Khor Art Initiative 2022- Online Viewing

Statement:

What is Khor?

"Khor" (pronounced /xor/ or /kɔː/) is an inlet, a small gulf. It is a delicate tidal area with its own ecosystem. This native word for Middle Eastern estuaries is a symbol of middle eastern art, especially in Iran, which represents a unique and highly influential cultural-geological region in the world.

Khor Art Initiative was born amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran in May 2020. The timing of this project was not a mere coincidence but rather a calculated initiative. Despite all the challenges and our lack of experience, we were determined to organize an event with major objectives in mind, at a time when we thought it could prove most helpful for our art community; and we were fortunate to achieve this goal at a quality higher than we expected. On rather short notice, not only did we succeed in bringing together a group of elite international jurors but also were met with a warm welcome by artists from all across Iran.

The jury process resulted in the selection and online exhibition of works from 54 mostly emerging artists. For more than half of our jurors - who represent a wide range of roles in the world of art - this was the first chance to be exposed to Iranian art today. They were pleasantly surprised with the quality and variety of the submissions.

Based on the experience gained from our first event, Khor Art Initiative 2021 saw several changes including the introduction of a two-step judging process, announcing a list of 5 finalists, and the possibility of organizing a physical group exhibition by the artists for the first time since the COVID-19 restrictions. The open call saw a 40 percent increase in submissions from all corners of the country. Nearly two-thirds of the applicants were young female artists mostly in their 20s and 30s.

Khor 2021 was also held online. The jury consisted of a distinguished mix of voices in the Middle Eastern and international art, including Roxane Zand, Anna Wallace-Thompson, Max Presneill, Murtaza Vali, Lila Nazemian, and Lee Ann Biddle. 30 shortlisted artists were selected in the first stage, and 5 finalists emerged from the initial list of 30 during a meeting in the second stage. As the submissions turned out to exceed expectations, the jury unanimously agreed on announcing an additional list of four "Special Mentions" at the end of the event.