The exhibition of antique Gabbeh &Kilim and Modern Art kicked off during a ceremony held at ECI Headquarters on Tuesday January 14, 2014 which was attended by Iftikhar Husain Arif, President of the ECO Cultural Institurte, Dulatali Hatamov, Ambassador of the Republic of Tajikistan, Fadi Hajali, Ambassador of the Republic of Lebanon and a group of art enthusiasts.
Emphasizing on introducing the art, culture, civilization and literature of the peoples of the ECO region as a priority of the Institute, the President of ECI said: " Inhabitants of this region share so many cultural, civilizational and especially artistic commonalities. Down the ages, peoples of each part of this vast area have tried to reproduce their treasured traditions within the spirit of their precious artworks. Among these artworks, the floor coverings, art of which date back to antiquity, enjoy a unique position in the everyday life of all the strata of the society."
Turaj Jooleh, an author and researcher on carpet, addressing the ancient art of carpet weaving in the region, said:" The art of weaving is one of the most popular, widespread arts and Kilim was the first Oriental artwork displayed in Western exhibitions.
He referred to Germany as the leading country in recognizing Oriental Kilim and Gabbeh and said : " German artists have taken advantage of Oriental Kilim designs in their modern paintings ."
Pouya Ariyanpour , a contemporary artist, explored the similarities between the designs in Oriental and Western artworks and stated that : " Oriental art has an unpretentious feature, not seen in the Western art. "
Later at the event, excerpts from modern music were performed.