An Iranian gallery participating in The Armory Show (until 7 September) in New York for the first time has been subjected to US sanctions, which has meant its location has been removed from the fair’s website and its presence has not been promoted—in line with US government regulations adopted in 2019.
At the end of last month, O Gallery’s name was completely removed from The Armory Show’s list of exhibitors before being reinstated three days later. Two days after that, the gallery’s Tehran location was removed, though it is included on signage at the stand in the Javits Center. Two other Iranian galleries are also taking part in the fair: Sarai, which has spaces in Tehran and London; and Dastan Gallery, which has venues in Tehran and Toronto. Both are listed online as having “multiple locations”.
O Gallery’s founder, Orkideh Daroodi, says exhibiting at the New York fair for the first time is “a milestone that follows years of work dedicated to connecting Iranian contemporary art with an international audience”. She adds: “Bringing six extraordinary Iranian artists to New York has meant navigating significant challenges—from the sharp decline of our local currency against the dollar to the prohibitive costs of shipping, along with countless bureaucratic hurdles.” Daroodi is a US citizen who currently lives in California.
Mohammad Hassanzadeh, Inside the Smoke, 2024, drawing with charcoal and crude oil on cardboard © the artist, courtesy O Gallery
Like many cultural institutions working across borders, Daroodi says her gallery has also had to negotiate complex compliance frameworks. “At times, these regulations unintentionally create situations where certain cultural voices become less visible,” she says. “For galleries based in places like Iran, this can feel like a quiet erasure, where names, countries and identities risk being obscured, not by choice but by circumstance.”
In 2019, during Donald Trump’s first term as US president, he imposed the toughest sanctions yet on Iran, prohibiting Iran’s purchase of US dollars and metals like gold, aluminium and steel. Though intended to isolate Iran from the international financial system, the sanctions have also had far-reaching implications for art and culture—both within and outside of the country, particularly in terms of how galleries do business.
As for O Gallery’s participation in The Armory Show, Daroodi says she “fully understands” how the constraints imposed by the US government limit “how institutions can communicate and promote participation”. But, she adds, “this reality also highlights why presence matters so deeply: being here, being seen, and sharing the work of our artists becomes an act of persistence in itself”.
Ali Nassir, Untitled, 2024 © the artist, courtesy O Gallery
At the fair, Daroodi is showing works by six artists including Ali Ganjavi, Mehrali Razaghmanesh and Arya Tabandehpoor.
Despite the obstacles she has faced, Daroodi says her gallery’s participation in the fair “is not only about visibility on an international stage, but also about affirming the importance of cultural dialogue at a time when exchange across borders is increasingly fraught”. She adds: “Our presence in New York reflects the resilience of artists who continue to create despite adversity, and the belief that art can hold open spaces for conversation where politics cannot.”
A spokesperson for The Armory Show declined to comment on O Gallery’s participation in the fair, but cited US regulations as the reason for the gallery’s presentation on the fair website.
