Pars Arts

The Mideast Youth Blog

The Mideast Youth Blog is an excellent look at politics, culture, and life in the Middle East, written by young Middle Easterners who live all over the world. The blog’s code of ethics shows that its writers are quite forward-thinking:

This all boils down to making a difference. We are here to help, motivate, encourage, and inspire people from the region and beyond to make a difference. We will celebrate our diversity rather than fight for a dominant religion or ideology. We are all different, let’s take that difference and create something awe-inspiring out of it. We focus on the youth because we are the leaders of the future. It is therefore our responsibility to be active towards the right causes.

As of now, there are 119 posts tagged “Iran” and several Iran-focused writers, including Esther of View from Iran, and Kamangir. The writing on Iran covers a diverse mix of topics, from human rights issues (like a post this weekend about Roya Toloui, arrested Iranian activist) to helpful info for travelers (like a guide to money in Iran)

Add the Mideast Youth Blog to your feed reader, bookmark it, and send the link to your friends; the news and commentary on this blog are insightful and its authors (and their respective varied biases) are refreshingly transparent.

In the Rose Garden of the Martyrs

Christopher de Bellaigue’s In the Rose Garden of the Martyrs: A Memoir of Iran is one of those books that I had on my reading list for what seemed like ages, always meaning to read it but never quite getting around to it. That is, until I borrowed it from a friend who had asked me to let her know if it was any good before she gave it a go.

I’m glad I did, and while memoirs of Iran have been all the rage these past few years, In the Rose Garden of the Martyrs is one of the few to provide an account of life in Iran from a foreigner’s perspective. De Bellaigue is, after all, a British writer for the Economist, living in Tehran and married to an Iranian woman. The result of this perspective is a refreshing angle on Iran’s history and its social ramifications that steers clear of the romanticism that so easily befalls some Iranians when writing about their homeland.

In the Rose Garden is not a true memoir as its title may suggest; it is rather a blend of personal experience and history, sometimes reading as a travel journal and at times as journalistic report. It draws heavily from the personal wartime narratives of Iranians de Bellaigue comes across throughout the country, emphasizing primarily the gruesome Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s and the subsequent changes in Iranian society, namely the loss of revolutionary zeal. In traveling the country, he listens to Iranians from all walks of life tell their story, be they war veterans, journalists, artists, clerics or bureaucrats. The general idea is to focus on a handful of experiences that reflect a bigger picture in the collective Iranian experience.

De Bellaigue’s writing carries with it a richness that stems from his opinion that history is indeed still alive for Iranians and it is precisely this history that has shaped Iran’s contemporary social paradoxes of old versus new, private versus public, and east versus west. Yet despite his sometimes opinionated commentary, he steers clear of overt political analysis and instead sticks to a narrative of Iran’s social complexities. While In the Rose Garden of the Martyrs may not be a memoir in the true sense of the word, it is certainly a revealing and realistic look into life in modern Iran.

Dr. Holakouee: Like an Iranian Dr. Phil, but so much better

Dr. Farhang Holakouee, Iranian-radio shrink extraordinaire, now has an online archive of past shows. If you grew up Iranian in Los Angeles, you either heard this guy so often that his show’s theme song is forever embedded in your mind, or, if you were really bad, your parents called in to ask him what to do with you. (You know who you are.) With his velvety voice, there weren’t many caller problems that proved insurmountable to Dr. H., whether they were import-bride marriage issues, identity crises, or chronic deja vu (I can’t even count the number of times I heard calls from people who were convinced they could dream the future). A couple things were for sure: he always asked which number sibling you were, and he almost always sided with the kids.

For anyone who wants to peek deep into the Tehrangeles psyche, his show is a must-hear.

[Photo: drholakouee.com]

Follow-up: “Wishes and Dreams” Exhibition

A follow-up to last week’s post about the new Iranian art exhibit in Washington, D.C.:

The U.S. Department of State posted a video of Secretary Rice’s visit to the opening of the exhibit at the Meridian International Center. Included are her brief remarks to reporters, as well as a clip of her quick walk through the exhibit. Footage of her walk-through, as well as some stills at the end of the video, provides viewers with a look at some of the art on display.

[Video credit: US Dept of State. Transcript of the remarks can be found here.]

“Did Someone Order a Sexy Persian Wingman?”

A few weeks ago, South Park did a pretty funny spoof of the film “300,” pitting Persian club owners against lesbians (the YouTube clip got taken down when Viacom complained). Now, the animated sitcom “American Dad,” which is about a family in which the father is a right-wing CIA agent, has bestowed the Persian community with yet another dubious animation honor: the alien character, Roger, goes undercover in this episode as a “sexy Persian wingman.”

Here are some memorable quotes:
“I’m a Persian stud… I live with my parents, big house, no yard… I sell X, don’t use it.”
“This is my boy Behrouz, he imports rugs.”
“I only invited him because our folks escaped Tehran together.”
“I’m not gonna end up a worn-up ho, having breakfast for dinner with an abusive Persian. I’ve lived that life.”

