ABSTRACT This study presents a comprehensive and multifaceted examination of the nexus between Iranian exceptionalism and the visual arts, situating Iran’s civilizational identity within complex frameworks of international relations, cultural diplomacy, and ontological security. Its central argument is that Iranian visual culture from the metaphysical hierarchies of classical Persian painting to the sociopolitical realism of post-revolutionary murals and contemporary digital art functions as a primary arena for the construction, negotiation, and representation of a unique ‘civilizational self’. Integrating Joseph Nye’s theory of ‘soft power’, Edward Said’s critique of ‘Orientalism’, and the emerging field of ‘visual international relations’, this study presents art as a vital tool for national resilience and international recognition. The article demonstrates that Iranian art movements have historically challenged Western-centered representations and established a distinct ontological trajectory. Through qualitative analysis of historical trajectories such as the Qajar photographic revolution, the neo-traditionalism of the Saqqakhaneh movement, and the spiritual iconography of the ‘Sacred Defense’, the research concludes that Iranian art functions as a form of ‘permanent diplomacy’. This aesthetic sovereignty allows Iran to manage the pressures of global cultural homogenization while maintaining civilizational authenticity and transforming artistic capital into geopolitical influence.
Mahnoushsadat Moossavi (Thu,) studied this question.