Iranian, German experts to excavate “archeologists’ lost paradise”

March 10, 2015, 12:07 pm

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TEHRAN -- A team of Iranian and German archaeologists will head to Jiroft in southern Iran in the near future to excavate the 5000-year-old site, which is known as the “archeologists’ lost paradise.”

 

Preparing a map of the site, searching for new structures near the Halil-Rud River, and analysis of the outcome of the excavation will be high on the agenda for the excavation, the director of the Iranian team, Nader Alidadi, said in a press release on Monday.

 

He said that the excavation project, which will last five years, aims to study the cultural boundary of the Halil-Rud region, cultural relations between the Halil-Rud region and the Mesopotamian civilization over the prehistoric periods, particularly during the Bronze Age.

 

The team is composed of 16 members, including eight German archaeologists, who will be led by Professor Peter Pfälzner of the University of Tubingen.

 

Eight Iranian archaeologists will also collaborate in the excavation project.

 

The collaboration between the Iranian and German archaeologists is based on a memorandum of understanding, which was signed between the University of Tubingen and Iran’s Research Institute for Cultural Heritage and Tourism in late January.

 

The Jiroft civilization was discovered next to the Halil-Rud River in Kerman Province in 2002 when reports surfaced of extensive illegal excavations and plundering of priceless historical items in the area by locals.

 

Since 2002, five excavation seasons have been carried out at the Jiroft site under the supervision of Professor Yusef Majidzadeh, leading to the discovery of a ziggurat made of more than four million mud bricks dating back to about 2200 BC.

 

Many ancient ruins and interesting artifacts were excavated by archaeologists at the Jiroft ancient site.

 

After the numerous unique discoveries in the region, Majidzadeh declared Jiroft to be the cradle of art. Many scholars questioned the theory since no writings or architectural structures had yet been discovered at the site, but shortly afterwards his team discovered inscriptions at Konar Sandal Ziggurat, causing experts to reconsider their opinions about it.

 

The Konar Sandal inscriptions are older than the Inshushinak inscription, suggesting that the recently discovered inscriptions link Proto Elamite script, which first appeared in Susa about 2900 BC, with Old Elamite, which was used between about 2250 and 2220 BC.

 

Many Iranian and foreign experts see the findings in Jiroft as signs of a civilization as great as Sumer and ancient Mesopotamia. Majidzadeh believes that Jiroft is the ancient city of Aratta, which was described as a great civilization in a Sumerian clay inscription.

 

MMS/YAW

END

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Russian author of Iranian origin Fazil Iskander honored in Moscow

March 10, 2015, 12:12 pm

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TEHRAN – Russian author of Iranian origin Fazil Abdulovich Iskander was honored during a ceremony held at the Moscow Public Library on Monday.

 

Fazil Iskander is the most famous Abkhaz writer, renowned in the former Soviet Union for his vivid descriptions of Caucasian life, mostly written in Russian.

 

He is known in the English speaking world for “Sandro of Chegem”, a picaresque novel that recounts life in a fictional Abkhaz village from the early years of the 20th century.

 

The ceremony was arranged to celebrate the 86th birth anniversary of the author (March 6), and was attended by Iran’s Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanaii and a number of Russian and Abkhazian officials, the Persian service of IRNA reported on Tuesday.

 

Sanaii praised Iskander for his valuable works and called his Iranian roots a symbol of cultural cooperation between Iran and Russia.

 

Born on March 6, 1929 in Sokhumi, Abkhazia, Georgia, U.S.S.R., Iskander wrote in Russian and is best known for using humor and a digressive, anecdotal style in his often satirical portrayals of life in Soviet Abkhazia.

 

Iskander graduated from the Gorky Literary Institute in Moscow in 1954. Though he is known mostly for his prose works, he started his career as a poet, publishing six volumes of verse between 1957 and 1966. 

 

He has written various stories, most famously “Zashita Chika”, which stars a crafty and likable young boy named “Chik”.

 

Fazil Iskander was nominated for the 2013 Nobel Prize in literature.

 

RM/YAW

END

 

Poetic visual art pieces of Arash Shirinbab on display in Tehran

March 10, 2015, 12:08 pm

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TEHRAN – U.S.-based Iranian young artist and calligrapher Arash Shirinbab is displaying a collection of his recent poetic visual art pieces at the Gallery of Fine Arts of Tehran’s Sadabad Cultural Historical Complex.

 

Entitled “The Inspirations of the Desert”, the exhibit features a new painting style the artist calls poempainting.

