WITH MY ROOTS Biennale Brings Iranian Contemporary Art to London
The sixth installment of WITH MY ROOTS, an Iranian contemporary art biennale, will take place at Mall Galleries in London from May 23 to May 30, 2026. Established by Marina Panahi, the director of Capital Art London, this biennale showcases both emerging and established Iranian artists from Iran and its diaspora across 17 nations, featuring various mediums such as painting, photography, installation, digital art, and video. A key curated section, Eternal Iran, explores the resilience of Iranian cultural identity through the works of artists like Hojjat Shakiba, Mehdi Fallah, and Ahmad Ariamanesh. Notable highlights include Esmaeil Rashvand's calligraphy from his LOVE series, addressing recent events in Iran. Additionally, 19 artists residing in Iran, including photographers Majid Saeedi and Alireza Memariani, will be represented. In the North Gallery, a solo exhibition by miniature painter Hossein Ali Machiani, curated by Ayat Ghasempour, will be featured. The biennale seeks to transcend political discussions and emphasize cultural and artistic expressions.
Key facts
- Sixth edition of WITH MY ROOTS biennale opens at Mall Galleries, London, from 23 to 30 May 2026.
- Founded by Marina Panahi, director of Capital Art London.
- Features artists from Iran and diaspora across 17 countries.
- Central curated section titled Eternal Iran.
- Eternal Iran artists include Hojjat Shakiba, Mehdi Fallah, Ahmad Ariamanesh, Azadeh Akhlaghi, Mohammad Bozorgi, Siavash Sofinejad, Homa Bazrafshan, Simin Keramati.
- Calligraphy artist Esmaeil Rashvand presents LOVE series.
- Section with 19 artists currently living in Iran, including photographers Majid Saeedi, Alireza Memariani, Shahla Khodadadi, Maryam Saeidipour, Maryam Rahmanian.
- JAVDAN solo exhibition of miniature painter Hossein Ali Machiani curated by Ayat Ghasempour.
Entities
Artists
- Marina Panahi
- Hojjat Shakiba
- Mehdi Fallah
- Ahmad Ariamanesh
- Azadeh Akhlaghi
- Mohammad Bozorgi
- Siavash Sofinejad
- Homa Bazrafshan
- Simin Keramati
- Esmaeil Rashvand
- Roya Khalili
- Majid Saeedi
- Alireza Memariani
- Shahla Khodadadi
- Maryam Saeidipour
- Maryam Rahmanian
- Hossein Ali Machiani
- Ayat Ghasempour
Institutions
- Mall Galleries
- Capital Art London
- Society of Women Artists
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Iran
- Vienna
- Austria
Sources
- Artlyst —