Once Upon a Time

Out of the past, Always in the Present - From the private collection of Mojgan Endjavi Barbe

Mojgan Endjavi-Barbe was born in Iran and completed her studies in the USA, after which she lived in Paris, Tokyo, London, Geneva and now, Dubai. At the beginning of her journey as an art aficionado and passionate collector. She began working with international artists in 1989 and she realized that though amazingly creative, Iranian art also needed to build bridges between itself and other cultures. This single overriding impulse has informed her art journey, from once upon a time to the present.

"This exhibition is the story of a journey from a place not so far from the home of Humanity," she says. "Customs, traditions and family values, as similar as they are unique, as universal as they are personal. They are echoed across cultures and time ... and here, through the prisms of the artists eyes."

Alriezea Astaneh, Castelli series, 170 x 140cm, mixed media on canvas, 2010 / Courtesy of Mojgan Endjavi-Barbe

Habib Farajabadi / Courtesy of Mojgan Endjavi-Barbe

Neda Zafraz, The Notion of reason No. II. Lambda print on FujiFilm archival silk paper, needle, thread and painted frame, 2011 / Courtesy of Mojgan Endjavi-Barbe

Samaneh Motalebi, Not seen series, 2014. Photo printed on fabric with sewing / Courtesy of Mojgan Endjavi-Barbe

Each work is a tale; each artist has a story to tell - hers, his, yours, ours, mine, theirs. And when you explore this exhibition, you will find that, through the world of universal symbols and personal meanings, you would have read your own story between the lines and have become a character in our shared stories. From calligraphy to photography and hand-sewn textile installations, one discovers their codes, signs, persona, and much more. Finally, the visual storytellers narrate and share their contemporary vision of the world, installing us in a poetic living room with a salon-style reception.

Azra Aghigi / Courtesy of Mojgan Endjavi-Barbe

A visitor in front of Azra Aghigi's works / Courtesy of Mojgan Endjavi-Barbe

Azra Aghigi/ Courtesy of Mojgan Endjavi-Barbe

Through their art, the artists transcend the self and celebrate Humanity. Their artworks resonate with their unique experiences and celebrate Mankind. No man is an island entirely; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. I am involved in Mankind, the poet said. Finally, the collector narrates her journey from the provincial to the universal and presents the fruits of her pilgrimage. So, bring your imagination and curiosity to Once Upon a Time, and the art will do the rest.

The private collection of Mojgan Endjavi Barbe is comprised of works by Azra Aghigi, Amir Farhad, Vahid Jafarnejad, Leili Nazarian, Elnaz Javanai, Neda Zarfsaz, Habib Farajabadi, Samaneh Motalebi, Melodie Hojabar Sadat, Matin Abedi, Elnaz Javani, Negar Fadaei, Neda Zarfsaz, Elnaz Javani & Poorang Piraei, and Farah Soltani.

Elnaz Javani, Sewing on fabric, 2014 / Courtesy of Mojgan Endjavi-Barbe

Amir Farhad, Bolbol'e Ghase'e Shirin. From the Shokouffe No Series,130 x 92 cm. Silkscreen, marker and ink on cardboard, 2012 / Courtesy of Mojgan Endjavi-Barbe