 

“In this style, I use both the linguistic and aesthetic power of words. My inspirations usually begin with a poem whose essence and atmosphere illuminate my own world. Without writing out the entire poem, I extract its key words and paint or inscribe them in different styles of Arabic-Persian calligraphy in my own personal style,” Shirinbab told Tehran Times.

 

He further explained, “All of the artworks in this exhibition contain the Kufic style of calligraphy. However, for many of the visitors it is difficult to comprehend.

 

“This has two main reasons. First of all, not many people are familiar with Kufic style’s forms and alphabet. The second reason is behind the way I use Kufic and calligraphy. In some of my artworks, calligraphy becomes a structural foundation and the words become visual elements displaying a mysterious and multifaceted world.”

 

Shirinbab added that he has taken special private lessons of reading and inscribing traditional Kufic style with master Vahid Musavi Jazayeri.

 

He also said that his exhibition shows a gradual transition from traditional usage of Kufic calligraphy to modern, contemporary, and personal ones. 

 

The combination of calligraphy, painting and poetry in his works is intended as a dialogue between different art forms and people; something that reflects both his own Persian identity and contemporary, universally comprehensible artistic values.

 

The young artist further mentioned that two of his more traditional Kufic calligraphy works have been accepted in the 5th International Exhibition of Calligraphy and will be displayed in the Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy in Moscow, Russia in March.

 

“I have also been invited to conduct a master class on the sidelines on March 15,” he said. 

 

Shirinbab is a graduate of Industrial Design from the University of Tehran. He received an MBA in Design Strategy from California College of the Arts in 2012. 

 

He is co-founder and director of an art studio, Ziya Art Center in Berkeley and the National Society of Arabic Script Calligraphers in America (SASCA).

 

 

Shirinbab has gained the National Award of Extra Ordinary Talents in Arts and has been a member of the Iran National Elites Foundation since 2008. 

 

Shirinbab’s artworks are exhibited in over 60 exhibitions in galleries and museums around the world including the U.S., Spain, Italy, Poland, France, Russia, Canada and Iran. 

 

The exhibit, which opened on March 6, will be running until March 16.

 

RM/YAW

END

Female directors make most popular movies of the year

March 10, 2015, 12:00 pm

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TEHRAN – “The City of Mice 2”, “Ceasefire 2”, and “Track 143”, three movies produced by Iranian directors, were on top of the list of Iran’s most popular films of the year.

 

 

The list was announced during a ceremony held by the Cinema Organization of Iran at Tehran’s Eivan-e Shams Hall on Monday to honor the directors of the movies.

 

Marzied Brumand’s “The City of Mice 2”, a puppet show movie in the children genre, stands high on the top of the chart. 

 

A sequel to her 1984 hit “The City of Mice”, the movie was warmly received by children, it also drew a large number of adult cinemagoers as well.

 

“Ceasefire 2” by Tamineh Milani was the second movie on the list.

  

“Ceasefire 2” is about the encounter of a young educated couple with their former family counselor after some years, during which the couple reviews their lives and some of the dramatic events that happened over the past years.

 

Narges Abyar’s acclaimed drama “Track 143” took the third place. 

 

The film, which was widely acclaimed at the 32nd Fajr International Film Festival in Tehran earlier in February 2013, is about the great maternal sacrifice during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. 

 

MA/YAW

END

Art news in brief

March 11, 2015, 2:32 pm

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Tehran exhibit to showcase works by over 300 artists

TEHRAN – A large collection by over 300 Iranian painters will go on display in an exhibition at the Iranian Artists Forum (IAF) in Tehran from March 13 to 18. 
 

Works by Manuchehr Motabar, Ali-Akbar Sanati, Seyyed Mahdi Hosseini and Karim Nasr have been selected for the exhibition, which has been organized by Iran’s Painters Association.

 

The IAF is located on Musavi St. off Taleqani Ave.

 

 

“Ranna Silence” to compete in German filmfest 

TEHRAN – Iranian director Behzad Rafiei’s “Ranna Silence” will be screened at the 22nd Kikife International Children’s Film Festival, which will be held in Schwabisch Gmund, Germany from March 19 to 22. 

 

The film tells the story of an Iranian village girl Ranna and her chicken, Kakoli. 

 

Turkish gallery hangs works by Iranian artists 

TEHRAN – Firca Sanat Gallery, a major contemporary art center in Ankara, is currently showcasing a vast array of works by Iranian photographers and painters.

