Multifaceted Iranian designer Arash and his partner Kelly, continue to release works that are smart and functional under their trendy brand: ArashandKelly. 

Their latest creation, the Genius Pad, is the result of their collaboration with a man whom they both consider ”inspirational”, Bremley Lyngdoh.

Lyngdoh runs Worldview Impact, a company dedicated to protecting the environment and biodiversity through the mitigation of climate change, enabling local economic growth through the creation of sustainable livelihoods and supporting social development through poverty reduction initiatives. Read the full story

After years of quietly and elusively adding his mark to LA’s concrete landscape, Iranian-born artist ABCNT started to gain rising recognition in the Iranian-American community with his iconic political posters of Neda, Taraneh and Mossadeq in the wake of this summer’s stolen elections in Iran.

Shot and directed by Nima Nabavi, this short video reveals some of the mechanics that drive this hidden artist to create.

Read the full story

L to R: Maziar Bahari (Photo by Hossein Salehi Ara), Mohsen Makhmalbaf (Photo via Makhmalbaf.com)

The Freedom to Create Prize is pleased to announce that renowned human rights advocate Bianca Jagger will present the main award at its prize ceremony on Wednesday 25 November 2009 at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.

Two Iranian creative and intellectual minds are amongst 1,015 artists from 110 countries who entered the lineup to receive the reward estimated at $125,000 USD. Politico-artist Mohsen Makhmalbaf and photographer/journalist/playwright/film-maker-extraordinaire, the recently released from Evin prison after 118 days for having covered an “illegal election”, Newsweek reporter Maziar Bahari.

Read the full story

Starbucks, Eric Robert Parnes

Washington, DC – The Fridge DC is pleased to present its November 2009 exhibition I RAN Home (In America), running November 5 through November 29, 2009. (Opening Reception: Thursday, November 5, 2009, 7:00-10:00 pm.)

Iranian artists have become players in the national and international contemporary art scene, but too often, this genre is tied to politics.  In reality, Iranian-American artists are multi-faceted with different and conflicting identities and influences.  Their work may be affected by political realities, but not decided by them.  In I RAN Home (In America), these diverse influences unite in profoundly personal artworks which strive to achieve acceptance and understanding from all viewers.  Moreover, the genre educates the American public about Iranian culture and reveals the effects of Diaspora on community identity.

Read the full story

L to R, Abbas Kiarostami-Untitled: Road Series, Circa 2003, Maryam Shirinlou-Life Eternal 2008, Parviz Tanavoli

Coinciding with Frieze Art Fair, and in response to the current popularity of Iranian art on the international stage, Candlestar, in collaboration with the luxury five-star hotel, Hyatt regency London, is staging an exhibition of artwork by Iranian artists from 10–24 October 2009 in the hotel lobby.  

Read the full story

L to R: Neda Dana-Haeri, Fereydoun Ave

Sistani Gallery is pleased to present the second in its series of exhibitions featuring contemporary Iranian Artists.  On first examination, the works of Neda Dana-Haeri and Fereydoun Ave appear to be compositionally very different.  However what draws the artists together is their deep spiritual understanding and the sensitivity of their work.  Both are influenced by their Persian heritage and culture and both have found their own individual way of reinterpreting this in a totally contemporaneous manner.

Read the full story

Congratulations to Venice Film Festival winner: Shirin Neshat!

Click here to watch modern Iranian artist, Shirin Neshat and her green-clad entourage on the red carpet at the 66th annual Venice Film Festival, where she was awarded with the accolade: Silver Lion for Best Director, for her film Zanaan Bedoneh Mardaan (Women Without Men).

Read the full story

Khatami vs. Spielberg — Rafsanjani vs. Penn

Wow. The resemblance.

Click here to check out Mehrdad Aref-Adib’s clever collection of cool pictures.