Calligraphy Exhibition

90 works by two artists

Niavaran Cultural Center

On the afternoon of Monday May 11 2009 a calligraphic painting and calligraphy exhibition will start its work in the main gallery of Niavaran Cultural Center.

60 paintings of “E. Olfat” and 30 calligraphies of “A. Mazadi” will be on for public view.

They are members of a group called “Hampa” and have presented in about 30 individual and group exhibitions. Caligraphic paintings of Olfat are by Nasta’liq, Sols (Thuluth), Shekasteh (Broken) and Moalla on canvas with his unique technique of Kufic Graphic on silver plate but Mazadi’s calligraphies are of traditional technique all by Nasta’liq in forms of Siahmashgh (Practice), Satr (Line), Chalipa (Cross) and…

“Haft Ava” Ensemble performs in the main hall of Niavaran Cultural Center on April 30^th and May 1^st

Based on old Persian songs of musicians such as “A. Davami”, “A. Ghazvini”, “M. R. Lotfi”, “Y. Forootan” and “S. Hormozi along with poems of “Saadi”, “A. Ghazvini” and “Araghi”.

“M. Amiri” the vocalist, is accompanied by “S. Rasouli” on Santour, “H. Sokuti” with Tar and Setar, “N. Sokuti” by Tonbak, “Gh. Sadredini” also by Tonbak, “E. Aabedi” with Ney and “A. Mirhashemi on Kamancheh.

The mentioned old Persian pieces will be improvised in a readjustment.

“Joan No” Persian music ensemble performs in Niavaran Cultural Center on April 23^rd and 24^th

“Mogham e Atash” (State of Fire) is the title of this concert which will be performed in two parts. The first part includes pieces on “Rastpanjgah” system and the second part pieces in “Nava” system with poems of “Saadi”, “Hafiz”,“Rumi” and “Attar” continue the program.

“Joan No” has been formed in 2005 and two albums of “Pir e Meykhaneh” and “Sodaye Vatan” were released by this ensemble. The group has had different live concerts inside and outside the country.

April 19, 2009

Pictorial Experience of a Theater

One play in four different places at the same time

"Theart Ensemble" is experiencing a peculiar children play with 4 different groups in 4 different cultural centers at the same time in Tehran.

"Four Lambies and A Wolfy" is the name of a modern narration of an old story called "Booz e Zangoole Pa" (Footbelled Lamb), which benefits animation and identical puppets & acts to form a pictorial theater for children of Tehran's north, east and west at the same time.

"Davood Bani Ardalan" and "Sarv Naaz Nankali" are the directors of these 4 plays which will go on stage at 6:00 pm of Thursday April 23^rd in Niavaran, Banoo, Dookhtaran and Salamat Cultural Centers.

This play will be on stage until May 10^th, comprising act & reacts, partnership, votes & views of children and spectators in a way that each performance is a new experience and message for them.

The story is about a wolf that has missed his flight and is staying with his friend that is a lamb until the next flight is due.

"Ayeh Kianpoor", "Ali Barooti, "Sarv Naaz Nankali" and "Atoosa Jan Nesari" in Niavaran/ "Sanaz Bayan", "Kiomars Ghanbarzadeh", "Nima Mohebbi" and "Shaghayegh Shakiba" in Banoo/ Maedeh Ghadiri, "Shiva Tarbandi", "Golnoosh Moeeni and "Parisa Parli" in Dokhtaran/ "Sahar Zarandi", "Sara Kamrani", "Sepideh Eghdami", "Atefeh Atefehpoor" and "Negin Zamani" in Salamat cultural Center will be the performers of this play.

"Sarv e Naaz Nankali" has designed and made the puppets and "Ankido Darash" has composed the music.

Besides the evening performs, the play could go on stage for schools in the mornings.

Ghadir Khom Artistic Festival in Niavaran Cultural Center

Various programs of theater, visual arts and music will be held for the interesteds along with Ghadir Khom in Niavaran.

"Le Caillou de Monsieur Pierre" (French performance) Written by de P.Y. Millot directed by Dr. H. R. Shairi is the play which will be performed in French everyday at 5:00 pm until Dec. 19^th in Goosheh hall.

"Redish brown coffee" a work of "Kahgel" group, directed by Amir Sarafrazian is another play which is being performed at 7:00 pm in the same hall until Dec. 28^th.

The story is a nip to civilized societies and the relation among people who have forgotten their identification.

Third Biennale of Visual Arts and Handicrafts of Deaf Artists will be opened tomorrow Tuesday Dec. 16 at the Main Gallery of Niavaran Cultural Center. 90 works on painting, dimension, mosaics, caricature, photography and miniature will be presented in this exhibition.

December 22 will be the ending of the exhibition.

On Friday Dec. 26, "Fatemeh Abbasi" will open her calligraphy & painting-calligraphy exhibition in the gallery no. 2 of Niavaran.

Abbasi is Alzahra University's professor and has won the third prize in the students' calligraphy competition. He will present 29 works in this exhibition which will be held every day on the gallery's visiting hours.