 

A large section of the galley has been dedicated to showcasing works by photographer Bijan Seyfuri.

 

The gallery also is displaying works Rana Farnud, Kurosh Qazimorad, Mehrdad Afsari, Katayun Karami and several other painters and photographers. 

 

The exhibition will come to an end on March 15.

 

Anouar Brahem to perform in Tehran

TEHRAN – Tunisian oud virtuoso Anouar Brahem and his ensemble are scheduled to give performances in Tehran on September 24 and 25. 

 

The ensemble performed pieces in memory of Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on February 18 and 19, 2014.

 

MA/YAW

END

Top designers honored at Fajr fashion festival

March 11, 2015, 2:42 pm

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TEHRAN – A number of top ranking designers were honored at the closing ceremony of the 4th Fajr International Fashion and Clothing Festival held at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on Monday.

 

The ceremony was attended by Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic Affairs Ali Moradkhani, and secretary of the festival Hamid Qobadi, Persian media reported on Wednesday.

 

Designer Jila Shariatmadar was honored as the best designer in the section of university students’ clothing.

 

In the ladies’ outdoor clothing section, Sanaz Moslemi captured the first prize and Hamideh Hemmati received the first prize in the ladies’ ceremonial clothing.

 

In addition, Atena Yazdani received the first prize in the section for best articles on designing, and Farideh Talebpur took the first prize for the best book on designing.

 

In a brief speech, Moradkhani said that there have been good things happening in the field of fashion and costume design.

“We need to establish a museum of history of clothing in Iran to represent what is taking place at the present time and to provide the opportunity to display local costumes and costume designs of today, so that we can achieve a better result in the future,” Moradkahni said.  

 

RM/YAW

END

 

Typographies by Chinese, Iranian artists on display at Gorgan exhibit

March 11, 2015, 2:49 pm

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TEHRAN -- Typographic posters by a large number of Chinese and Iranian graphic artists are on display at an exhibition in the northern Iranian city of Gorgan.

 

Twelve artists from Iran and 30 others from China have created works for the exhibit entitled “Chiran”, which opened at Fakhreddian Asad Gorgani Hall on Tuesday.

 

The exhibition has been organized through collaborative efforts by graphic artists Saleh Zangaaneh from Iran and Li Shuo from China.

 

“This exhibition was organized to review the potentials of typography in Iran and China as two countries, which enjoy brilliant historical background in Eastern art,” Zangaaneh said during the opening ceremony of the exhibit.

 

The organizers have a motto: “Chiran is not only a poster exhibition, but also a bridge crossing between two great Eastern cultures.”

 

Works by Iranian artists Mohammadreza Abdolali, Homa Delvari, Farhad Fozuni, Behrad Javanbakht and Majid Kashani have been selected for the exhibition. 

 

Ming Long YU, Hi Fang, Xa Feng, Zhang Weifeng, and Lo Puji are among those Chinese artists whose works are on show at the exhibit, which runs until March 17.

 

Chiran will also be held at the School of Fine Arts of Shanxi University in China from March 15 to 20.

 

MMS/YAW

END

 

Farmanfarmaian’s work leads Dubai Christie’s

March 11, 2015, 2:51 pm

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TEHRAN – “Zahra’s Image”, a mirror mosaic work made in 2009 by Iranian artist Monir Farmanfarmaian, leads Dubai Christie’s auction of Modern and Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish Art on March 18, 2015.

 

The mirror mosaic, a reverse-glass painting and plaster on wood in aluminum, is the highest-priced item at the auction with the estimated price of $350,000 to 500,000, Christie’s has announced on its website.

 

Farmanfarmaian has worked closely with local craftsmen to create her three-dimensional panels. The mirror pieces were cut to fit the required shape and geometric patterns to recreate mirror mosaics that are reminiscent of aristocratic homes of 17th and 18th century Iran.

 

In addition, a retrospective of her works will open in the Guggenheim Museum in New York on March 13 and run until June 3.

 

This season, Christie’s Dubai is pleased to present an exceptional sale bringing together some of the finest works of art from leading collections in the region. 

 

Iranian highlights of the auction include a painting by Bahman Mohasses offered with an estimated price of $80,000 - $100,000, a calligraphic painting by Mohammad Ehsaii (estimate: $120,000 - $180,000), a painting by Farhad Moshiri (estimate: $150,000 - $200,000) and a painting by Behjat Sadr (estimate: $40,000 - $60,000).

