The Nature and Manner of The Distributional System of Iranian Modernist Paintings from the 1940s to the 1970s, Based on the Developed Doncept of “Cultural Diamond”

The consolidation of modernist painting in Iran is due to the existence of individuals and institutions that have played an effective role in distributing modernist paintings to consumers. They act as intermediaries between the producer and the consumer. Their existence owes much to the artist’s advancement from a craftsman to a genius one be-tween the 15th, Renaissance, and the 18th century. These individuals and institutions have been referred to in the Theory of Art world which has been formed by Howard S. Becker, as the distribution system; Victoria D. Alexander has used this theory to devel-op the concept of Wendy Griswold’s “cultural diamond” which is a tool that explains the interconnections among the elements involved in the relationship between culture-art, and the social world, however, it does not reveal the quality of these relationships. The changes made by Alexander in this sense help better understand these relationships. The distribution system is not only responsible for presenting cultural and artistic works, but also, with the help of mechanisms that are of consolidating or rejecting an artistic movement and artist in the field of art, as well as determining the content of works of art, can be substantially influential. The distribution of modernist Iranian paintings throughout three decades, are mostly indebted to the establishment of exhibitions, galleries, bienni-als. Other individuals and institutions have also played an important role in their distribu-tion. In this descriptive-analytical article the identity of these individuals and institutions, their performances in the distribution system and the impact of some of the lesser-known examples on the distribution of Iranian modernist paintings have been questioned. The results showed that training centers, artistic circles and critics have been among the fac-tors involved in the distribution system and the important impacts of these factors are not fully observed as well as others.