The Pejman Foundation is an Iranian nonprofit arts foundation, established by Hamidreza Pejman in 2015, to promote art in a space free of nationality and geographical boundaries, and to connect the common aspects of art and philosophy.
Sites
The foundation's activities are held at three sites in Tehran:
Argo Factory – the foundation headquarters, Argo Factory, which in the 1960s and 70s produced beverages, was, evidently, built in the 1920s and is one of the very first industrial factories in the country. During the Islamic Iranian Revolutionthe factory was forcibly confiscated from its owners and shut down due to its non-Islamic function. Although quite specific in terms of architecture, with its very tall chimney, and its geographical location at the heart of the city, the building was abandoned for forty years and its owners blocked from re-assuming ownership. In line with its long-term goal to establish a non-profit exhibition space and cultural centre, Pejman Foundation made the decision to acquire the factory from the state engage in its restoration. In October 2016 and under the supervision of architect Ali Shakeri, the process of restoration and revival began and currently, after a gap for the purpose of holding two exhibitions, the second phase of the process is going ahead and supervised by architect Ahmadreza Schricker.
Kandovan – a non-profit project space and a residency programme, which in collaboration with local and international artists and curators hosts a variety of events and exhibitions at its space. Kandovan also takes part in international cultural programmes and collaborates and creates exchanges with a variety of art spaces all over the world. Kandovan endeavours to appropriately bridge the gulf between arts and artists from Iran and other nations. Through holding a variety of events, artist talks, studio visits and small exhibitions in tandem with its artist residency programme and exchange programme, Kandovan has become an essential link in the chain that connects local and international art practitioners to one another, artists with spaces and spaces with artists.
A partial list of artists who have worked with the foundation:
2018: "Bal Umagbe La" by Sebastian Bieniek, German artist, featuring photography, drawing and performance art at the Kandovan Building. Curated by Robbie Vafai, opened 13 to 20 August 2018.