 

For the first time, the sale will also include a focus on Palestinian art, led by the most iconic composition in Palestinian cultural and artistic history, Jamal Al Muhammel II by Suleiman Mansour. 

 

RM/YAW

END

 

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‘You will never know the truth about Iran unless you have been there’

March 10, 2015, 11:38 am

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Marvin Hooft, 27, born and raised in the Netherlands. From September till November 2014 he has backpacked trough Iran with a close friend. 

 

“I have studied media psychology in the Netherlands and therefore I am conscious that things aren’t always as portrayed by the media. 

 

“Following this reasoning I was really curious as to what was really going on in Iran,” he said in an interview with the Tehran Times. 

 

So he started to read more and more reviews by previous travelers to Iran. He said that there were “almost unanimous really positive” so he got really excited and actually booked the trip with a friend. 

 

Enjoy learning about Iranian costumes like ‘taroov’

 

He said that the Iranians have such a strong culture. “It was really nice to encounter so much hospitality, curiosity and generosity to foreigners. 

“I specifically enjoyed learning Iranian customs like ‘taroov’ [ta’arof], which throughout the country everyone knows so well and is happy to explain and teach. 

“I suspect we merrily got a grip of the introductory principles. I am happy to have read about it before I got my first taxi in Tehran with the driver telling me ‘It was nothing’ after he brought me to the hotel. 

 

“And I was also shocked to get so much food and sweats from fellow bus travelers, something that would never happen in our country,” he said.

 

Nice Iranians who are fans of Dutch football! 
 

He said that he was surprised by the interest of Iranian men in Dutch football.

 

“A lot of times we were asked where we were from. And when we explained it was Holland many young guys just instantly replied with “Aaaa Arjan Robben!” or “Robin van Persie!” and when the man was older it was “Aaa Johan Cruijf!” or “Marco van Basten!” As proud Dutch guys we could really appreciate this knowledge,” he explained.

 

“Without exception the Iranian people were so nice to us. Everywhere we went people were very curious in such a nice and welcoming way. 

 

“In every new city people welcomed us with open arms and were happy to invite us, show us around, help us out or just make small talk,” he said.

 

He called the visiting of different peoples throughout the country as the best memories he had from his visit to Iran.

 

Iran: Wonderful memories

 

“Another good memory is of the traditional Iranian music and especially the singing taxi-driver in Shiraz who made our trip to Persepolis very pleasant,” he added.

 

He also mentioned their visit to Kashan during Muharram mourning season as one of good memory he has from his visit to Iran.

 

“Especially in the evening it looked really nice with all the white, red and green lights and everyone collectively dressed in black. The processions of men shouting ‘Ya Ali!’ and beating their heads and chests was really impressive,” he said. 

 

He said that despite people who were mourning, the atmosphere on the streets was really friendly. 

 

“Especially the last days when so many people stopped their cars and offered us free foods like ghormeh sabzi and delicious cookies. I felt really special to experience an event like this,” he said.

 

Must-see places of Iran: Isfahan, Shiraz, Yazd and Kashan 

 

He named Isfahan, Shiraz and Yazd as must see cities of Iran.

 

“But if you are in a hurry Kashan is really nice because it has everything: mud bricked villages, beautiful mosques, gardens and the nearby desert. 

 

“I also liked Qeshm very much, it is a beautiful island with lots of fun things to do and explore,” he said. 

 

“I mostly enjoyed recreating with Iranian people. Relaxing and drinking tea or eating lunch, smoking qalyun [nargila] and playing takhteh [nard] in the park or teahouse,” he said.  

 

Cooking skills of Iranian mothers are something else!

 

“Oh my, I still miss the Iranian cuisine. It was really nice! I really appreciated the contrasting flavors that are used like eating anar [pomegranate] with salt and how doogh is made,” he explained. 

 

“I really would like to thank all of the Iranian mothers their cooking skills are really something else. I am still eating my fingers of after the ghormeh sabzi’s and keske bademjans I have tasted. And the beyani and fesejan in Esfahan were really nice too,” he added.  

 

A travel advice for those who want to travel Iran

 

“Don’t plan to strict. Let the Iranian people guide you through their cities and sights and don’t be afraid to drink tea or share a meal when someone invites you to, it is the best way to get to know this country,” he said.

 

“I have to admit I was a little anxious when I got off the plane in Tehran all alone. But as soon as I tried to change my money and the bank officer actually helped me to get better rates at another office I knew that there must be something special about this country.

 

“And after spending a few days or so you know that you will never know the truth about Iran unless you have been there,” he added.    

