The judges and evaluators for the 9th International FAJR Handycraft Festival, known as Tehran- SARV-E Simin, have been announced.
The panel features well-known international judges including Indonesian baby Yurmawati, Argentine’s Loksana Amarilla, India’s Sandip Kumar and Thailand’s Sittychai Sumanchat.
They join prominent Iranian experts such as Aldeshir Moharad Takestani, a veteran in the field of Persian miniatures. Mohammad Taqi Ashouri, a professor at the College of Art and pioneer in academic education. Mohammad Hassan Golchinpour, metalwork expert. Mohammad Reza Sharifzadeh, professor of visual arts. Ardeshir Mirmangereh, former deputy of the Ministry of Culture and Visual Arts of Islamic Leader. Mehdi Amraei, a university professor. Zhila Rassam Arabzadeh, a handicraft specialist. Medi Mohammadi, head of Sole University’s Handicrafts Bureau. and Arash Heidalian, an active participant in the handmade carpet and craft sector.
The ju judge’s office is supervised by university lecturer Marzieh Torkamaanian and also consultant to the judges, University instructor Mohammed Reza Gerami, who holds a first-class artistic certificate.
The evaluation process was completely electronic, with 13 judges beginning Friday to evaluate the final stages of artwork. Finally, six selected works are selected. During this round of the festival, both foreign and Iranian judges will review entries over two days.
According to Mariam Gialari de Decordi, Deputy Minister of Handicrafts at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, more than 7,000 artwork has been submitted to the festival’s office, with 200 being further considered, with a limited number being It will be awarded in the end. .
She emphasized that the assessment is completely transparent based on defined criteria and will be conducted in an electronic environment to ensure thorough checks of all submissions. Among the judges, there are marketing, management and academia experts, evaluating the entire craft chain.
Jalali also said over the past three years that the SARV-E Simin Trophy has gained international recognition and will be considered in future evaluations, while the selected works will take part in handycraft auctions.
Additionally, this year, the “People’s Choice” award will be introduced through online voting on the festival’s website. Seyyed Amin Sanei Mehri, executive director of the Sarv-e Simin Festival, explained that this process was first implemented to enhance general participation in the selection of outstanding artwork.
Visitors to the exhibition are invited to vote for their favorite pieces using the QR codes available on the exhibition or using the festival’s website fajr.mcth.ir.
After counting votes, the artwork chosen by the public will be presented at the festival’s closing ceremony. There, the artists who own the work are also respected. The initiative aims to further promote handicrafts and raise public awareness in this area.
The SARV-E Simin Handicrafts Festival, held at the Sa’dabad Cultural Historical Complex, will continue until Monday, February 24th.
Of the 8,173 submissions, 7,974 came from 4,378 artists in Iran, and 198 entries were by artists from 20 countries, including Tajikistan, Afghanistan, France, Thailand, UK, India, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. It has been submitted. Tajikistan had the most entries among international participants, while the most submissions from Iran came from Isfahan and Shiraz artists.
According to organizers, Handicraft at the 9th International FAJR Festival promises to be a major cultural event that promotes international exchange and celebrates Iran’s rich artistic heritage. It aims to highlight traditional skills that have been passed down over the centuries. It also aims to encourage future generations to embrace these old-fashioned practices while promoting new economic opportunities for artisans.
Experts say each Iranian handicraft is more than just a product. It is a story of history, artistry and cultural pride, passed down through generations of dedicated craftsmen.
Available data compiled by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts currently stands at around $250 million, with an additional $250 million informal “suitcase” exports. However, the global handicraft market is valued at $770 billion, highlighting a major growth opportunity.
Currently, the selection of 13 Iranian cities and three villages is registered as “World City of Handicrafts of the World” by the World Handicraft Association.
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