ArtDayMe : Phoenix exhibit, which included pieces by ten artists, was recently arranged by Roza Akhlaghi, director of Phoenix Art Group in Dubai, and it was on display during the Art Shopping event at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris.

Akhlaghi has been working as a professional painter for more than twenty years. She earned a bachelor in fine arts from Dubai's IUFS and a diploma in painting from Tehran's Sooreh Art School. Her involvement in curating dates back around three years.

During the interview, Akhlaghi was in Venice for an exhibition of her artwork. On October 20–22, 2023, she presented the Phoenix show at the Art Shopping event at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, to a highly positive welcome. We spoke with her to get more information about the event.

_ Tell us about the Dubai-based Phoenix Art Group.

Roza Akhlaghi: My idea to create Phoenix Art Group, which would feature Iranian art and artists, originated during Corona's dreadful conflicts. Iranian art is, without a doubt, among the most sophisticated in the Middle East, but there was not a single Iranian art group in Dubai, the center of the cultural scene. In 2021, I established Phoenix Art organization, dubbed the first Iranian art organization in Dubai by the art community. Thanks to the blessing of God and the hard work of all of its friends and fellow artists, Phoenix has had multiple shows in the UAE, Austria, Italy, France, Georgia, India, and Iran.

_ Why did you decide to have the Phoenix exhibition at Paris's Carrousel du Louvre?

Roza Akhlaghi: The Phoenix Art Group is constantly arranging different art classes, as well as hosting open and themed exhibitions. As a result, in order to organize varied creative events, we are continually observing different artistic spaces. In this sense, the Louvre Museum presented me with an alluring opportunity. I went to Paris after the first correspondence to have a closer look at the situation. Since I paint myself, I am aware of how crucial it is to exhibit the artwork properly. As such, it is common procedure for Phoenix and me to supply the requirements for the exhibition of works in a professional manner.

_ Which artists and what types of pieces did you select for the Louvre's Phoenix exhibition?

Roza Akhlaghi: Since the Louvre is arguably the most prestigious art museum in the world, my independent art group has made a great effort to present as much of a fresh perspective on contemporary Iranian art on this widely respected stage. I made an effort to highlight the lesser-known contemporary Iranian artists. One other thing I would like to mention is that, as a painter, I create works using a variety of styles, from abstract to figurative, and I naturally took this viewpoint into consideration when curating the Phoenix exhibition in Paris. In addition to one of my pieces, the following artists participated in the exhibition: Amir Akhlaghi, Ahmad Melatansari, Bita Karimitabesh, Farzad Zahedi, Tabassom Samadani, Mona Hosseini, Mahnaz Achankan, Shahrzad Tahey, and Maryam Movaghati.

_ Did you find the Phoenix display to be satisfactory?

Roza Akhlaghi: Much obliged. The audience's striking response to the show was its most significant component. Those who are interested can see its images and films on the Phoenix website, phoenixartsgroup.com or on the Phoenix Instagram profile, @phoenix_art_group. I hope that in the near future, we will be holding more international exhibitions, about which interested parties can keep an eye on our sites.