Tehran-based O Gallery is participating in The Armory Show in New York for the first time, but US sanctions imposed in 2019 have forced the fair to remove the gallery's Tehran location from its website and refrain from promoting its presence. The gallery's name was briefly removed from the exhibitor list before being reinstated, and its location is only noted on signage at the Javits Center. Founder Orkideh Daroodi, a US citizen living in California, describes the participation as a milestone after years of work, despite challenges including currency devaluation, shipping costs, and bureaucratic hurdles. Two other Iranian galleries—Sarai and Dastan Gallery—are also exhibiting, listed online as having multiple locations.
This matters because it highlights how US sanctions intended to isolate Iran economically inadvertently create barriers for cultural exchange, effectively silencing Iranian artistic voices on an international stage. Daroodi frames the gallery's presence as an act of persistence and resilience, emphasizing that art can maintain dialogue where politics cannot. The Armory Show's compliance with US regulations, while legally required, raises questions about the unintended consequences of geopolitical policies on the global art world and the visibility of artists from sanctioned nations.