Golestan Gallery

Golestan Gallery Book – Narrated by Lili Golestan

This digital version is available as a Flipbook to leaf through with significant photos and text.

Golestan Gallery, Narrated by Lili Golestan is a book chronicling the activities of Golestan Gallery from 1988 to 2023. This book is more than just an oral history; it begins with a beautiful piece by Abbas Kiarostami, recounting a distant memory when Lili Golestan suggested he exhibit his photographs.

Following this, Lili Golestan engages in an extensive conversation with Arash Tanhaei, reflecting on her childhood, family, and education in Iran and France. The dialogue touches on her work in National Iranian Television, translating books like War’s Unwomanly Face and Tistou of the Green Thumbs, and working in the Office of Special Services, where she purchased art for the Museum of Contemporary Art before the revolution. The narrative ultimately leads to the founding of the Golestan Bookstore and Gallery post-revolution.

This conversation culminates in a detailed account of Leili Golestan’s 35 years of gallery management. One of the book’s highlights is the timeline listing all the artists who have exhibited at Golestan Gallery, a rarity in the archives of Iranian galleries. The subsequent chapter showcases a selection of works from over 100 artists who have exhibited at the gallery, accompanied by notes on their art.

This beautifully designed book captures the history and artists of Golestan Gallery. It is a 360-page, full-color publication in a large format.