The Iranian Soprano: Interview with Shaqayeq Kamali
By Firoozeh Ramezanzadeh
The Iranian soprano Shaqayeq Kamali was born in Tehran. She studied piano and voice at Tehran University’s School of Arts. She left Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and continued her studies...
Trading Shahnameh for De Kooning: New Memoir Recounts Historic 1994 ‘Exchange’
By Nazanine Nouri
A new memoir by the late British art dealer Oliver Hoare tells the story of how, 30 years ago, he engineered a clandestine swap between a priceless 16th-century manuscript of the Shahnameh,...
Iranian-Australian Actor Mojean Aria Wins Heath Ledger Award
By Fred Parvaneh
In early June, the young Iranian-Australian actor Mojean (pronounced Moe-zhan) Aria was announced as the recipient of the 2017 "Heath Ledger Scholarship".
The prestigious award, created by the non-profit organization Australians in Film,...
Tanavoli Exhibition of Birds, Cages, Wearable Art Opens at Vancouver Art Museum
By Kayhan Life
“Oh Nightingale: Parviz Tanavoli” is an exhibition currently on at the West Vancouver Art Museum that spans the six-decade career of the Iranian-Canadian artist. It focuses on his wearable art as well...
Millions of Iranians Get Ready to Celebrate Yalda, Longest Night of Year
By Nazanine Nouri
Millions of Iranians and people of Iranian descent around the world are preparing to celebrate the ancient Persian festival of Shab e Yalda, the longest and darkest night of the year — or...
Venice Film Festival Hosts Filmmakers Shirin Neshat, Khatami
Four Iranian directors are presenting their movies at this year's Venice Film Festival (which ends Sept. 9), all of them outside of the official competition. They include Shirin Neshat, who won the festival's Silver...
Outstanding Safavid Textiles, Oil Paintings Go On Show at Smithsonian in Washington
By Nazanine Nouri
An exceptional collection of 17th-century textiles and full-length oil portraits from Safavid Iran (1501-1722) has gone on display for the first time in the United States at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of...
The Story of Iran’s Actresses Is Told in New Film; Aghdashloo Attends L.A. Screening
By Fred Parvaneh
Who were the first actresses in the history of Iranian cinema, and who are the female performers of today? A new documentary screened in L.A. last weekend brought answers to those questions - with Hollywood actress Shohreh Aghdashloo present both on screen and off.
Who were the first actresses in the history of Iranian cinema, and who are the female performers of today? A new documentary screened in L.A. last weekend brought answers to those questions - with Hollywood actress Shohreh Aghdashloo present both on screen and off.
Persepolis Celebrations Are Focus of New Book by UCLA’s Robert Steele
By Cyrus Kadivar
In October 1971, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, held a celebration to commemorate the 2,500th anniversary of the founding of the Persian Empire by Cyrus the Great.
The event was a...
“The Persian Picasso”: Mohassess Breaks Records in Sotheby’s Auction
A large oil painting by the late Iranian artist Bahman Mohassess broke records at a Sotheby's auction, selling for GBP585,000 (roughly $US755,000), twice the minimum estimate set for the work. It was the highest...
