Against a backdrop of political headlines and continuing conflict, the sixth edition of WITH MY ROOTS arrives in London this week with an expansive survey of Iranian contemporary art, offering fresh perspectives on Iran’s culture and artistic heritage.
Opening at the Mall Galleries from 23 to 30 May, the biennale brings together emerging and established Iranian artists working across painting, photography, installation, digital art and video. Participating artists come not only from Iran itself but also from its diaspora in 17 countries across Europe, North America, and the Middle East, reflecting the breadth and complexity of contemporary Iranian artistic identity.
Founded by Marina Panahi, director of Capital Art London, WITH MY ROOTS seeks to move beyond reductive political narratives to put the spotlight on the cultural and artistic voices of Iranians working both inside and outside the country. She says: “WITH MY ROOTS is an opportunity for British and global arts audiences to move outside the language of politics and conflict, and hear the voices of Iranian artists worldwide; discover more about the country’s culture, visual language and legacy.”
At the centre of this year’s programme is Eternal Iran, a curated section examining the endurance of Iranian cultural identity through art. The presentation explores how artistic traditions continue to evolve across generations and geographies while remaining rooted in histories of craftsmanship, symbolism and collective memory. The Eternal Iran section includes works by artists such as Hojjat Shakiba, Mehdi Fallah, Ahmad Ariamanesh, Azadeh Akhlaghi, Mohammad Bozorgi and Siavash Sofinejad, alongside installation work by Homa Bazrafshan and video art by Simin Keramati.
Among the Eternal Iran highlights are works by the calligraphy artist Esmaeil Rashvand, who describes his award-winning work as “visual expression with the essence of writing; a space where words move beyond literal meaning and transform into sensation, rhythm, and movement.” He describes his LOVE series as: “a response to the bitterness and weight of the recent events in Iran; a reflection of the pain, grief, and turmoil etched into my mind and soul by war, explosions, and the loss of my compatriots. The intertwined and tense forms convey fragmentation and unrest, while the colours oscillate between burning intensity and fading silence. Yet, traces of light and movement remain – suggesting the persistence of life and a hope that endures even in the darkest moments.”
ROYA KHALILI Emigrant
Resilience and rays of hope are themes in the work of artist Roya Khalili, a member of the Society of Women Artists who lives and works in Vienna and London. Khalili experienced Iran’s revolution firsthand and has made five countries her home. She says, “As painting is the only language that has served me most faithfully, I continue to let the strokes of my brush crystallise and communicate the tempestuous moments of my life. Perhaps my purpose is to remind you that you are not alone.”
A particularly resonant section of the biennale brings together works by 19 artists currently living in Iran and working amid conditions of violence and instability. Paintings, photographs and prints transported to London despite considerable logistical challenges offer immediate and personal perspectives on conflict, displacement and resilience. Featured photographers include Majid Saeedi, Alireza Memariani and Shahla Khodadadi, while battlefield photography by Maryam Saeidipour and Maryam Rahmanian brings a rare female perspective to frontline documentation.
Installed in the North Gallery, JAVDAN presents a solo exhibition by master miniature painter Hossein Ali Machiani, a leading contemporary practitioner of Iranian miniature painting. With more than three decades of painting, Machiani combines classical traditions, including Gol-o Morgh painting, Tazhib illumination, and intricate Tash’ir ornamentation, with a distinctly contemporary sensibility.
Left: Hossein Ali Machiani Right: Afshin Rezaei
Javdan curator Ayat Ghasempour describes the works as “manifestations of a deep love for Iranian art and reverence for this land, a heritage that has found renewed life through the artist’s vision and hands.”As debates around migration, identity and belonging continue to shape public discourse internationally, WITH MY ROOTS offers a more nuanced and human perspective on Iran and its diaspora.
Rather than positioning art solely as a response to politics, the biennale foregrounds artistic continuity, lived experience, and cultural inheritance. In doing so, the exhibition becomes not only a showcase of contemporary Iranian art, but also a reminder of art’s enduring ability to preserve memory, challenge simplification and connect communities across borders.
WITH MY ROOTS, Mall Galleries, The Mall, London SW1 23-30 May 2026 Open daily 10 am-5 pm