Thousands of visual artists in Iran have faced economic and professional uncertainty since joint airstrikes and combat operations by the US and Israel began on 28 February, tightening economic pressure on the country. Commercial galleries in Tehran have closed, exhibitions have been cancelled, and shipping channels have been severed, impacting the domestic art market.
In response, Continuum: Artist Relief for Iran was launched to connect contemporary artists living and working in Iran with international audiences, collectors, and institutions. The digital platform, iranartistrelief.org, features more than 500 original artworks by over 200 artists.
Dario Duran, a Canadian-Iranian curator and founder of Duran Art Projects, co-founded Continuum after being displaced by the conflict. He observed artists losing hope due to gallery closures, material shortages, and displacement. Eleven commercial galleries in Iran have agreed to waive their sales commissions, and Duran Art Projects charges no platform fees, ensuring 100% of sales go directly to the artists.
Logistics for delivering physical artworks out of Iran are complex due to military bombardment and international sanctions. While initial flight connections through the UAE were cancelled, a courier company is now transporting artworks overland into Armenia for international shipping, with delivery times estimated at three to six months.