‘Valley of Genitalia’: Iran’s Khalid Nabi Cemetery and Its Anatomically Shaped Headstones
The Khalid Nabi Cemetery is one of Iran’s most mysterious ancient sites. It is located in a mountainous region in the northeastern province of Golestan, near the border with Turkmenistan, and is nestled in the Gokcheh Dagh hills of Turkmen Sahra. These stunning green hills are also known as the “Valley of Genitalia.” Why? Because they are dotted with
INTERVIEW: Painter Malekeh Nayini Looks Back On Her Life and Storied Career
By Katayoun Halajan
Malekeh Nayini is a painter and photographer based in Paris who has pushed the boundaries of photography by fusing it with painting.
An unassuming, low-profile and quiet artist, she has exhibited work in...
British Museum Hosts Mural by Artist and Para-Athlete Mohammad Barrangi
By Tim Cornwell
The artist Mohammad Barrangi’s tiny apartment lies at the heart of London’s Bloomsbury: From a window, the Shard tower rises through the fog, a couple of miles away. We’re a stone’s throw...
Meet Kiarostami’s Nephew, L.A.-Based Filmmaker Sohrab Mirmont
By Fred Parvaneh
Sohrab Mirmont is an award-winning director, writer and producer, and a member of the 100+ Million-View Club on YouTube. He comes from a family of famous filmmakers: He is the nephew of...
Pop Stars, Wrestlers and Poets: Artist Afsoon Celebrates Iranian Icons
The Iranian artist Afsoon produces exquisite prints and collages steeped in the culture, philosophy, poetry and contemporary history of Iran. Her works are held in many prestigious collections, including those of the British Museum...
In London Exhibition, Artist Abbas Akhavan Recreates Syrian Ruins Targeted by ISIS
By Nazanine Nouri
The Iranian-born, Montreal-based artist Abbas Akhavan has just opened an exhibition at London’s Chisenhale Gallery in which he has replicated a colonnade from Palmyra, the ancient Syrian heritage site which was partially...
Museum of Fine Arts Houston Opens Six New Galleries Endowed by Collector Hossein Afshar
By Firouzeh Nabavi
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) has just opened six new permanent galleries in its Art of the Islamic Worlds wing endowed by the Iranian-born collector Hossein Afshar. They feature Iranian...
Aga Khan Museum Hosts Dazzling Exhibition of Qajar Art
A fascinating exhibition has opened at Toronto’s Aga Khan Museum showcasing a selection of masterpieces created under the Qajar dynasty between 1785 and 1925. Transforming Traditions: The Arts of 19th Century Iran brings together...
Berlin Cancels Tehran Museum Collections Show as Iran Withholds Loans
The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMoCA) is a treasure trove of masterpieces by pre-eminent artists – from Renoir, Van Gogh and Gauguin to Picasso, Warhol and Rothko. More than 60 paintings from the collection were...
Six Iranian Women Photographers Star in Washington Exhibition
By Nazanine Nouri
Forty years after the Revolution that dramatically altered the role of women in Iranian society, “My Iran: Six Women Photographers,” a new exhibition at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, presents the work...
