#sima-sistani

[ follow ]
Arts
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 days ago

Culture of care: surreal celebrations of Iranian tenderness in pictures

Sheida Soleimani's work reframes caring for bodies as a political act in her exhibition, Forest of Stars.
fromThe Atlantic
1 day ago

The Iranian Opposition's Urgent Task

Pahlavi pledged to lead a transition to a 'free and democratic Iran.' He called on President Trump to continue the American-Israeli military operation against Iran, in the hope of displacing a regime he decried for placing a 'sea of blood' between itself and its people.
World news
#photography
fromBOOOOOOOM!
3 days ago
Photography

2025 Photo Awards Winner: Sima Choubdarzadeh

Sima Choubdarzadeh won the Portrait category in the fourth annual Photo Awards for her work on migration, identity, and resistance.
fromHyperallergic
4 days ago
Arts

A Palestinian-American Photographer's Intimate Gaze

Dean Majd's exhibition explores masculinity, community, and emotional vulnerability through a decade of photography capturing his inner circle.
Photography
fromBOOOOOOOM!
3 days ago

2025 Photo Awards Winner: Sima Choubdarzadeh

Sima Choubdarzadeh won the Portrait category in the fourth annual Photo Awards for her work on migration, identity, and resistance.
Philosophy
fromThe Conversation
6 days ago

Shiite grief over attacks on Iran's sacred cities has deep historical roots

Shiite communities in South Asia mourn the death of Ayatollah Khamenei, fearing loss of holy cities and shrines amid escalating violence.
Arts
fromBerlin Art Link
2 days ago

Review of Group Show Anahita Sadighi Gallery | Berlin Art Link

The exhibition 'Let Us Believe in the Dawn of Spring' celebrates renewal through diverse artistic expressions coinciding with the Persian New Year.
#iran
Writing
fromThe New Yorker
2 weeks ago

Life in Iran, Amid Repression and War

The Iranian regime's brutality has intensified, leading to widespread anger and despair among dissidents amid escalating conflict with the U.S. and Israel.
World news
fromThe New Yorker
2 days ago

Searching for Iran's Disappeared Prisoners

Families are conducting forensics to locate detained loved ones at risk of abuse or execution amid ongoing conflict in Iran.
World politics
fromwww.aljazeera.com
1 week ago

As a Palestinian, I stand in solidarity with the Iranian people. Here's why

Western promises of freedom often mask imperialistic desires for control and domination, leaving oppressed peoples wary of foreign intervention.
Podcast
fromThe New Yorker
1 week ago

How the War Has Reshaped Life in Iran

Life in Iran is challenging under bombardment and government repression, with citizens fearing the ongoing war will increase their suffering regardless of the outcome.
Writing
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 week ago

The Islamic Republic has not crushed the Iranian people's resolve. This war will not do so either | Azar Nafisi

Writers must give voice to the silenced and recreate their stories, especially during times of suffering like those faced by the Iranian people.
Writing
fromThe New Yorker
2 weeks ago

Life in Iran, Amid Repression and War

The Iranian regime's brutality has intensified, leading to widespread anger and despair among dissidents amid escalating conflict with the U.S. and Israel.
History
fromwww.dw.com
1 week ago

From Goethe to Soraya: German-Iranian stories

Germany and Iran share a long history of cultural and diplomatic ties, beginning with Goethe's admiration for Persian poetry.
Film
fromVulture
1 week ago

The Haunting Depths of Saleh Bakri's Eyes

Saleh Bakri's performances evoke deep emotional responses, showcasing the complexities of hope and reality in Palestinian life.
Berlin music
fromwww.dw.com
1 week ago

Iranians and Israelis united through music

Berlin-based musicians from Israel and Iran are fostering cultural dialogue through music despite historical tensions.
#uae-art
World news
fromwww.aljazeera.com
3 days ago

Mourners vow resistance as Iran marks Islamic Republic's 47th anniversary

Thousands in Tehran vowed resistance during the funeral of an IRGC commander killed in an Israeli strike amid US-Israeli tensions.
fromwww.npr.org
2 weeks ago

Fear, defiance, and anger: Iranians describe life under bombardment

The Islamic Republic, which killed hundreds of thousands of people in Iraq and Syria, killed and tortured hundreds of thousands of Iranians in the most brutal way after all these years, and which now wants to have nuclear weapons: we, the Iranian people, who have lived with them for half a century, know how ridiculous their claim to be peaceful was.
US news
#cultural-heritage
Music production
fromwww.theguardian.com
3 weeks ago