“American Dad” also had an episode that included Iranian neighbors, which actually makes more fun of the main characters than of the neighbors:

The Persian wingman clip is pretty offensive, mostly for all the misogyny. It’s a shame that they chose to play up Iranian cultural stereotypes for laughs. Then again, this is “American Dad,” and it’s generally pretty misogynistic, sometimes pushing so far that it’s not satire anymore.

Exhibition: Wishes and Dreams

More than thirty young Iranian artists’ work went on display today in Washington, D.C., as part of “Wishes and Dreams: Iran’s New Generation Emerges”. The exhibition is a joint project between the Tehran University Art Gallery and the Meridian International Center, where it will be on display until July 29th.

The show is already receiving international attention: most major media sources covered the event, and the BBC featured the exhibition in their daily ‘In Pictures’ online feature.

Political undercurrents surfaced today as U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice attended the opening and met with 14 of the artists who are visiting from Iran. The Guardian reports that ten of the artists turned down a chance to be photographed with Rice, and that a large throng of journalists were closely watching Rice in an effort to pickup clues on the administration’s current stance on US-Iranian ties.

Clearly, however, the exhibition itself is an attempt to look beyond US-Iranian tensions and underscore the fundamental commonality and understanding between Americans and Iranians. Meridian press release stated that:

The 30 artists in this exhibition reflect Iran’s large young population—the generation of tomorrow. Their art is an example of what galleries in Tehran are actively showing in exhibitions that open weekly. Much of their art is about dreams of their own past and their historic heritage, its symbols and beliefs; it expresses their strong desire to preserve their past, as well as their concern for the future.

Washington D.C. readers can find directions to the Meridian galleries here — and hopefully will report back what they saw on Pars Arts in the near future.

[Photo credit: J. Scott Applewhite - AP]

Q&A: Nahid Rachlin on Persian Girls

For readers that haven’t yet read the book, what’s it about?
PERSIAN GIRLS extends from the time of the late Shah to the present in Iran and goes back forth between Iran and America. I develop my relationship with my aunt, Maryam, who adopted me from my mother when I was six months old, and with my birth mother, after my father forcefully took me back from my aunt when I was nine years old.

My aunt couldn’t get pregnant and she had always been begging my mother, who was very fertile, if she could adopt one of her children. In fact my mother gave birth to ten children. When I was six months old my mother allowed my grandmother to take me to my aunt, who lived in Tehran, an eighteen hour train ride from Ahvaz where my parents lived. At the time my father was a circuit judge and traveled a great deal. Then when I was nine years old he decided to take me back. By then he had resigned from being a judge and started a private practice. He was more focused on his family and missed this child away from home.

A big part of PERSIAN GIRLS is also focused on the stories of my sister Pari’s and my own lives in Iran and then as we took different paths–she remaining in Iran and I coming to America. When I started living with my birth family I became very close to my older sister Pari. We both resisted the roles prescribed for us by our parents, our school, the wider society. She wanted to become an actress and I a writer, both considered undesirable for one reason or another. We were allies against our middle sister, whose dream was closer to what was expected of her.

Then I managed to come to America while Pari got trapped in a bad arranged marriage and had to give up her aspiration to become an actress and all the independence she was striving for. I was stronger and more determined than Pari, perhaps because of all the love and attention that my aunt Maryam had given to me, whereas Pari didn’t have that kind of attention from our mother.

After I had been in the U.S. for many years and witnessed the Islamic Revolution from here, I got a phone call that Pari had fallen down the staircase of her house and died. I was married then and had a child and was involved in writing and teaching but I dropped everything and went to Iran to find out more about what happened to Pari. I knew it wasn’t murder because she was with her friends when she fell but I feared it could have been self-inflicted, since she had been depressed about her life for a long time.

Why did you write Persian Girls? Who did you write it for?
I believe if I write about a subject that means a lot to me and I am passionate about the chances are I can convey it to others. So, first I wrote it for myself, and then hoped others will connect to it. For a long time I was totally obsessed by how my path went in an entirely different direction from that of my sister Pari’s. I wanted to bring her to life by writing about her.

You’ve primarily published fiction in the past. How was the process of writing a memoir different from that of writing fiction?
Writing Persian Girls was more of an emotional journey for me than writing fiction, as in it I directly confront the pain of my past. I partly wanted to bring Pari alive and partly to examine how she, like many women, become trapped by forces of traditions that are not suitable to them.

Ultimately the process was healing but not completely. I still day dream that she’s going to read the book and give me feedback as she used to when we were adolescents and I showed her the pieces I wrote.