On Friday, coinciding with Ghadir Khom, Niestan ensemble directed by Kourosh Matin will perform Persian music concert in the main hall of Niavaran. Bang e Khoroos, the title of this concert, will be performed on Thursday and Friday at 6:30 pm. Improvisation, Santour solo, Lute solo, Bang e Khoroos songs and… will be performed in this program.

150 paintings & sculptures of Iraj Zand in Niavaran Cultural Center

150 paintings and sculptures of the late master Iraj Zand will be on view on Thursday Nov. 30^th in the main gallery of Niavaran Cultural Center.

Sayeh Barimani (Iraj's wife) also mentioned: we have asked a few governmental organizations to help us gather 20 of his artworks which belong to different stages of his works to let the visitors get familiar with his aspect and artistic process. 100 to 120 paintings and about 35 brazen, metal, plaster and phlox sculptures will be exhibited.

She added: Master Zand's manuscripts, critics and notes on his artworks will be installed among these works and we will try to present some of his etudes and drawings to show the process of their formation & style.

She said: featuring films about his life will be one of the main parts of this exhibition.

Barimani pointed that the "Moraghebeh" statue which belongs to Tehran museum of contemporary arts and was installed in Vahdat hall will also be moved to Niavaran Cultural Center to be performed in this exhibition. She quoted that statues of "Takhti" or "Conquest of the ego" in Amir Kabir Park of Tehran, "Atarod" or "An encounter" in Ararat Park and the 6 meter tall "Human, giraffe, fairy" in Moshtagh Park in Isfahan have already been installed on people's view for many years. Also, a wall painting which is a combination of figurative and natural beings stands as a commemoration of this artist in Jahan e Koodak metro station.

His works have an eastern theme covered with a modern expression.

This exhibition is on his second commemoration.

The opening will be on Thursday Nov. 20^th at 4 pm in the main gallery of Niavaran Cultural Center and will continue until the first of December.

Interesteds can visit the exhibition from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm on weekdays and from 2:00 to 7:00 pm on weekends.

In the opening ceremony of tomorrow evening in Niavaran Cultural Center

Master Nasrollah Afjehee will speak of Esrafeel Shirchi's calligraphy & calligpaintings

The works will be presented in the main gallery of this center at 4:00 pm on Nov. 6^th

In this opening, with the presence of distinguished masters of Iran's calligraphy & calligpainting such as "Gholamhossein Amirkhani" and …, Afjehee will talk about 30 years of Shirchi's presence in Iran's Calligraphy Society.

Having held two individual exhibitions in "European Union Parliament in Luxemburg" & "Brussels", after 7 years Shirchi performed an exhibition on January in Niavaran Cultural Center during the current year.

He has been working 16 hours a day to create 50 new artworks in a modern and new theme which is counted as a new way in his process of artworks.

A collection of his artworks and statements produced by "Tamashagah e Raaz" and directed & interpreted by "Soheil Mahmoodi" along with a quality brochure titled "Me and my calligraphies" written by himself and published by Gooya culture and art house, will be dedicated to the guests and visitors.

It is notable to mention that "Shirchi" is presenting 22 of his old works in this exhibition as well.

Adopted from Rumi's poems and framed in black canvases covered with special golden reddish tone grafts the new theme of "Shirchi"'s artworks is "Love".The black canvases with light golden margins and retouch of Rumi's love, symbolize the "Kaaba". 10 artworks of such a kind are being performed in this exhibition. Shirchi's new Besmell Morghs that are indicators of his works, Besmellah images that are more for the composition and form, a collection of calligraphy and illumination and… are this exhibition's artworks.

The epigram of Shirchi's works as before are golden verses of distinguished poets and scholars such as Rumi, Hafiz and… Concentrating on "Iran" he has taken advantage of Ferdowsi's verses for the elevation of "Iran the glorious".

His work of "Iran the Eden" which is one of the classic illuminations of this exhibition has been created under influence of these days pressures against our precious country.

This exhibition will continue until Nov. 16.

The exhibition visiting hours:

Weekdays: 10:00 am to 7:00 pm

Weekends: 2:00 to 7:00 pm

43 scripts were verified

Ali Nasirian, Mohammad Ali Khabari, Tajbakhsh Fanaeean

Selection of 15 plays for the Third Play Reading Festival

43 play scripts which were accepted for the verification level of the Third Play Reading Festival were performed in the presence of the juries of the second level in Niavaran Cultural Center.

"Dr. Mahmood Aziza" the secretariat of this event chose "Ali Nasirian", "Dr. M.A. Khabari" and "Tajbakhsh Fanaeean" as the juries of the verification level. June 11 to 13 was the time of this verification.

15 of the play scripts will be chosen to be read at the festival. Best script, director, script writer and the best man and woman player will be chosen to be dedicated plaque and the prize of the festival. The Third Play Reading Festival will be held in Niavaran Cultural Center in June.

Farah Osuli, morning in Aseman; Khosrojerdi, afternoon in Niavaran

In the opening of The Second Visual Arts Festival of Damoonfar announced:

Persian artists' works will open their way through the great museums of the world

The young artists of this term of painting are the most influential artists of Iran's painting history.