Iranians embrace anthem by AI singer created by UK-based, Iran-born artist

An AI-generated singer named Nava created by Iranian-origin artist Farbod Mehr has become the voice of Iranian resistance, with her songs gaining 13 million Instagram views amid protests and military conflict.
London food
fromwww.bbc.com
3 weeks ago

'An angel in the park': Customers rally around Iranian barista

A coffee seller in London who fled Iran was robbed on his birthday, but his community crowdfunded £3,000 to support him and help install security systems.
Arts
fromHyperallergic
4 days ago

Kamrooz Aram Breaks Down the Grid

Kamrooz Aram's art challenges the binary of Western modernism and non-Western decoration by loosening the grid's constraints.
#iranian-cinema
Independent films
from48 hills
1 month ago

Screen Grabs: Iranian films bring fable, black comedy, and social indictment - 48 hills

Iranian cinema demonstrates artistic resistance against censorship while offering humanizing perspectives on a nation facing military conflict.
Independent films
from48 hills
1 month ago

Screen Grabs: Iranian films bring fable, black comedy, and social indictment - 48 hills

Iranian cinema demonstrates artistic resistance against censorship while offering humanizing perspectives on a nation facing military conflict.
Writing
fromThe Walrus
3 weeks ago

Iranians, Home and Abroad, Want Change. But Are Divided on the War | The Walrus

A family learns their grandmother survived Iran's 2025 bombing campaign through fragmented communication while separated by continents during the Twelve-Day War.
#art
fromIrish Independent
4 days ago
Arts

'You have to step in and experience it' - artists on the rise of AI-generated art and the 'essential' gallery visit

Miriam Fitzgerald Juskova's exhibit combines paper quilling with mathematics, showcasing intricate art that engages viewers and emphasizes the value of handmade creations.
fromHyperallergic
4 days ago
Arts

Woman With Her Back to the Viewer in Gallery Photos Speaks Out

The Woman With Her Back to the Viewer embodies a modern-day Rückenfigur, revealing her unique role in the art world and personal routine.
Arts
fromIrish Independent
4 days ago

'You have to step in and experience it' - artists on the rise of AI-generated art and the 'essential' gallery visit

Miriam Fitzgerald Juskova's exhibit combines paper quilling with mathematics, showcasing intricate art that engages viewers and emphasizes the value of handmade creations.
fromLos Angeles Times
19 years ago

In Defense of the Persian Palace

A compleat Persian Palace--there are many minor variations and lesser imitations--is distinguished by its exaggerated moldings, numberless layers of cornices, elaborate grillework and columns galore. A Persian Palace brazenly combines motifs and wantonly disregards proportion and scale.
LA real estate
US news
fromwww.npr.org
1 month ago

A glimpse of Iran, through the eyes of its artists and journalists

Recent books, films, and music by Iranian artists and journalists provide accessible insights into Iran's contemporary culture and politics during a period of limited U.S.-Iran relations.
#iranian-diaspora
fromArtforum
1 month ago

Different Children Will Be Born

An artwork is not created when an artist finishes it. It is created when it's visible to an audience and when it becomes discourse. If there's no ecosystem, nothing works. Central Asia is in the midst of an unprecedented investment in such art infrastructure, including new permanent venues, purpose-built museums, and international biennials.
Miscellaneous
Writing
fromKqed
1 month ago

A Glimpse of Iran Through the Eyes of its Artists and Journalists

Iranian-American artists and writers explore diaspora, identity, and historical trauma through poetry, fiction, and documentary, examining the lasting impact of political upheaval and U.S. intervention on Iranian communities.
fromHyperallergic
1 week ago

Lebanese Artist Ali Sbeity Reportedly Killed in Israeli Strike

Ali Sbeity painted vibrant portraits and landscapes of his rural hometown in Southern Lebanon, often sharing his works on his Facebook. He participated in numerous local arts exhibitions and created murals for schools in Beirut.
Arts
#nowruz
World news
fromwww.aljazeera.com
2 weeks ago

Iranians celebrate Persian New Year in first wartime Nowruz in decades

Tehran residents celebrate Nowruz amidst ongoing US and Israeli attacks, marking a significant wartime New Year for the first time since the 1980s.
fromThe Atlantic
1 month ago

