Iranian Series starts with a crowd
Sandwiched neatly between the Tate's Louise Bourgeois/Doris Salcedo double act and the mighty Frieze Art Fair, Collected Memories, an exhibition of paintings by emerging Iranian artists, opened to considerable acclaim on 9 Octobe. Thus proving that with the right kind of work and the right quality of artists it is possible to find and intrigue an audience in London even at such a hectic time. The opening night attracted nearly 500 people to the Art Space gallery in Mayfair and the work on show has been selling briskly ever since. The Collected Memories exhibition is the first of a series of Iranian projects that Candlestar are supporting over the coming twelve months.

Middle East Connections
Candlestar Middle Eastern connection has grown stronger in 2007 with our support for Collected Memories – an exhibition of paintings by emerging Iranian artists in London.

COLLECTED MEMORIES
New Trends in Iranian Painting
9-27 October 2007
ArtSpace Galleries
18 Maddox Street ,
Mayfair ,
London , W1S 1PL
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7499 6878
Monday – Friday 10-6 PM
Saturday 11-5 PM
Sunday by appointment only
A collection of more than 100 hundred paintings by over 40 young and vibrant Iranian artists, some of whom have already sold at international auctions. These paintings belong to the present times and represent the birth of contemporary visual arts in Iran .
For more information info@candlestar.co.uk
Collected Memories is the production of 12+1 Art Associates in association with Candlestar.

Sovereign Shortlist delights judges
The Sovereign Art Foundation has just  announced the 34 artists short-listed for the 2006/07 Sovereign European Art Prize click here for artists details and images. In its second year the Prize is quickly establishing itself as Europe’s premier painting prize. Announcing the shortlist the Chairman of Judges, Sir Peter Blake, said  ‘we were surprised and delighted by the standard of work that has come in this year…it just shows how strong the resurgence of painting has been…’

Entry to this years Prize was strictly by nomination and, thanks to the distinguished network of nominators that the Foundation has established across Europe, entries were received from 26 European Countries.

The paintings will now be brought to London for an exhibition at Club Row, Rochelle School Buildings, Arnold Circus, London E2 7ES, the A Foundation’s London-based project and exhibition space between 28 February – 11 March 2007. The Press Preview will be held from 12pm on the 27 February.

The judging panel will meet at Bonhams on 14 March to review the paintings and select a winner.  Howard Bilton, the Founder and Chairman of the Sovereign Art Foundation will present the winner with a first prize of € 25,000, at the gala dinner on the 15th March.  There will also be a Prize of €1,000 for the work that attracts most public votes.

CANDLESTAR AT THE GULF ART FAIR
Key journalists from the Middle East and around the world have joined Candlestar in Dubai to celebrate the launch of 2007's Gulf Art Fair.
The press conference, ran by Candlestar, provided the first details about the Fair which will be held in Dubais from 8th to 10th March next year.
Representatives of all the major news outlets in the region were told about Dubai's plans to become an important centre for the global art market.
They were also given the first details about the Gulf Art Fair's educational and charitable ambitions, as well as proposals for a series of contemporary art installations outside the arena by such major artists as Conrad Shawcross, Paviz Tanavali, Jorge Orta and Brian Eno.

Sovereign comes to Westminster
Click here for the press release about the Sovereign European Art Prize exhabition at the City Inn Westminster.

ACU Annual Report signals new direction
The new look Annual Report of the Association of Commonwealth Universities was launched at the Association's AGM held in Adelaide on Tuesday 11 April. The Report, designed by Crescent Lodge, marks the first step in the new communications and branding strategy that Candlestar are developing for the ACU. The Report outlines a radical new vision for the ACU click here to view the Report

Sovereign European Art Prize -
Click here for press release
Click here for images of the short-listed paintings for the Sovereign European Art Prize 2005