پژوهشنامه فرهنگستان هنر
پیاپی 24 (تابستان 1403)

This article examines the phenomenon of art theft through the lens of the sociology of art, focusing on the theoretical shift from the aesthetic value of artworks to their economic value. It primarily draws on the perspectives of Victoria Alexander and Howard Saul Becker. The article investigates key concepts such as the interplay of components within the three support systems of art and their role in the evolution of art theft", "major origins and destinations of art thefts", "notable and significant examples of art theft in Iran and the world, "social factors influencing art theft", and finally, "the potential effects of art theft on society". Additionally, the study delves into the profound and far-reaching transformations of the contemporary era, such as the globalization of art and its audience, the transnationalization of the art distribution system and markets, and the emergence of new technologies in communication, network, and economics with their dual functions, and their impact on the trend of art theft.

The political history of oil is an important part of the modern history of Iran and the Middle East; The oil entered not only the political literature but also the fiction and artistic literature of Iran. Public awareness and sensitivity towards oil increased and gained symbolic status. Oil became a symbol of colonialism and oil industry workers became a symbol of exploitation. The artists dealt with the different dimensions of oil in life and showed the tyranny of power, the shadow of colonialism and the exploitation of workers. Now, oil is tied to collective memory, collective aspirations and collective trauma in the cultural history of Iran and other oil-rich countries in the Middle East, and artists show these cultural experiences of oil in their works.In this article, taking the approach of visual sociology to examine selected works of contemporary Iranian artists (Bahman Mohassess, Iran Darroudi, Houshang Pezeshknia, Hossein Behzad, Mehrdad Mohebali, Hamid Pourbahrami, Hamzeh Farhadi, Neda Zarf Saz, Qodratollah Aqeli) and works Artists from the Middle East countries (Etel Adnan, Ahmad Mater, Kader Attia, Faiq Ahmed, Monira Al Qadiri and Zeinab Alhashemi) are discussed, and the entanglement of oil and art, under the title Petro-Art, is followed in six axes: 1. Petro-Art in the policies of progress and How oil became the embodiment of innovation and progress, 2. Petro-Art shows the confusion and alienation of contemporary man and how contemporary man is trapped in the iron cage of industrial and capitalist society; 3. Petro-Art and the contradictions of development and how oil is at the crossroads of decisive politics; 4. Petro-Art and the search for identity and how the lives of the residents of oil-rich areas have been transformed; 5. Petro-Art and environmental crisis and how oil has become a threat to life. Examining these works showed how artists visualized the development and conflict of oil.

Exhibitions are a symbolic framework of representations and values, especially world exhibitions that are held with the presence of many countries and everyone is faced with the question of what can represent them in the field of world exhibitions? What can represent countries in the world? Iran's presence at the 2020 Dubai Expo once again raised the question of what can represent Iran in the world community? What aspects of Iran can or should be presented in world exhibitions? To explore and answer this question, one should ask: What is the role and function of world exhibitions in building the image of countries?In this article, we investigated the Dubai World Expo 2020 using the observation research method. First, four currents were identified in the World Expo, which were progress current, environmental current, tourism current and globalism current. Then the presence of Iran in Expo Dubai and the performance of Iran's booth in these four streams were evaluated. The results of the review and evaluation of Expo Dubai explained the changes in holding exhibitions It can be said that this was 1) a change from architecture to layout, 2) from magnificent historical buildings to huge layouts, 3) from large buildings to encompassing spaces and, in general, a change from a place of display to a space of display. Iran's booth also could not present a coherent image of Iran based on the ancient, futuristic, technological, nature-oriented and not cosmopolitan image.

This paper utilizes Pierre Bourdieu’s field theory to explore the mechanisms behind the development of a new sub-field within Iranian theater during the 1990s. This era saw the rise of a fresh wave of theatrical movement, distinctly different from the productions of previous decades. To identify the characteristics and progression of this sub-field, the study conducted interviews with 15 theater directors, owners, critics, and producers from the 1990s. The interview data was then analyzed using a thematic analysis approach.The main findings are categorized into three  themes: a) "Unique cultural and artistic characteristics" such as a focus on social expression, new audiences, experimentation, performance, and stylistic diversity; b) "Contrasts between the field in the 1990s and previous periods" (revising traditional performance norms and introducing innovative theatrical styles and structures); and c) "Changes in institutional contexts and actions" (the growth of informal education alongside formal education, privatization, and shifts in policy and management). These findings highlight significant changes within the Iranian theater landscape.These themes and their sub-themes have helped shape the habitus of actors within the 1990s Iranian theater field and its associated capital. The key characteristics of this habitus include academic education, modernism, a counter-current movement against traditional theater, audience involvement, financial independence, and the use of media and social networks

The house museum, as an active participant in the urban communication network, is considered one of the significant cultural-communicative institutions due to its narrative structure. Describing and analyzing its function as an artistic object represents a conceptual approach to the issue of museums. Although the communicative function of the house museum transcends its role as a cultural institution, within such a space, it operates as an artistic object or an art place object, encompassing numerous objects perceived as art or artistic objects. This process of meaning-making constructs the flexible world of contemporary museums; otherwise, we confront the museum space and the material objects within it, which are primarily focused on the two fundamental functions of museums preservation and exhibition leading to the act of viewing. This research, based on the perspective above and considering museum standards, aims to broaden the communicative function of museums while striving to comprehend the importance of house museums beyond mere heritage preservation. It views them as artistic works that can be adapted to and valued in various dimensions. The connection between art and museums is not solely confined to art museums and pure artistic objects; it encompasses the description, analysis, and examination of the house museum and all its components as various spatial, human, and material objects that can be perceived as artistic objects from multiple facets. Additionally, this research seeks an alternative perspective on the cultural heritage of the museum, emphasizing the empowerment of house museums over ordinary life objects and their transformation into unique works accordingly; this study is grounded in the cultural studies framework, exploring the cultural and communicative functions of house museums. It incorporates knowledge, experience, case studies, and bibliographic research, as well as the authors' lived experiences and their understanding of interactions with the object. Following registration, these have been analyzed and adjusted to align with the concepts.

Given the significant presence of Islamic arts in prestigious global museums, as well as the extensive research and publications on this subject, particularly outside Islamic regions, there is an increasing need for a more thorough and in-depth examination of the scientific, cultural, and academic activities related to Islamic art museums. This study adopts a critical approach to the representation and display of Islamic art in prominent international museums, aiming to explore the impact of Orientalist approaches in Islamic art museums. Additionally, it seeks to identify the role of the museum as an institution that produces knowledge and shapes contemporary understanding of Islamic art. The application of critical theories by Edward Said and Foucault in Orientalist studies has prompted many museums to reconsider their roles and responsibilities. In this context, the present research analyzes examples of the practices of comprehensive and encyclopedic Western museums, particularly in the selection, classification, and arrangement of artworks, arguing that our current understanding of Islamic art displayed in these museums remains influenced by the legacy of Orientalist approaches. A critical analysis of the classification and arrangement of Islamic heritage in these museums reveals how museum practices can either perpetuate or reconsider Orientalist narratives. Ultimately, this study emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the diversity and complexity of Islamic art and the necessity of moving away from reductive and generalized perspectives in museums.