Art news in brief

March 10, 2015, 11:58 am

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Istanbul festival to screen Iranian movies

TEHRAN – Three Iranian films will be competing in the 34th Istanbul International Film Festival, which is scheduled to be held in the Turkish city from April 4 to 19. 
 

The films are Reza Mirkarimi’s social drama “Today”, Nima Javidi’s “Melbourne” and Jafar Panahi’s “Taxi”.

 

 

Museum of private bank showcases new collection in Tehran

TEHRAN – Bank Pasargad, a major private bank in Iran, showcased an art collection, which has recently been purchased from artists and collectors, in an exhibition at its museum on Monday.

 

Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition at the Contemporary Visual Art Museum of Bank Pasargad. 

 

MA/YAW

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Iranian, German experts to excavate “archeologists’ lost paradise”

March 10, 2015, 12:07 pm

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TEHRAN -- A team of Iranian and German archaeologists will head to Jiroft in southern Iran in the near future to excavate the 5000-year-old site, which is known as the “archeologists’ lost paradise.”

 

Preparing a map of the site, searching for new structures near the Halil-Rud River, and analysis of the outcome of the excavation will be high on the agenda for the excavation, the director of the Iranian team, Nader Alidadi, said in a press release on Monday.

 

He said that the excavation project, which will last five years, aims to study the cultural boundary of the Halil-Rud region, cultural relations between the Halil-Rud region and the Mesopotamian civilization over the prehistoric periods, particularly during the Bronze Age.

 

The team is composed of 16 members, including eight German archaeologists, who will be led by Professor Peter Pfälzner of the University of Tubingen.

 

Eight Iranian archaeologists will also collaborate in the excavation project.

 

The collaboration between the Iranian and German archaeologists is based on a memorandum of understanding, which was signed between the University of Tubingen and Iran’s Research Institute for Cultural Heritage and Tourism in late January.

 

The Jiroft civilization was discovered next to the Halil-Rud River in Kerman Province in 2002 when reports surfaced of extensive illegal excavations and plundering of priceless historical items in the area by locals.

 

Since 2002, five excavation seasons have been carried out at the Jiroft site under the supervision of Professor Yusef Majidzadeh, leading to the discovery of a ziggurat made of more than four million mud bricks dating back to about 2200 BC.

 

Many ancient ruins and interesting artifacts were excavated by archaeologists at the Jiroft ancient site.

 

After the numerous unique discoveries in the region, Majidzadeh declared Jiroft to be the cradle of art. Many scholars questioned the theory since no writings or architectural structures had yet been discovered at the site, but shortly afterwards his team discovered inscriptions at Konar Sandal Ziggurat, causing experts to reconsider their opinions about it.

 

The Konar Sandal inscriptions are older than the Inshushinak inscription, suggesting that the recently discovered inscriptions link Proto Elamite script, which first appeared in Susa about 2900 BC, with Old Elamite, which was used between about 2250 and 2220 BC.

 

Many Iranian and foreign experts see the findings in Jiroft as signs of a civilization as great as Sumer and ancient Mesopotamia. Majidzadeh believes that Jiroft is the ancient city of Aratta, which was described as a great civilization in a Sumerian clay inscription.

 

MMS/YAW

END

Russian author of Iranian origin Fazil Iskander honored in Moscow

March 10, 2015, 12:12 pm

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TEHRAN – Russian author of Iranian origin Fazil Abdulovich Iskander was honored during a ceremony held at the Moscow Public Library on Monday.

 

Fazil Iskander is the most famous Abkhaz writer, renowned in the former Soviet Union for his vivid descriptions of Caucasian life, mostly written in Russian.

 

He is known in the English speaking world for “Sandro of Chegem”, a picaresque novel that recounts life in a fictional Abkhaz village from the early years of the 20th century.

 

The ceremony was arranged to celebrate the 86th birth anniversary of the author (March 6), and was attended by Iran’s Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanaii and a number of Russian and Abkhazian officials, the Persian service of IRNA reported on Tuesday.

 

Sanaii praised Iskander for his valuable works and called his Iranian roots a symbol of cultural cooperation between Iran and Russia.

 

Born on March 6, 1929 in Sokhumi, Abkhazia, Georgia, U.S.S.R., Iskander wrote in Russian and is best known for using humor and a digressive, anecdotal style in his often satirical portrayals of life in Soviet Abkhazia.

 

Iskander graduated from the Gorky Literary Institute in Moscow in 1954. Though he is known mostly for his prose works, he started his career as a poet, publishing six volumes of verse between 1957 and 1966. 

