i'm maryam erfan, and i cover arts for bbc persia.he epic iran exhibit has been hugely popular, and i've come to share some of the highlights of this wonderful exhibition with you, and to introduce you to some of the experts behind the making of it. it was quite a task, with objects coming from art collections all over the world. i know there are some real treasures here from my homeland — some of them have never been on public display before. and i feel privileged to see them up close. the exhibition covers the ancient, islamic, and modern periods. when you come to this contemporary period, they are unafraid to address issues such as gender or politics. and very often, the works test the boundaries of censorship and control. video art and installation sit alongside carpets, ceramics, and metalworks. we will hear from the top experts behind the exhibition to bring 5,000 years of artistic mastery. this is epic iran. this exhibition is very unusual, in that it traces the history and cultural development of iran from the beginning of his