May 11 – July 29, 2007

A partnership between Meridian and the Tehran University Art Gallery in Iran, Wishes and Dreams: Iran’s New Generation Emerges, focused on young artists at work in Iran today.

Meridian’s former Vice President for Arts and Cultural Affairs, Nancy Matthews, made two trips to Iran to work on the new project in collaboration with the Tehran Gallery (Tehran University, College of Fine Art) and with Dr. Sami Azar, past Director of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art.

Wishes and Dreams featured the work of 30 young artists including photographs, collages, videos, and installations. These represented some of the major artistic trends being produced by this generation: abstraction, portraiture, minimalism, and installation and video art. To create these works, many of the artists looked to their historical past, along with their symbols and beliefs, wanting to preserve them, while also wondering about their future. The status of women in the country also was a common theme. Other realities and concerns are the subjects of their work.

Wishes and Dreams was on view in Washington from May 11 to July 29, 2007. The exhibit subsequently visited New York City and Daytona Beach, Florida. Part of the show also was on display at the Washington National Cathedral in partnership with the Cathedral's Center for Global Justice and Reconciliation.