Dark Humor and the Iranian Resistance

This targeting success surely owes much to advanced electronic surveillance and deep cyber penetration of Iran's weapons systems and infrastructure. But in this war, as in the 12-day war last year, Israel and the United States are obviously benefiting from intelligence from some Iranians themselves, who are willing to risk their lives to help bring down the Islamic Republic.
World politics
#adaptive-reuse
fromHyperallergic
2 weeks ago

Iranian Artist Speaks Her Heart

The Lower East Side institution's OMA-designed, $82 million expansion debuted this week to mixed reviews, reflecting a range of opinions on its new look and functionality.
Arts
#cultural-heritage-damage
Arts
from48 hills
2 weeks ago

For Iranian artist Shiva Ahmadi, 'ornamentation becomes a form of resistance' - 48 hills

Shiva Ahmadi's interdisciplinary art practice channels personal experiences of displacement, political upheaval, and immigrant anxiety into visually seductive works that address brutal global issues affecting marginalized communities.
fromArtnet News
2 weeks ago

The Cultural Heritage Sites Damaged by the U.S.-Israel War on Iran

After the historical Iranian city of Isfahan was targeted by several major strikes, its governor Mehdi Jamalinejad claimed that serious damage had been inflicted even after blue shields were put on the roofs of culturally important buildings. This is an internationally recognized signal under the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict.
Arts
fromHyperallergic
2 weeks ago

Flying Back With the Birds to My Hometown of Tehran

Distance does not soften the terror. It only deepens my helplessness. In moments like this, I realize that geography is not measured in miles, but in attachment. War rearranges distance. These days I find myself returning to "The Conference of the Birds," the 12th-century poem by Attar of Nishapur, seeking meaning through ancient wisdom about spiritual journeys and transformation.
Arts
Arts
fromHyperallergic
2 weeks ago

Islamic Futurism Here and Now

Contemporary Islamic artists advance visual traditions through calligraphy, installation, and speculative image-making, while global art institutions face boycott demands and labor disputes.
fromwww.bbc.com
3 weeks ago

'Iran's women are heroes - they want to be free'

Imagine the pressure. You want to compete at your best, but then before even the game starts you have to decide how you're going to stand, how you're going to look and what you're going to do. I just think that's so unfair. The players were confused about what to do. If they salute and sing the national anthem, they are embraced and endeared by the government. If they do that, the fans, the Iranian people hate them.
World news
fromHyperallergic
2 weeks ago

When a Palestinian Artist Asserts Her Own Humanity

There is a scene in "Morgenkreis | Morning Circle" (2025), a 16-mm film by Berlin-based Palestinian artist Basma al-Sharif, that unfolds at the threshold of a daycare center. A young boy clings to his father, his fists locked into the fabric of his coat, his arms wrapped tightly around him. The father gently tries to pry himself free while a daycare worker crouches nearby, attempting to distract the child and coax him inside. It is an ordinary moment, one that anyone who has ever been a child - or cared for one - recognizes instantly, as well as the gut-wrenching feeling it provokes.
Arts
World news
fromwww.theguardian.com
3 weeks ago

AI-generated Iran images are widespread. How do we know what to believe? | Margaret Sullivan

AI-generated deepfakes spread rapidly on social media while legitimate news images face false manipulation accusations, creating widespread distrust in visual media.
Arts
fromHyperallergic
2 weeks ago

Artists Set Islamic Futurism Into Motion

Contemporary Muslim artists use calligraphy, installation, and speculative image-making rooted in Islamic philosophy and medieval traditions to imagine and shape Muslim futures.
#iran-protests
Women
fromenglish.elpais.com
1 month ago

Photographer Valentina Sinis' portrayal of Afghan women: They all wanted to tell their story'

Afghan women sustain private acts of resistance and everyday life under Taliban rule, documented through photography to assert their presence and dignity.
World news
fromwww.aljazeera.com
3 weeks ago

Up to 3.2 million people displaced across Iran amid US-Israeli attacks: UN

Over 3.2 million Iranians have been forcibly displaced since US-Israeli military strikes began on February 28, with displacement expected to increase as hostilities continue.
Arts
fromThe Art Newspaper - International art news and events
3 weeks ago

Art communities and heritage in Iran, moderate recovery in the art market, Sydney Biennale-podcast

