After watching The Glass House and “finding out about the hardship and traumas that [the girls under the care of the Omid Foundation in Iran] experienced, [it] provoked feelings of sadness, anger and dismay in me,” says Mina Roshandeli of her inspiration to participate in the Adidas Women’s 5K Challenge–set to take place in Hyde Park, London, UK–and her intent to raise funds for the Omid Foundation.

“…But I never even came close to imagining what those young women had been through.” Continue Reading

New York–ILLUMINATIONS (After Arthur Rimbaud) an exhibition of sculpture, video and installation by 16 well-known and emerging artists who work with light, will be on view at Leila Taghinia-Milani Heller (LTMH) Gallery from September 15 through October 15, 2010.

Inspired by a collection of poetry entitled Illuminations by Arthur Rimbaud (1854-1891), the exhibition is curated by Ashok Adicéam, an independent curator and art advisor. (A fully illustrated catalogue with an essay by Adicéam will accompany the exhibition.)

Creating a revealing dialogue between artists living and working in the East and West, ILLUMINATIONS (After Arthur Rimbaud) highlights the strength of light to bind different cultures together.

As Rimbaud wrote, “…the soul for the soul, summing up everything, perfumes and sounds and colors.”

While a number of the artists are inspired by neon lighting, Iranian artist Leila Pazooki, uses blue neon tubes to sculpt a Persian word in Orientalism, 2010.

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This once-in-a-lifetime celebration 9.02.10 Day honors the city of Beverly Hills by welcoming residents and visitors to enjoy gourmet food, wine and marquee entertainment on the tented rooftop of the former Robinsons-May parking structure.

“All the excitement this Labor Day weekend will be right here in Beverly Hills, and everyone in the Los Angeles region, most especially the Persian community is invited to join our celebration”, said Mayor Jimmy Delshad.

Iranian-Americans comprise a large portion of the population of Beverly Hills. As such, it is fitting that Iranian culture be represented at the city’s most important celebration.  To do that, Farhang Foundation has selected one of the most loved and accessible aspects of Persian culture – our world-renowned cuisine – to present to the community at large.

“Persian cuisine is the ideal way to introduce Iranian culture to the community at large, because it requires no prior knowledge or translation,” said Ali Razi, Chairman of Farhang Foundation.  “As people get a taste of Persia and our hospitality, we are sure that they will leave with greater appreciation for Iranians and our culture.”

This splendid Taste of Persia by Farhang Foundation pavilion will feature exotic and tasty aromas, flavors, and delicacies of Persia in a completely re-imagined way and will be presented in an elegant style that is uniquely Beverly Hills, while showcasing some of the most distinct sights and sounds of the ancient Persian culture.

Original Image via: ukiff.org.uk

Film festivals that honor Iranian films are held annually across the globe and now the time has finally arrived for an Iranian Film Festival to have a permanent home in the United Kingdom. UKIFF (a London-based charity and limited company) is delighted to announce the inaugural London Iranian Film Festival, commencing on November 19, 2010.

With a diverse program celebrating the best of contemporary Iranian films, the festival will showcase some of the finest talents of this rich cinematic culture.

Whilst acclaimed Iranian Directors may well be familiar to UK audiences, a new generation of emerging voices remain largely unknown.

The intention of the London Iranian Film Festival is to introduce this undiscovered new talent to London’s film enthusiast’s, as well as celebrating the work of legendary Iranian filmmakers.

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Persian Dolls, 2009 by Negar Ahkami--Original Image via LTMH

Southampton, NY–An exhibition showcasing the work of important and emerging artists from the Middle East, Turkey, Europe, and the U.S. will be on view at Tripoli Gallery of Contemporary Art at 30A Jobs Lane in Southampton from September 1 through 29, 2010.

East Meets West on the East End will feature painting, sculpture and video by 12 contemporary artists.  The exhibition is co-presented by Leila Taghinia-Milani Heller (LTMH) Gallery, New York, and Tripoli Gallery, Southampton, and organized by Leila Heller.  An opening for the exhibition will be held on Wednesday, September 1, from 6 to 8 p.m.  A portion of the proceeds from the exhibition will benefit the Southampton Fresh Air Home, a camp for physically challenged children.

East Meets West on the East End will mark summer’s end with a look at beauty and tranquility while exploring the artists’ synergies and differences.  The artists in the exhibition include Roya Akhavan, Shoja Azari and Shahram Karimi, Reza Derakshani, William Hillman, Nir Hod, Rachel Hovnanian, Peter Hristoff, Alexis Laurent, Arnaud Rivieren, Martin Saar, Elizabeth Thompson and Negar Ahkami.

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July 6, 2010, Belmont, CA – Today marks the beginning of Iranian Alliances Across Borders’ (IAAB) week-long Camp Ayandeh, a leadership camp for Iranian American high school students.

The first-of-its-kind camp will take place July 6-12, 2010 at Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU) in Belmont, California, just outside of San Francisco.

To celebrate the special fifth anniversary of Camp Ayandeh, IAAB has planned many special activities for the duration of Camp Ayandeh, including a performance by the Iranian indie rock band The Yellow Dogs, among other special guests. Continue Reading

Mehdi Farhadian, Pillow Fight--Acrylic on Canvas

“For the past three years, because of censorship in Iran and some other problems, I have had no official exhibitions and have not been able to create any work.  So with best wishes for Magic of Persia I won’t be able to participate in MOP CAP 2011.” Anonymous.

The first of its kind, Magic of Persia Contemporary Art Prize (MOP CAP) is a global search to identify the most talented emerging Iranian artists from both its homeland and the Persian Diaspora. Continue Reading

April 2010–Iranian-born, British-educated artist Mia Jafari has been making a name for herself: Fusing Iranian landscapes with elements of pop art, commodity, culture, and kitsch.

This spring, inspired by Persian carpets and luxurious commodities, Jafari debuts ‘Ladybirds Strawberry Cosmos’, a collection of seductively playful, hand-finished limited edition silk scarves. Jafari invites you to bask in a world where majestic creatures drag Christian Louboutin heels across endless [places] filled with ruby red lipstick and where nocturnal, gem-encrusted birds take nightwatch over enchanted trees dripping with strawberry pink muffins.

A wonderlust of Persian carpet landscapes explode with iconic perfumes, vintage Cartier and luscious cocktails. ‘Ladybirds Strawberry Cosmos’ blends Eastern rhythms with a cosmopolitan sophistication that tantalizes and delights. Mia Jafari unveils her collection with ‘digi-broidery’: an innovative technique coined by the artist to describe a truly unique dimension to her work, where Iranian embroidery meets cutting edge digital print. Through digi-broidery’s hyper-real aesthetic, Jafari pushes new boundaries to create distinctive prints, rich in culturalreference and craftsmanship.

Digi-broidery allows this collection to be worn and handled effortlessly, whilst retaining the intricacy of hand embellishment. Jafari’s scarves are best described as wearable art that dazzle and seduce with their Eastern-harmony-meets-uber-kitsch aesthetic. Ladybirds  Strawberry Cosmos [products deliver] the ultimate wow factor to the most minimal ensemble, and with names [like] “Berrypolitian” and “Midnight Mojito,” they are a 2010 must-have for any city girl’s wardrobe.