5th Annual Persian Arts Festival — MARCH 26 — TICKETS ON SALE NOW

5th Annual Persian Arts Festival
Saturday, March 26, 2011
6pm doors; 7pm show

92YTribeca 200 Hudson Street, New York City
Tickets on sale now http://www.92y.org/shop/92Tri_series_detail.asp?productid=T-MM5PM99

EARLY SHOW:

“OUR SWEET LIFE BY THE PACIFIC OCEAN” STAGE READING STARRING SHOHREH AGHDASHLOO AND HOUSHANG TOUZIE
*WORLD PREMIER*

http://www.92y.org/shop/92Tri_event_detail.asp?productid=T-MM5PM10

From the acclaimed writer, producer and actor, Houshang Touzie, comes the hilarious story about an Iranian man struggling to provide for his family, revive the passion in his marriage and communicate with a rebellious son raised far from what once was “home.” Join us at 92YTribeca for this concert-style reading, starring the Emmy award-winning actress Shohreh Aghdashloo and Touzie himself.

Directed by Shidan Majidi and produced by Noor Theatre and Persian Arts Festival, this is an event not to be missed.

LATE SHOW:

RICHARD JEFFREY NEWMAN / AMIR VAHAB / LIKE A PHOENIX FROM THE ASHES / DJ PAYAM

http://www.92y.org/shop/92Tri_event_detail.asp?productid=T-MM5PM11

A celebration of Persian arts and culture featuring literature, music and film.

Starting off the late show portion of the night, Richard Jeffrey Newman http://www.richardjnewman.com reads from The Teller of Tales (Junction Press), his newly published translation of the first five kings’ stories in Ferdowsi’s Shahnahmeh.

Hailed by The New York Times as the “ambassador for a silenced music,” Amir Vahab is one of New York’s most celebrated and distinguished composer / vocalists of traditional sufi and folk music and will perform a spectacular set of music featuring songs of the Ancient land of the Middle East.

Rounding out the night will be a screening of “Like A Phoenix From The Ashes” — a psychedelic visual feast of ultra-rare and vintage film from ’60s/’70s Iran, culled and curated from hundreds of hours and endless stacks of VHS and film of flicks from the pre-revolution glory years. Curated by Mahssa Taghinia and Tom Fitzgerald, edited and “collaged” by Tom Fitzgerald, and soundtracked with an exclusive Persian mash-up mix done by Finders Keepers founder Andy Votel. The music paired with this rare film footage can be found on the critically acclaimed release “Pomegranates” featuring Persian folk and funk that will have everyone on their feet.

Musical ambiance will also be provided by DJ Payam throughout the evening, spinning rare grooves from around the globe.

Art Installation: A PAF original Haftseen, showcasing a collection of artwork creating a one-of-a-kind public display. The Haftseen, or the seven ‘S’s is a traditional celebratory table setting of Norooz, the Persian New Year. The items symbolically correspond to seven creations and sacred immortals protecting them. Curated by PAF Art Director, Pooneh Maghazehe.

FESTIVAL SPONSORS
AIIrS American Institute of Iranian Studies

PROMOTIONAL PARTNERS
New York University Persian Club
IAAB Iranian Alliances Across Borders
PAAIA Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans
CISA Columbia Iranian Students Association

FOLKS TO THANK FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS
Noor Theater, 92Y Tribeca & all their staff,more to come,,,adding more everyday!

Posted in All

Here She Is To Save The Day! Artist Aphrodite Désirée Navab’s Photographic Narrative

In a new installation of photographs at New York City’s Skylight Gallery, Iranian-American artist Aphrodite Désirée Navab deals with geo-political issues between the Middle East and the United States through a cheeky visual hybrid of idealized American superhero motifs and traditional women’s garments from the Middle East.

In her new photography exhibition Super East-West Woman’s Sufi Dance: Egypt, which opens February 28th, 2011,Navab documented herself whirling through Egypt’s capital city of Cairo – armed with her superhero shirt and her chador (Islamic covering for women) which pulls double duty as her hero-cape.

“The Superman figure of popular Western culture is transformed into a Superwoman whose chador turns into a cape of agency” Navab said. The cheek of Navab’s art has allowed her to represent visually the ludicrous situations in which her cultural duality has placed her.

The exhibition was inspired by the mounting tensions between the U.S. and the Middle East – in particular Iran. Navab describes her motivation behind the piece “take[ing] shape in 2002 after President George W. Bush branded Iran as one of the three nations comprising an “axis of evil.” This reminded Navab of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, when Iran’s new leaders labeled the United States as “The Great Satan.”

Growing up in the USA, Navab was destined to critique the two nations and cultures that define her identity.The end result is a provocative, nostalgic, and pensive body of work which blends traditional Islamic elements with American popular culture. And, perhaps Super East-West Woman illustrates what Navab herself lives every day of her life: that these two cultures can most definitely live side by side in harmony, even beauty.

The exhibition will run from February 28-April 3, 2011, at the Skylight Gallery NYC. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday from 10am until 4pm. The gallery is located at 538 W 29th St. NY, NY 10001. For more information or inquiries, please contact Gallery Director Carla Goldberg at 646-772-2407, or via email at [email protected].

Upcoming exhibitions of Aphrodite Navab include works featured at the Affordable Art Fair May 5-8, 2011 at 7W 34th St., NYC, as well as a solo exhibition opening September 6 running through October 1, 2011 at Soho 20 Chelsea, 547 W27th St., Suite 301, NYC.