"I wasn't planning on closing. I believe that galleries and cultural spaces, especially in a country like Iran and in times of chaos, function as more than just physical spaces that showcase artworks. They can serve as spaces for free dialogue."
"This time feels different. It isn't simply about whether galleries stay open. This time it is about a unified act among many sectors of society: businesses, the bazaar, privately owned restaurants and cafés and others. We decided to stand with what was happening as part of a broader collective action. This is an act of unity."
Protests that began on 28 December with bazaar traders over a crashing currency spread to artists and gallerists, prompting many galleries to change hours, close before nightly demonstrations, cancel exhibitions, or shut entirely. An internet and communications shutdown on 8 January severely limited information flow and hampered coordination. At least one established gallery initially remained open, viewing cultural spaces as forums for free dialogue, but closed after protests turned violent and reports of arrests and killings. Galleries and other private businesses participated in a broader, unified act of protest as economic hardship left many unable to afford basic necessities.
Read at The Art Newspaper - International art news and events
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