Artistam: Tree

"Artistam" is a quarterly series of books published under the supervision of an esteemed editorial board. Each issue consists of two main sections:

• Articles: Covering various themes relevant to contemporary art.
• Artists and Their Works: Introducing selected artists and showcasing their creations.

The initial focus of the series is on contemporary Iranian art and artists, with plans to expand to feature contemporary artists worldwide in future editions. The featured artworks are chosen through:

1. Open Calls: Artists are invited to submit their works based on specific themes and mediums.
2. Evaluation: Submissions are reviewed by the editorial board and guest judges to ensure quality and thematic relevance.

In mythology, trees represent timeless mysteries and the eternal connection between the natural world and humankind. From Eastern myths and the story of the "Assyrian Tree" to its major role in both earthly and eternal life in Abrahamic religions, trees have long held a special place in a wide range of beliefs and cultures. The value of trees has not diminished throughout time. In terms of the environment, trees and forests are the Earth's lifeblood, giving us pure air to breathe and sustaining life. The beauty and striking visual impact of trees, whether they are lone trees or part of a dense forest, have always attracted the attention of artists in the world of art, from petroglyphs to numerous modern art styles like Impressionism and Romanticism. Through their innovative and distinctive viewpoints, photographers have the chance to investigate and highlight the different facets and importance of trees in today's society. We are reminded that trees are not only silent beings but also silent witnesses to our history and culture by the stories that each picture may convey about the development, resiliency, and everlasting beauty of trees.

In this call for submissions, 161 photographs from 72 artists were received and carefully evaluated by the editorial board. From these, 46 photographs from 26 artists were selected for publication in the magazine. This season, we proudly present:

• Artist of Summer 2024: Mr. Navid Maghami
• Selected Work of Summer 2024: A photograph by Mr. Amin Alkasir

A key strength of this issue lies in the diversity of perspectives among the jury members, which ensured a broad range of works were considered eligible for publication. The submitted works were evaluated based on aesthetic and semantic criteria from different parts of the world, ensuring fairness and avoiding bias. This diversity enhances the magazine's mission to provide opportunities for a wider variety of artists to showcase their work.

This issue also features insightful articles by both editorial board members and guest contributors:

• Professor Bartosz Posacki (Editorial Board)
• Stephanie Johnson (Editorial Board)
• Dr. Amir Beshkeni (Guest Contributor)
• Mohammad Tajaran (Guest Contributor)

• Amin Alkasir
• Mina Behkar
• Elahe Dadkhah
• Amin Ebrahimi
• Nastaran Fallah
• Behzad Golcheshmeh
• Kimiya Hedavand Khani
• Sepideh Kashanimansour
• Moones Khoshdel Sangdehi
• Navid Maghami
• Zahra Masoumi Mobasher
• Saman Moarref
• Sara Moshgani Shahsavarani
• Sahand Nakhaei
• Iman Najjar
• Reza Nasseri
• Leila Nazary
• Mohammad Amin Pourheidari
• Aida Rezaei Dodani
• Maryam Rezaei
• Mahboubeh Seify
• Amir Shahmohammad
• Yazdan Shiri
• Hassan Tavakoli
• Mojdeh Younesmohajer
• Setareh Zargarani