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NEW YORK
Iranian Artist Makes History At Guggenheim

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Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian is the first Iranian artist to have a solo exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum.

In the early 1950s, Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian would dream about one day showing her artwork the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Farmanfarmaian, now 92, is a renowned Iranian visual artist known for her geometric style and mirror sculptures. Last week, she became the first Iranian artist to have her work featured in a solo exhibition at the Guggenheim.

Farmanfarmaian was born in Qazvin, Iran, in 1924. Farmanfarmaian pursued art in school, studying both in Iran at the Fine Arts College at the University of Tehran, and in the United States at Cornell University and Parson’s School of Design.

Living in New York in the 1950s, she was exposed to and ultimately absorbed by the city’s thriving art scene. She and Andy Warhol bonded over their jobs as fashion illustrators at the time, became friends, and even exchanged their artwork. In 1957, Farmanfarmaian got married and returned to Iran, where she began collecting and showing local folk art.

Infinite Possibility: Mirror Works and Drawings 1974–2014 runs until June 3.

STANFORD
Photography Exhibit from Middle Eastern Photographers

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A major new exhibition at the Cantor Arts Center, She Who Tells a Story, presents the pioneering work of 12 leading women photographers from Iran and the Arab world. The artists explore identity, narrative, representation, and war in daily life, inviting a broader understanding of the Middle East.

The 79 photographs and two videos-a collection of stories about contemporary life-especially refute the belief that women from this region are oppressed and powerless. The exhibition was organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) and runs at the Cantor, its only West-Coast venue through May 4.

The 81 works, created almost entirely within the last decade, range in style from fine art to photojournalism and represent the women’s diverse perspectives. The photographers are: Jananne Al-Ani, Boushra Almutawakel, Gohar Dashti, Rana El Nemr, Lalla Essaydi, Shadi Ghadirian, Tanya Habjouqa, Rula Halawani, Nermine Hammam, Rania Matar, Shirin Neshat, and Newsha Tavakolian.

In Arabic, the word rawiya means “she who tells a story,” and through their work, these 12 pioneering artists collectively portray a region that has undergone unparalleled change and endured continuing conflict.

She Who Tells a Story at Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University 328 Lomita Drive at Museum Way, Stanford, CA 94305, (650) 723-417. Run through May 4, 2015

LOS ANGELES
MAMAK KHADEM PERFORMS AT ARATANI SERIES

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Internationally celebrated Iranian singer MAMAK KHADEM will perform as part of the Aratani World Series and in this inaugural season of 8 on Sat, May 2. 7pm at the Aratani Theatre downtown LA.

Mamak Khadem is the only Persian artist presented in our series of world music and dance. She has been called, “One of the wonders of World Music”, by the Los Angeles Times.

Mamak Khadem is the consummate artistic pioneer, dedicating her performing career to exploring the mystical connections between voice and Sufi poetry. She captivates audiences by blending her roots in the ancient poetry and music of the Persian masters with her own original sounds. Mamak weaves a canopy, both simple and rich, for a stunningly emotional and spiritual musical experience. In music, she is open to cultural influences, but she has chosen the classical Persian style as her base.

Aratani World Series Presents: MAMAK KHADEM
May 2 at 7pm, at
ARATANI THEATRE located at 244 South San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
Tickets: Reserved seats: $25/$35
Website:
www.festivalofsacredmusic.org