There’s been a spate of memoirs by exiled Iranian women in recent years. As one of these women, why do you think this is happening recently? (And where are all the male voices?)
I think Americans are fascinated by the fact that Iranian women have so many problems to deal with and still many of them manage to survive and do significant things with their lives. The contradiction is puzzling and interesting to them. Iranian men’s lives don’t seem as complex and interesting.

What are you working on now?
I am always preoccupied by issues of identity and belonging. Many of my shorts stories and novels focus on those issues. In my new novel, with Iranian identical twin sisters as protagonists, I will be developing similar themes.

You’ve lived in the US for many years; how has your writing become more “American,” if at all, since your earlier years? When you write, do you think in English or Persian, and how does this affect your stories?
I don’t think my writing has changed in that respect. When I was in Iran I always read books in translation, many of them by American writers. So I was influenced in my writing, not just by Iranian writers but American ones too. By now I think in English.

Do you have any words of advice for young Iranian writers?
Write about what you are passionate about and is meaningful to yourself. If you feel strongly about a subject, the chances are you will be able to convey it well to your readers. It is best not to try to calculate and say, ‘Well, if I write about this subject, it will sell or it will reach such and such reader.

UCLA’s 17th Celebration of Iranian Cinema

Kiosk’s “Eshgh e Sorat” (Love for Speed) with English Subtitles!

We posted this awesome Kiosk video this weekend, but its director just let us know there’s now a version with English subtitles. So if like us, you only understood about half the Persian content, click above. And pass it along to your non-Persian speaking friends! It’s such a cool look at Iran that’s not really prevalent these days.

Interviews with Young Iranians: Ali Seradge, Artist

Ali Seradge is a 28-year-old artist living in Oklahoma City. He has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Oklahoma and a Masters of Public Health.

His artwork has been published in various journals, and hung multiple times in OVAC’s 12 x 12, LiT lounge in OKC, as well as other venues.

A selection of his work is currently on display at the Gold Dome Multicultural Society.

    

How long have you lived in Oklahoma? In the States?
I’m an Okie. I was born in Florida, then my family moved here when I was one. So, 27 years in Oklahoma. My family moved to the states in ‘75.

Living in Oklahoma, what type of Iranian community have you been able to experience? Is there any artistic Iranian presence?
Well, yeah there is a Iranian community here. Larger than most people anticipate. It is different than the bigger cities I must say. More… I don’t know the right word… blended? There is an Iranian art presence, but again, it isn’t an island. I do feel connected to the community. However, being American-born and in an area where we are incredibly integrated, there is a degree of separation for me from Iranians and from Americans.

In what ways has your Iranian background influenced your work?
Actually the previous question leads to this influence.
There is a feeling of isolation, of "almost being being there." A lot of people born in Iran say they have some urge to go back, that it feels like home. In a way, that is a bit distant for me, I don’t have that feeling. On the other hand, I still stand out among people here. There is also something my parents often said: "Be sure you can survive anywhere, you may have to move, be able to go back." I know that happened to them.

Iranian parents aren’t always known for their encouragement of their children when they pursue the arts. How did your parents respond?
Wow, again, the previous question… I think a big reason Iranians, and other foreign nationals, tend to be hesitant towards the arts as profession is a matter of survival. If you are a doctor, engineer, or professor of science there is a sense that you can get a job anywhere, regardless of location.
So, in short, they weren’t thrilled. My father is coming around. My mom still calls it "a hobby." But I guess I could tell them that there are paintings in every culture.

You are having an artist’s reception soon. Could you talk about your works, and what you are trying to achieve with them?
The body of work hanging in this show reflects the feeling of isolation I mentioned earlier. This is a fairly universal phenomenon, the idea that there is something that separates the self from the group, from community.
I felt that this was appropriate in this show for the Gold Dome Multicultural Society. Given their mission of forming stronger multicultural community, I felt it would be good to show pieces reflecting a separation of community.

Every artist has a personal "creative process," explain yours.
My trade secrets! It is actually fairly simple. I look around, read, talk to people. Given that I am a night person, nightlife has a big influence. Then I sketch, whatever comes to my head. Then I set off the paper or canvas. One of the things I took in, then sketched, will come out. After it starts, it is a matter of showing what the original emotional state was when the stimulus arrived, in order to evoke it in the viewer. The bases are laid down, then it is a lot of decision making, not excluding practical ones, such as size and materials. Actually, that wasn’t as simple as I thought.

How do you think/want other people to respond to your art?
First, I hope they DO respond. I want them to sit there and look at it, to try to figure out what the image means to them. How they identify with the characters in the work. I have an illustrative style. I like to hear the story people make for the picture. That’s why I rarely explain meanings of my work.

Finally, is there a website where we can see more of your work?
Yeah!
I am in the artists in OVAC
I’m also part of the Monkey Chainsaw Projects

I can be contacted by email: junkmonkey13[at]hotmail[dot]com

Any final thoughts?
I guess to artists out there: It is possible to live as an artist. Very possible. Scarily possible.