artist on this list, with a total sales value of $849,300 to date. His top-selling work, Bastard Child (2010), sold for $162,500 at Sotheby’s.

• The average price for Pour’s works is $44,700.
• Most of his 19 sold works have achieved prices between $0 and $50,000.
• Sotheby’s has led the market for his works, with 80% of sales occurring there, totaling $389,500.

5. Marjane Satrapi

Born in 1969, Marjane Satrapi is the only artist on this list with two dedicated auctions for her works, “Persepolis” and “Persepolis 2,” both held by Sotheby’s in London.

• The first auction, which was held online, sold 44 original pages from her book, raising $637,300.
• The second auction, part of Islamic Week in London, generated $153,700 from 17 works.
• Satrapi’s works have a total auction sales value of $805,400, with Sotheby’s accounting for $791,000 of that total.

6. Sassan Behnam Bakhtiar

Born in 1983, Sassan Behnam Bakhtiar’s works first appeared at auction in 2017. With 12 sold works, he has generated a total of $438,300.

• Most expensive artwork sold: Energy Era (2023) sold for $122,300 at Phillips.
• The average price of his works is $36,500, with Phillips leading the market for his pieces at $295,000 in total sales.

7. Hedieh Shafie

Born in 1969, Hedieh Shafie, an Iranian-American artist, has seen her works fluctuate between painting and sculpture. Since 2011, her works have garnered a total sales value of $430,600.

• Most expensive artwork sold: Transfer 7 (2018) sold for $110,400 at Christie’s, with an estimate of $64,000–$90,000.
• Shafie’s works have achieved a 100% sales rate at Sotheby’s, although Christie’s has led the market for her works with $236,400 in total sales.

8. Maysha Mohamedi

Born in 1980, Maysha Mohamedi’s works entered the auction scene in 2023, debuting at Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art sale in New York.

• Her top-selling work, Bird, Sleeping Tiger (2020), sold for $151,200 at Christie’s.
• Since her debut, 11 of her works have entered auctions, with 6 pieces sold for a total of $351,300, with most sales occurring through Christie’s.

9. Pouran Jinchi

Born in 1959, Pouran Jinchi’s works have been sold at auctions since 2006, with a total sales value of $296,500 for 15 works.

• Most expensive artwork sold: Alphabet Series (early 2000s) sold for $68,500 at Christie’s in 2008.
• Christie’s has achieved a 100% sales rate for Jinchi’s works, with total sales of $208,000.

10. Sara Rahbar

Born in 1976, Sara Rahbar’s works entered auctions in 2009, with her top-selling work, Flag No. 15, achieving $43,700 at Christie’s.

• Most of her works have sold for between $10,000 and $50,000, with a total sales value of $268,400.
• Christie’s has been the top performer for Rahbar’s works, with $185,200 in total sales.

These 10 Iranian artists have made significant strides on the global stage, with their works being exclusively traded in international markets. Their exploration of identity, heritage, and abstract forms speaks to the diverse narratives within the Iranian art diaspora, creating new dialogues that resonate with audiences far beyond Iran’s borders.

#IranianArt #GlobalArtMarket #DiasporaArt #AliBanisadr #TalaMadani #ShirazehHoushiary #KourPour #MarjaneSatrapi #ContemporaryArt #SassanBehnamBakhtiar #HediehShafie #MaishaMohammadi #PouranJinchi #SaraRahbar #ArtAuctions #Sothebys #Christies #Phillips