 

He has written various stories, most famously “Zashita Chika”, which stars a crafty and likable young boy named “Chik”.

 

Fazil Iskander was nominated for the 2013 Nobel Prize in literature.

 

RM/YAW

END

 

Poetic visual art pieces of Arash Shirinbab on display in Tehran

March 10, 2015, 12:08 pm

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TEHRAN – U.S.-based Iranian young artist and calligrapher Arash Shirinbab is displaying a collection of his recent poetic visual art pieces at the Gallery of Fine Arts of Tehran’s Sadabad Cultural Historical Complex.

 

Entitled “The Inspirations of the Desert”, the exhibit features a new painting style the artist calls poempainting.

 

“In this style, I use both the linguistic and aesthetic power of words. My inspirations usually begin with a poem whose essence and atmosphere illuminate my own world. Without writing out the entire poem, I extract its key words and paint or inscribe them in different styles of Arabic-Persian calligraphy in my own personal style,” Shirinbab told Tehran Times.

 

He further explained, “All of the artworks in this exhibition contain the Kufic style of calligraphy. However, for many of the visitors it is difficult to comprehend.

 

“This has two main reasons. First of all, not many people are familiar with Kufic style’s forms and alphabet. The second reason is behind the way I use Kufic and calligraphy. In some of my artworks, calligraphy becomes a structural foundation and the words become visual elements displaying a mysterious and multifaceted world.”

 

Shirinbab added that he has taken special private lessons of reading and inscribing traditional Kufic style with master Vahid Musavi Jazayeri.

 

He also said that his exhibition shows a gradual transition from traditional usage of Kufic calligraphy to modern, contemporary, and personal ones. 

 

The combination of calligraphy, painting and poetry in his works is intended as a dialogue between different art forms and people; something that reflects both his own Persian identity and contemporary, universally comprehensible artistic values.

 

The young artist further mentioned that two of his more traditional Kufic calligraphy works have been accepted in the 5th International Exhibition of Calligraphy and will be displayed in the Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy in Moscow, Russia in March.

 

“I have also been invited to conduct a master class on the sidelines on March 15,” he said. 

 

Shirinbab is a graduate of Industrial Design from the University of Tehran. He received an MBA in Design Strategy from California College of the Arts in 2012. 

 

He is co-founder and director of an art studio, Ziya Art Center in Berkeley and the National Society of Arabic Script Calligraphers in America (SASCA).

 

 

Shirinbab has gained the National Award of Extra Ordinary Talents in Arts and has been a member of the Iran National Elites Foundation since 2008. 

 

Shirinbab’s artworks are exhibited in over 60 exhibitions in galleries and museums around the world including the U.S., Spain, Italy, Poland, France, Russia, Canada and Iran. 

 

The exhibit, which opened on March 6, will be running until March 16.

 

RM/YAW

END

Female directors make most popular movies of the year

March 10, 2015, 12:00 pm

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TEHRAN – “The City of Mice 2”, “Ceasefire 2”, and “Track 143”, three movies produced by Iranian directors, were on top of the list of Iran’s most popular films of the year.

 

 

The list was announced during a ceremony held by the Cinema Organization of Iran at Tehran’s Eivan-e Shams Hall on Monday to honor the directors of the movies.

 

Marzied Brumand’s “The City of Mice 2”, a puppet show movie in the children genre, stands high on the top of the chart. 

 

A sequel to her 1984 hit “The City of Mice”, the movie was warmly received by children, it also drew a large number of adult cinemagoers as well.

 

“Ceasefire 2” by Tamineh Milani was the second movie on the list.

  

“Ceasefire 2” is about the encounter of a young educated couple with their former family counselor after some years, during which the couple reviews their lives and some of the dramatic events that happened over the past years.

 

Narges Abyar’s acclaimed drama “Track 143” took the third place. 

 

The film, which was widely acclaimed at the 32nd Fajr International Film Festival in Tehran earlier in February 2013, is about the great maternal sacrifice during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. 

 

MA/YAW

END

Art news in brief

March 11, 2015, 2:32 pm

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Tehran exhibit to showcase works by over 300 artists

TEHRAN – A large collection by over 300 Iranian painters will go on display in an exhibition at the Iranian Artists Forum (IAF) in Tehran from March 13 to 18. 
 

Works by Manuchehr Motabar, Ali-Akbar Sanati, Seyyed Mahdi Hosseini and Karim Nasr have been selected for the exhibition, which has been organized by Iran’s Painters Association.

