Welcome to this exhibition’s Checklist,
a hypothetical collection of the material and ephemeral cultures of Iranian shrines.

Unlike those in physical exhibitions, the objects on this Checklist have not traveled long distances, been lent by museums alone, or been determined by politics, finances, and condition. Many of them are not ‘objects’ at all, in the museum sense of the word, but rather in situ furnishings and architectural revetment and even ephemeral experiences. Those that are musealized objects range from examples of elite patronage to ordinary commodities. While focusing on shrines, this Checklist also enters some related spaces, such as the hosayniyeh, mosque, coffeehouse, street, and home. As a mix of the fine art and ethnographic, physical and fleeting, personal and communal, this curatorial experiment seeks to present a more textured and realistic view of Iranian shrines and their cultural traditions.

We invite you to explore the Checklist’s 5 sections and 50+ catalog entries contributed by participants worldwide.