Culture

RFL/RE – Iranian security forces have prevented devotees of fans of late poet Ahmad Shamlou, who pushed for greater freedoms and had some of his work banned under successive governments, from marking the 18th anniversary of his death. Iranian poet Ahmad Shamlou (1925-2000)(artwork by Bozorgmehr Hosseinpur) Eyewitnesses told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda that dozens of supporters of Shamlou attempted to hold a …

PayvandNews – Iran’s Visual Arts Office director Hadi Mozaffari said on Monday that the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance is considering taking legal action against the writers of “Iran Modern: The Empress of Art” published in New York last September. Iran Modern: The Empress of Art “Iran Modern: The Empress of Art” uncovers the last journey of Iran’s former …

hyperallergic – Artist Mohammad Hassan Forouzanfar plants skyscrapers in the country’s ancient cities and villages in a surreal and spectacular new project. Hakim BisharaJuly 24, 2019 Safi-o-Din shrine in northwestern Iran reimagined (all images courtesy of Mohammad Hassan Forouzanfar) From the royal palaces of Persepolis to the glorious mosques of Isfahan, Iran’s ancient architecture has given the world some of its …

CHRI – “We have to pay a price, and every person will pay some price,” says acclaimed filmmaker The sentencing of award-winning filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof to one year in prison for the content of his films has highlighted the perilous political landscape independent artists must navigate in Iran. “Iranian cinema has won international acclaim despite stifling censorship and the ongoing persecution …

Guardian – For many Iranians, the oft-forgotten films are a souvenir of a lost past, painting a picture of life before the 1979 revolution Ehsan Khoshbakht  Filmfarsi megastars Nasser Malek Motie (left) and Fardin, who often portrayed working-class tough guys. Photograph: PR Shortly after the 1979 Iranian revolution, the country’s national newspapers published a joint subpoena, unique in film history. All …

VOA – Aficionados of Western classical music have carved out a niche for themselves in Iran, where cultural expression remains tightly controlled by strict rules imposed after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. And perhaps surprisingly, musicians in their 20s and 30s perform for overwhelmingly young audiences. Last week, the Tehran Symphony Orchestra, including female musicians in burgundy headscarves on cello, horn …

RFL/RE – For the past four weeks, Iranians have been glued to their state-controlled televisions watching a team of highly competent and devoted intelligence officers catch spies and toss corrupt officials in prison. The secret agents and foreign spies are among the main characters in a popular counterintelligence series that appears to be trying to upgrade the sketchy image of …

PayvandNews – Tirgan also known as Jashn-e Tirgan (The feast of Tiregan) is an ancient Iranian festival coinciding with the mid summer festivals. The feast of Tirgan is an ancient Iranian celebration, which is still celebrated among Iranian Zoroastrians, Parsis of India and some Iranian Muslims in various parts of Iran. The celebration is widely attested by historians such as Abu …

Radiozamaneh – It was a Wednesday and the beginning of the summer of 1908. A 34-year-old journalist was dragged in chains to the “King’s Garden” in the center of Tehran. King’s Garden, Tehran Two executioners put a noose around his neck. As they pulled the rope from the side, blood came out from his mouth. A third henchman stabbed him …

CHRI – In Iran, the Ministry of Guidance and Islamic Culture imposes a strict process of review and approval for all screenplays before films can be legally produced in the country. Films that are produced also face censorship, and directors are often ordered to remove certain scenes before the authorities allow them to screen the film. Prominent director Abdolreza Kahani …