 

The IAF is located on Musavi St. off Taleqani Ave.

 

 

“Ranna Silence” to compete in German filmfest 

TEHRAN – Iranian director Behzad Rafiei’s “Ranna Silence” will be screened at the 22nd Kikife International Children’s Film Festival, which will be held in Schwabisch Gmund, Germany from March 19 to 22. 

 

The film tells the story of an Iranian village girl Ranna and her chicken, Kakoli. 

 

Turkish gallery hangs works by Iranian artists 

TEHRAN – Firca Sanat Gallery, a major contemporary art center in Ankara, is currently showcasing a vast array of works by Iranian photographers and painters.

 

A large section of the galley has been dedicated to showcasing works by photographer Bijan Seyfuri.

 

The gallery also is displaying works Rana Farnud, Kurosh Qazimorad, Mehrdad Afsari, Katayun Karami and several other painters and photographers. 

 

The exhibition will come to an end on March 15.

 

Anouar Brahem to perform in Tehran

TEHRAN – Tunisian oud virtuoso Anouar Brahem and his ensemble are scheduled to give performances in Tehran on September 24 and 25. 

 

The ensemble performed pieces in memory of Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on February 18 and 19, 2014.

 

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Top designers honored at Fajr fashion festival

March 11, 2015, 2:42 pm

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TEHRAN – A number of top ranking designers were honored at the closing ceremony of the 4th Fajr International Fashion and Clothing Festival held at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on Monday.

 

The ceremony was attended by Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic Affairs Ali Moradkhani, and secretary of the festival Hamid Qobadi, Persian media reported on Wednesday.

 

Designer Jila Shariatmadar was honored as the best designer in the section of university students’ clothing.

 

In the ladies’ outdoor clothing section, Sanaz Moslemi captured the first prize and Hamideh Hemmati received the first prize in the ladies’ ceremonial clothing.

 

In addition, Atena Yazdani received the first prize in the section for best articles on designing, and Farideh Talebpur took the first prize for the best book on designing.

 

In a brief speech, Moradkhani said that there have been good things happening in the field of fashion and costume design.

“We need to establish a museum of history of clothing in Iran to represent what is taking place at the present time and to provide the opportunity to display local costumes and costume designs of today, so that we can achieve a better result in the future,” Moradkahni said.  

 

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Typographies by Chinese, Iranian artists on display at Gorgan exhibit

March 11, 2015, 2:49 pm

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TEHRAN -- Typographic posters by a large number of Chinese and Iranian graphic artists are on display at an exhibition in the northern Iranian city of Gorgan.

 

Twelve artists from Iran and 30 others from China have created works for the exhibit entitled “Chiran”, which opened at Fakhreddian Asad Gorgani Hall on Tuesday.

 

The exhibition has been organized through collaborative efforts by graphic artists Saleh Zangaaneh from Iran and Li Shuo from China.

 

“This exhibition was organized to review the potentials of typography in Iran and China as two countries, which enjoy brilliant historical background in Eastern art,” Zangaaneh said during the opening ceremony of the exhibit.

 

The organizers have a motto: “Chiran is not only a poster exhibition, but also a bridge crossing between two great Eastern cultures.”

 

Works by Iranian artists Mohammadreza Abdolali, Homa Delvari, Farhad Fozuni, Behrad Javanbakht and Majid Kashani have been selected for the exhibition. 

 

Ming Long YU, Hi Fang, Xa Feng, Zhang Weifeng, and Lo Puji are among those Chinese artists whose works are on show at the exhibit, which runs until March 17.

 

Chiran will also be held at the School of Fine Arts of Shanxi University in China from March 15 to 20.

 

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Farmanfarmaian’s work leads Dubai Christie’s

March 11, 2015, 2:51 pm

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TEHRAN – “Zahra’s Image”, a mirror mosaic work made in 2009 by Iranian artist Monir Farmanfarmaian, leads Dubai Christie’s auction of Modern and Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish Art on March 18, 2015.

 

The mirror mosaic, a reverse-glass painting and plaster on wood in aluminum, is the highest-priced item at the auction with the estimated price of $350,000 to 500,000, Christie’s has announced on its website.

 

Farmanfarmaian has worked closely with local craftsmen to create her three-dimensional panels. The mirror pieces were cut to fit the required shape and geometric patterns to recreate mirror mosaics that are reminiscent of aristocratic homes of 17th and 18th century Iran.

