Archive - Dec 2, 2009 - Article

Sweet Dreams

Salehi is part of a group of post-revolution Iranian Artists who have merged East-Western traditions and have invented a new language of exile, and in this regard is considered as one of the significant painters of his generation. This exhibition, a collection of paintings and video art films, traces his most recent works. His films, which are mostly shot in Iran, and in the past have led to his arrest by the authorities, are both intense and dreamlike. They each have a story to tell and in this sense are closer to narrative based films than conventional video art. Longing and reconciliation are a common theme in his films>>>

Camelot Remixed

In a quaint, sleepy town named Ahmad-Abad, there lies in state Iran’s old political lion buried in the grounds of his dining room in a family house that served as both his sanctuary and prison for nearly ten years. There he lies as if awaiting a long overdue state funeral, but there are no statesmen present to pay their respects and no honor guards flank the coffin at each corner. At the time of Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh’s death, there was no abrupt interruption of nation’s regular television programming, no chocked up announcer carrying the devastating news of our loss to the world, and no footage paid homage to his life and legacy>>>

دیپلماسی دروغ و مضحکه

دروغ و بلوف‌زنی خصیصه برجسته فرهنگ و زبان حاکمیت در ایران بوده است. در جمهوری اسلامی این خصیصه برجستگی بیشتری یافت، و حاکمان به پشتوانه پایگاه مذهبی خود، کاربرد دروغ و بلوف را تا آن جا که «حفظ نظام» ایجاب کند مجاز شمردند. آقای خمینی حتا یک بار گفت که اگر در پاریس برای مخالفان عقیدتی جمهوری اسلامی (از جمله کمونیست‌ها) وعده آزادی داده «خدعه» کرده است. از دید او خدعه (به شمول دروغ و بلوف) در راه حفظ نظام جمهوری اسلامی مجاز بوده است، و سران دیگر جمهوری اسلامی نیز عموما از همین رویه پیروی کرده‌اند>>>

The Morning Maze

the camion drops the soldiers in the city streets like rabbits in a warren and so they scatter... without possessions Reza moves easily through the maze in his soldier suit and soldier boots…the looks are at him…Sarbaz! Over here! We’ve got the finest quarters in the city? A samovar in every room…and past him…covered women keep their heads cast down, uncovered women do the same…The Desired. The Existing. The Single and the Supreme…everywhere the dynamite demise of an ancient city… for the sake of the new old homes exploded into crumbles of rubble…boys play in the mess as if in castles, fortresses, dens and caves>>>