A well-known photographer’s photo exhibition has been closed in Tehran and a day later, the art gallery showing the exhibition has also been shut down. (See links below)
The photographer is Peyman Houshmandzadeh, who is well-known for his satirical social commentaries through his photography of everyday life. The official reason announced for the savage treatment of this artist is “cheap works inconsistent with Islamic values.” Amirkabir news bulletin, however, says that the theme Mr. Houshmandzadeh had chosen for his photographs, seeing ordinary people through a frame consisting of the windshield of a car, in some instances included some religious writings which led to the closure.
Iranian artists, poets, writers, journalists, and intellectuals continue to be intimidated, harassed, persecuted, imprisoned, and executed for their conscience and thought.
Think about that the next time you have access to a medium such as Iranian.com, where you can say anything you want and express yourself in any way you can. How are you using this medium? Is what you are saying as a comment, a blog entry, or a feature helping anybody or anything in this world, most importantly Iranians inside Iran and their daily struggles for their basic human rights?
Please do leave a reply if you care. I really want to know what people’s presence on this medium means to them.
Notes:
Take a look at some of those pictures and read the report on Amirkabir News here:
http://www.autnews.us/archives/1387%2C09%2C00014223
Here’s BBC Persian’s report on the subject (includes 8 of the 14 photographs in the exhibition):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/2008/11/081125_m_assar_artgallery.shtml
Here you can see another collection of Houshmandzadeh’s satirical photography on BBC Persian:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/arts/story/2008/05/080508_rm_hooshmanzadeh_pix.shtml
Fars News’ announcement of the upcoming exhibition last week:
http://www.farsnews.net/newstext.php?nn=8708290974
And here’s the link to Iran Vancouver’s television report on the incident:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHXaEfYCFz4
