Building Bridges ëBreezeí Exhibit First Major Cultural Exchange Between Iran, U.S. by Gary Tischler The current ground-breaking exhibition "A Breeze From the Gardens of Persia: New Art from Iran" at the Meridian International Center is nothing less than the first major cultural exchange of its kind to take place between the two countries in decades. The exhibit is often at odds with and communicates outside of official circles. The opening was an exercise in the meeting of cultures and peoples, and a number of the artists represented in the exhibition were also present at the reception, including two women artists. "What better language than the language of art for two people to communicate," said Nejad Hosseinian, the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations said. The exhibition brought together 89 works by 50 of Iranís finest artists, about one-third of whom were women, a fact that the Iranian organizers of the show are proud of. The exhibit is a collection from the past 10 years oils, acrylics, watercolors, collages, drawings, miniature paintings and calligraphy. "What amazes me is that so many Americans will have the opportunity to see the works of our artists," said Ali Reza Sami Azar, director of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, the source for many of the works in the exhibition. "This new project is very much in line with Meridianís mission to promote international understanding by building bridges between cultures. It is our hope that this initiatives will help to lead the way to such increased understanding between the peoples of Iran and the United States." Meridian exhibition curator Nancy Matthews made several trips to Iran to help bring about the culmination of the project. Calling the exhibition a "glimpse of the soul of the Iranian people," she said that "art can provide a continuity for retaining the integrity and identity of a truly magnificent civilization." The works of the exhibition are diverse examples of the idea of what is contemporary. In Iran, it means finding ways to continue the glories of traditional art, ingesting the influence of contemporary and post-impressionist art (Matisse seems to hover over many works like a ghost), and finding a style that is an example of so much contemporary art but contemporary Iran. Thereís not too much abstraction in this contemporary art, but there is a great deal that is lovely, evocative, startling and full of music and poetry that speaks in its own tongue. You can go from Ali Akbar Sadegiís surreal still life in which art reflects art in blue apples to Nasser Arastehís wondrous speckled 1999 acrylic to Ladan Chalkís Matisse-touched "Waiting for the Promised One" and see a diversity of styles, feelings and outlooks, which goes counter to the cliches we may entertain about country and nation. Personally, Amir Zekgrgooís "Time" harkens to finely tuned history, and the equally tradition-haunted works of Farah Ossouli and Mohammad Bagher Aghamiri and Gizella Varga Sinaiís show a beautiful orientalism. Massoud Arabshakiís richly textured abstract speaks a different language and still another is heard in Mahmoud Farshchianís "Impelled to Rebel" and his horse imagery. The most distinctive qualities of this exhibition are two-fold: First, there is no school of art here except the school of diversity. Second, the most remarkable thing about this exhibition is that itís here at all. "A Breeze form the Gardens of Persia" will be on view at Meridianís White Meyer Galleries through July 15. For other Iranian events at the Center and for information about the exhibition, call (202) 939-5568 or (202) 939-5518. Gary Tischler is the arts reviewer for The Washington Diplomat.