 

In addition, a retrospective of her works will open in the Guggenheim Museum in New York on March 13 and run until June 3.

 

This season, Christie’s Dubai is pleased to present an exceptional sale bringing together some of the finest works of art from leading collections in the region. 

 

Iranian highlights of the auction include a painting by Bahman Mohasses offered with an estimated price of $80,000 - $100,000, a calligraphic painting by Mohammad Ehsaii (estimate: $120,000 - $180,000), a painting by Farhad Moshiri (estimate: $150,000 - $200,000) and a painting by Behjat Sadr (estimate: $40,000 - $60,000).

 

For the first time, the sale will also include a focus on Palestinian art, led by the most iconic composition in Palestinian cultural and artistic history, Jamal Al Muhammel II by Suleiman Mansour. 

 

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Poetic visual art pieces of Arash Shirinbab on display in Tehran

March 10, 2015, 12:08 pm

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TEHRAN – U.S.-based Iranian young artist and calligrapher Arash Shirinbab is displaying a collection of his recent poetic visual art pieces at the Gallery of Fine Arts of Tehran’s Sadabad Cultural Historical Complex.

 

Entitled “The Inspirations of the Desert”, the exhibit features a new painting style the artist calls poempainting.

 

“In this style, I use both the linguistic and aesthetic power of words. My inspirations usually begin with a poem whose essence and atmosphere illuminate my own world. Without writing out the entire poem, I extract its key words and paint or inscribe them in different styles of Arabic-Persian calligraphy in my own personal style,” Shirinbab told Tehran Times.

 

He further explained, “All of the artworks in this exhibition contain the Kufic style of calligraphy. However, for many of the visitors it is difficult to comprehend.

 

“This has two main reasons. First of all, not many people are familiar with Kufic style’s forms and alphabet. The second reason is behind the way I use Kufic and calligraphy. In some of my artworks, calligraphy becomes a structural foundation and the words become visual elements displaying a mysterious and multifaceted world.”

 

Shirinbab added that he has taken special private lessons of reading and inscribing traditional Kufic style with master Vahid Musavi Jazayeri.

 

He also said that his exhibition shows a gradual transition from traditional usage of Kufic calligraphy to modern, contemporary, and personal ones. 

 

The combination of calligraphy, painting and poetry in his works is intended as a dialogue between different art forms and people; something that reflects both his own Persian identity and contemporary, universally comprehensible artistic values.

 

The young artist further mentioned that two of his more traditional Kufic calligraphy works have been accepted in the 5th International Exhibition of Calligraphy and will be displayed in the Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy in Moscow, Russia in March.

 

“I have also been invited to conduct a master class on the sidelines on March 15,” he said. 

 

Shirinbab is a graduate of Industrial Design from the University of Tehran. He received an MBA in Design Strategy from California College of the Arts in 2012. 

 

He is co-founder and director of an art studio, Ziya Art Center in Berkeley and the National Society of Arabic Script Calligraphers in America (SASCA).

 

 

Shirinbab has gained the National Award of Extra Ordinary Talents in Arts and has been a member of the Iran National Elites Foundation since 2008. 

 

Shirinbab’s artworks are exhibited in over 60 exhibitions in galleries and museums around the world including the U.S., Spain, Italy, Poland, France, Russia, Canada and Iran. 

 

The exhibit, which opened on March 6, will be running until March 16.

 

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Female directors make most popular movies of the year

March 10, 2015, 12:00 pm

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TEHRAN – “The City of Mice 2”, “Ceasefire 2”, and “Track 143”, three movies produced by Iranian directors, were on top of the list of Iran’s most popular films of the year.

 

 

The list was announced during a ceremony held by the Cinema Organization of Iran at Tehran’s Eivan-e Shams Hall on Monday to honor the directors of the movies.

 

Marzied Brumand’s “The City of Mice 2”, a puppet show movie in the children genre, stands high on the top of the chart. 

 

A sequel to her 1984 hit “The City of Mice”, the movie was warmly received by children, it also drew a large number of adult cinemagoers as well.

 

“Ceasefire 2” by Tamineh Milani was the second movie on the list.

  

“Ceasefire 2” is about the encounter of a young educated couple with their former family counselor after some years, during which the couple reviews their lives and some of the dramatic events that happened over the past years.

 

Narges Abyar’s acclaimed drama “Track 143” took the third place. 

 

The film, which was widely acclaimed at the 32nd Fajr International Film Festival in Tehran earlier in February 2013, is about the great maternal sacrifice during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. 

 

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