Several months have passed since the upheaval of the protest, massacre and war, yet their effects continue to linger through everyday life in Iran. For artists and independent art spaces, these events have added another layer to the economic pressures and uncertainties that have long shaped the conditions in which they work.

Ab-Anbar Gallery in London has dedicated its space to an exhibition bringing together works from about twenty galleries and art spaces across Iran, alongside a number of independent artists. While most are based in Iran, a few have recently relocated to London and continue to work across the contexts of Iran and the diaspora.

Ab-Anbar will receive no commission from the sales, allowing the proceeds to return directly to the participating artists and galleries. The exhibition has been made possible with the support of O Gallery’s team in Tehran, who reached out to galleries and artists across the country and coordinated the selection and collection of the works presented here.

The initiative creates a direct connection between artists, galleries and audiences inside and outside Iran, while helping sustain the professional networks that support the production and circulation of this work. Most participating artists based in Iran are living and working in the country.

The project is committed to artistic independence and the rejection of censorship, as well as complete transparency throughout the pricing, sales and transfer of funds. Beyond this exhibition, we hope it can contribute to thinking about longer-term and more sustainable ways of supporting the independent art infrastructure in Iran.