The vast country of Iran is the center of civilization and culture. Anytime you travel to any city in Iran, different ancient works will attract your attention. Isfahan is one of the most beautiful cities in Iran that can entertain you for days with its historical monuments. However, if you want to see a collection of contemporary works, the Isfahan Museum of Contemporary Arts is the right place.
History of Isfahan Museum of Contemporary Arts
This museum was built in the Safavid period. During this period, there was a palace called Jobeh Khaneh. This palace, as its name suggests, was a place to keep the robes or royal clothes. The facade of the house was destroyed in the Safavid period and the Dar al-Hokumah building was built instead.
After the Safavid period, in the Qajar era, the building of Dar al-Hukomah was rebuilt. This building was used as the residence of Masoud Mirza, the son of Naser-al Din Shah. Masoud Mirza was known as Zel-ul Sultan and was considered among the inefficient rulers of the Qajar period. He used the basement of Dar al-Hokumah as a prison.
The use of Dar al-Hokumah building in the Pahlavi period was the Isfahan governorate building. This building was used for approximately 25 years. After the victory of the revolution, in 1994, the governorate building was renovated and introduced as Isfahan Contemporary Art Museum.
This museum is located on Isfahan Governorate Street. Isfahan Decorative Arts Museum is also located next to this museum. There are several historical monuments around the museum, such as Ashraf Hall, Bagh-e Kaj Ground, Chahar-Hoz, and Khorshid Mansion.
Different Parts of Isfahan Museum of Contemporary Arts
The museum building has two floors. The museum has 6 exhibition halls, a library, an administration, and a meeting hall. This building is built in the form of a chair with long legs. The presence of mesh windows in this building has given it a special beauty. There are 2000 books in Persian and 280 books in foreign languages in the museum library.
There is a large courtyard in front of the building. Many trees are planted in certain order around the courtyard. A large pond can be seen in the center of the courtyard. Also, in the courtyard of this building, there is a statue of great Persian poets and literature, which gives it a special beauty.
Objects of the Museum
In the Isfahan Museum of Contemporary Arts, there are different sections, each of which has special works of art. The different parts of the museum are:
- Calligraphy: Many artists can be named who work in this field. But the works that are usually written in handwriting and calligraphy are Quran books, hadiths, poetry, prayers, etc.
- Lacquered and oiled section: among the most important works are the pencils. The most famous paintings, paintings, and carvings of old artists are engraved on the pencil cases. Hence, these works have value.
- Metalworks: Among these works, we can mention the gold engraving on animal statues.
- Painting: Painting in Iran has a long history. These works of art evolved during the time of Shah Abbas II in Iran.
- Traditional hand-weaving and embroidery: this art is the handiwork of Iranian women. Hats, coasters, belts, shoes, vests, etc. can be mentioned among the handmade works.
- Pottery, pottery, and porcelain section: Pottery is very common in Isfahan. There are many workshops for this purpose in the city.
- Wooden works: Among these works, we can mention various types of inlay work on wood. Carving, in fact, means special carving with holes in wood. Carving in Iran has a long history. This art is for the time when mankind was able to carve wood with a cutting tool.
Goals Pursued by the Museum of Contemporary Arts
Isfahan Museum of Contemporary Arts operates with the following goals:
- Acquainting people with contemporary arts
- Research in artistic fields
- A suitable place for the community of artists
According to the previous director of the museum, Mr. Tamizy, the most important goal of the museum is to communicate with international artists. It is also trying to establish a connection between foreign and domestic museums. In the Museum of Contemporary Arts, objects from foreign countries are also displayed.
Do not Miss Visiting This Attraction
Isfahan is a beautiful city with many works of art. If you want to see a large number of works of art in a short time. The Isfahan Museum of Contemporary Art is the right place for this desire. You can travel to this city by buying tour packages from the top tour operators and visiting its contemporary art museum.
In addition, Destination Iran recommends you study other tourist attractions in Isfahan before your trip. Traveling with prior reading will make your experience more productive.
