Tehran Panorama Exhibition displayed the longest panorama mural by veteran Iranian painter Nasser Palangi, at its inauguration ceremony held at the Sacred Defense Museum in the capital’s Davoudieh district, on May 22.
The large painting was reflected on the museum dome via video projectors, Mehr News Agency reported.
The mural is a merger of thousands of smaller paintings, which took the artist about 5 years to complete. “It is 106 meters long and 25 meters high, and will be on permanent show at the museum,” said Palangi.
The 59-year-old artist’s work portrays scenes of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, known as Sacred Defense in Iran.
He spent three years near the frontlines working as a war artist, creating a series of drawings, paintings and photographs. In addition, he created the mural paintings series entitled ‘My Memory of the War’ for the congregational prayer mosque in the border city of Khorramshahr (neighboring Iraq in the south) in 1981.
In terms of size, Palangi’s currently featured work is considered the biggest mural in the Middle East, adorning one of the most beautiful cultural buildings in Iran -- the Sacred Defense Museum.
Initial studies for the mural project started in 2004. The first plan was approved after several meetings between the Tehran Municipality and the Armed Forces.
A competition was held to select the best design for the museum. Over 250 groups participated and 42 were selected to submit their works.
The ‘Beit-ul-Muqaddas Panorama,’ created in the eastern part of the museum, displays works on the occupation by the Ba’athist Iraqi forces, people’s defense and liberation of the southwestern city of Khorramshahr in 1982 on May 23.
The section has a 3D simulation, which depicts the liberation of the key port city, and the valor and sacrifices of the combatants and volunteer forces.
