The Emergence of an Auction Category: Iranian Art at Christie’s Dubai, 2006–2016

The expansion of the British auction houses Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Bonhams to markets in Middle East has played a crucial role building an international market for art from region. They have also been essential providing platform sale Iran, country whose economy is otherwise isolated global markets. In this paper, I address growth Iranian specifically via Christie’s auctions Dubai. Through close analysis catalogs, ethnographic data drawn live interviews with key staff members, document emergence into arena solidification both Eastern as distinct category sales. particular, explore notion “seeing other eye”, way that specialists nudge local collectors “international” taste. particular tropes used narrate artist biographies demonstrate how artists are painted interpreters translators “local” “global” aesthetic registers.