Venue:
Galeria Portals, C/ Benito J. Feijoo, Calvia 07181, Mallorca, Spain.

Dates:
19 March - 23 May 2004.

Organised by:
Galeria Portals – Mallorca, Spain
in association with 
The Iran Heritage Foundation and the Ajuntament de Calvià, Mallorca.

Introduction:
Artist, art critic, teacher, thinker and philosopher, Dr. Ahmad Nadalian is one of the most fascinating contemporary artists from the Iranian world. After representing Iran in the last Venice Biennale, he has used the renewed wave of interest in his work to communicate themes he believes are fundamental for mankind:
- Respect for the natural environment
- New technologies and freedom of expression
- Natural disasters and the vulnerability of mankind
- The role of traditional know-how, mythology and folklore in contemporary art and culture

The exhibition will run in parallel to a series of related activities and events including: round-table discussion, conference, workshop, performance, ritual art, celebration of Norouz, and the creation and presentation of a sculpture dedicated to the people of Calvià. This exhibition gathers a selection of Ahmad Nadalian’s drawings, paintings, carvings, installations, ritual performances and web art pieces under the title of Fertility.

Related Events:
The exhibition and related events will be filmed for a documentary produced by Catherine MacDonald for various international television networks. The documentary will explore the impact of Iranian contemporary culture in the West.

Celebration: Inauguration of “Fertility” and the Celebration of the Persian New Year
Gala event where individuals from different nationalities and communities will gather together to celebrate the inauguration of Ahmad Nadalian’s first solo exhibition in Spain, in conjunction with the first day of the Persian New Year. During the event, the artist will present a sculpture as a gift to the mayor Carlos Delgado and his team at the Town Hall, on behalf of the Iranian community, who wish to thank them for the support they have been offering to the victims of Bam earthquake in Iran. The sculpture will become part of the Town Hall’s collection of contemporary art, and placed permanently in a privileged position within the Calvià waterfront area. The sculpture will be created on location by the artist. Galeria Portals has opened a fund which will collect the contributions of the members of the Persian community who wish to participate in the project. The funds will be used to finance the organisation of the event, as well as the materials used to create the sculpture, the artists’ workmanship, and the transport of the work to its final destination. The names of the individuals and organisations who have contributed to this project will appear in a letter accompanying the sculpture, and the documentary covering the event, as well as other forms of coverage such as press articles and information on the Galeria Portals website.  
Date: 19 March 2004, 20.00 onwards
Admission Free, by invitation only (if you would like to receive an invitation, contact enquiries)

Round Table Discussion: Tea with the Artist
These sessions are informal events which take place at the cafeteria of Galeria Portals. They allow the public to meet the artist, ask questions, and discover the work through conversations with the individuals who create the pieces.
Date: 21 March 2004, 18.00 onwards
Admission Free but places are limited, please reserve in advance

Workshops: Folkloric Art in the Persian Tradition
The influence of folkloric art in contemporary Persian art. Classes incorporating theoretic and practical elements which will take place in the workshops of Galeria Portals. The teacher will use visual material gathered over several years of travel through Iran. The course will be given in English with simultaneous translation into Spanish.
Date:  25 March 2004, 18.00-21.00
Admission: 50 Euros (including materials)

Conference: Digital Art in the Middle East
Conference on the impact of communication technologies in the contemporary art arena in Iran. The sessions will be in English, with simultaneous translation into Spanish
Date: 28 March 2004, 17.00-19.00
Admission: 25 Euros including complimentary coffee and pastries