Cultural communities in Iran and Lebanon respond to Middle East conflict while heritage sites face damage, alongside global art market recovery and contemporary art installations addressing regional tragedies.
World news
fromwww.aljazeera.com
3 weeks ago

Al Jazeera reporter sees destruction in Tehran neighbourhood

US-Israeli airstrikes destroyed a Tehran residential neighbourhood, with rescue teams searching for survivors in the rubble.
Arts
fromThe Art Newspaper - International art news and events
3 weeks ago

The story behind the only Van Gogh in Iran: 'At Eternity's Gate'"

A Van Gogh lithograph titled 'At Eternity's Gate' from 1882, depicting an elderly man, remains locked in Tehran's museum vaults since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, symbolizing cultural disconnection amid Middle East tensions.
fromwww.aljazeera.com
4 weeks ago

What the world is getting wrong about what Iranians think

The US-Israeli war on Iran is exposing deep divisions among Iranians in the diaspora and in Iran. From inside Iran to the diaspora, Iranians are deeply divided about their country's future. With Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gone and Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former shah, waiting in the wings, what do conversations about regime change reveal about the spectrum of what Iranians really think?
World news
#contemporary-art
World news
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

There's no safe place any more': inside Tehran under attack photo essay

Iran faces escalating military conflict with the US and Israel, resulting in over 1,200 deaths including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, widespread destruction in Tehran, and retaliatory strikes across the Middle East.
World news
fromThe New Yorker
1 month ago

An Iranian Political Dissident on Khamenei's Killing and What Comes Next

Iranian dissident Mehdi Mahmoudian, imprisoned nine of the past sixteen years for activism, reflects on Khamenei's death and his experiences surviving Iran's prison system amid ongoing military conflict.
#art-basel-qatar
fromArtnet News
1 month ago
Arts

The Art Boom in the Middle East, Are Old Masters Cool Now?, and a Fresco Fracas in Italy | Artnet News

fromArtnet News
1 month ago
Arts

The Art Boom in the Middle East, Are Old Masters Cool Now?, and a Fresco Fracas in Italy | Artnet News

Arts
fromArtnet News
1 month ago

What Do You Think of Asia's Biennials? We Want to Know | Artnet News

Asia hosts multiple concurrent biennials serving as cultural, economic, and political tools for cities and nations to promote themselves globally and develop local art markets.
Arts
fromArtnet News
1 month ago

In Riyadh, Sweeping Survey Traces the Origins of the Saudi Art Movement

A comprehensive exhibition at the National Museum of Saudi Arabia documents the evolution of Saudi art from the 1960s-1980s, showcasing pioneering works and establishing the foundations of the modern Saudi art movement.
World news
fromThe Atlantic
2 months ago

What I Saw in Mashhad

Protests in Mashhad were complex, rooted in economic grievances and local cultural dynamics, not a simple 'fall' to the opposition.
fromJuxtapoz
1 month ago

Juxtapoz Magazine - Hayv Kahraman: Libations @ Vielmetter, Los Angeles

the artist's newest body of work responds to an urgent question precipitated by the catastrophic events of the past year: What does one do when the world collapses? The works attempt to make sense of her experience of the fire and its enduring aftermath, while continuing her exploration of the poetics of loss, displacement, and migration. Kahraman views these works as an offering, a libation, to a burning world.
Arts
fromianVisits
1 month ago

A medieval Persian allegory takes flight in a London gallery

The poem itself is an allegory: a gathering of birds set out on a spiritual quest, each one embodying a particular human flaw or attachment. Passing through seven symbolic valleys, they face trials and moments of revelation, before realising that the divine presence they seek lies within themselves. That sense of pilgrimage carries into the gallery. You are invited to take your own quiet journey through a wide range of avian-themed artworks inspired by the poem, each offering a different response to its ideas.
Arts
Arts
fromHyperallergic
1 month ago

We Must Do More Than Simply Depict Our Lives

The Bronx Museum biennial spotlights representational works that center urban youth and marginalized identities, challenging mainstream narratives through sincere, everyday portrayals.
#mf-husain
fromHyperallergic
1 month ago

Queer Arab Artists on Their Own Terms

"The show is about giving the pen back to the writer, giving the paintbrush back to the artist, during this time of genocide," the Ridikkuluz told Hyperallergic in an interview at the gallery. "And when there's been so much censorship, these are artists that might not have been able to do this anywhere else."
Arts
[ Load more ]