In two separate ceremonies of this event's opening, the juries prospected that many of the young artists whom joined this festival are Iran's future hope in visual arts and will open their ways through the world's greatest museums in a not very far future.

The Second Visual Arts Festival of Damoonfar for the under 25 years of age young artists was inaugurated with the presence of more than 150 interested of visual arts in the Aseman artistic complex and more than 700 in Niavaran Cultural Center.

"S. Pooyarad" the manager of this festival said: "We are willing to present the virtual and actual abilities of the young Persian painters. Damoonfar intends to expose the canvas of hope, creativity and ability of Iran's young artists for the world."

Pointing that among 4045 artworks only 300 of them were accepted mentioned that: "In all the 3700 works in the competition which could not be presented in the exhibition because of the lack of space, were full of sincerity and love."

"Farah Osuli" one of the juries of the festival, in the first section of the opening in Aseman artistic complex on Friday morning June 13 said: "Many of the artists who joined this festival are among today's best young painters of Iran and are the future of our visual arts society that will surely get through the world's great museums."

She reputes these paintings as the true pulse of our society and criticizer of the actual situation and says: "Art is the sign of every society's effort and improvement which should be publicized correctly to help representing a dynamic image of Iran's society to the world. Osuli reminded that there are not many women painters over 70 years old in Iran and expressed her pleasure about the presence of many young ladies in Damoonfar's second visual arts festival wishing them active and continues improvement.

"Hossein Khosrojerdi" the head of the board of the juries of the festival at the second section of the opening in Niavaran Cultural Center which was held in the afternoon said: "This exhibition is very interesting because the young painters created their works based on the Persian identity, noting their social anguishes and avoided from the subjects that reflect the entirely non anguish fantasy.

"Khosrojerdi reputes Iranian young artist as "temporary world's selected youth" and predicts that they would be more successful in next years' festivals even in the foreign range."

He pointed to the young painters presenting in this exhibition that "In the next 10 years the value of your works will be 100% more than today so you should be more accurate about the pricing and not be confused by the price of the artworks on the sales outside of the Iran. It's necessary to get help from honest experts."

Mohammad Ali Bani Asadi the other jury member of this festival said: "I

was surprised by these works. I did not expect such a quality in artworks

of painters less than 25 years of age and I believe that they are the most

potential young artists of Iranian artistic history."

"Bahman Mohammadi, Vahid Chamani, Sara Khalfi Khamene and Sara Hasankhan" the bests of the last two years of Damoonfar's visual arts festival gave a short speech on how being selected in Damoonfar's festival has been the starting launch for their success.

The festival will be continued until Khordad 31^st (June 20^th) in Aseman artistic complex and Niavaran Cultural Center. The ending ceremony is on Friday evening of the unmentioned date and the bests of this year will be announced.

The workshops which are managed by "Jasmine Sinaee" are presented

every afternoon at 6:00 pm (and two expertise workshops on June 17 &

18) in Niavaran Cultural Center.

Lili Afshar

The Washington Post has called Lili Afshar as a great perfect performer.

She started learning guitar since she was a child. After finishing the Music Academy on 1977, she moved to United States and received her B.A in music from Boston Music Conservatoire and her M.A in playing guitar from New England Music Conservatoire. She is the first lady guitar player who has achieved her PhD of music. Lili Afshar has won many international prizes through her artistic life such as: the grand prize of U.S.A Classical Guitar Foundation Competition, premium prize of Spanish Music Guitar Competition, first prizes of guitar competitions of Music Masters National Society, American String Instrument Masters Society, Music Soloists Society and the prize for the best guitar player. Dr. Lili Afshar obtained her professor seat in Memphis University on the year 2000. She has been directing the B.A and M.A programs on guitar playing for more than 14 years. Performing concerts in reputable music halls of Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa and Australia and different master classes has engaged her busy. In the past recent years she has been performing master classes other than concerts for the interesteds of classical guitar in Iran. This year her recital will be on June 14 and 15 in the Khalij-e-Fars hall of Niavaran Cultural Center at 6:30 pm.

David Gomez will play Spanish and Latino American music for piano in Niavaran Cultural Center

The Spanish pianist, David Gomez will perform a piano recital in the Khalij-e-Fars hall of Niavaran Cultural Center (related to the Artistic Deputy of Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance). The 34 years old David Gomez whom his first album "Piazzolla, tango for piano" was well received in Europe, and his new album containing melodies of the Cuban composer "Lecuona" will soon be on the record markets, will play pieces of Piazzolla, Turina, Granados, Ponce and Lecuona. He has joined in two tours to ten Asian countries such as India, Philippines, Japan and Thailand and has been selected as the top piano performer in the world's most reputable music festivals like "Miguel Ballester I Serra", "Pio Tur", "New Art 97" and "Doelen Competition" in Holland and…

Gomez has had successful presentations in Dublin National Concert, Radio of Poland, the ninth International Festival of Black & White Piano in Mexico city, the president palace in Honduras, Manchester, Push kin Museum in Moscow, Madrid, Athens, Cairo Opera and many other countries.

It is notable that the embassy of Spain in cooperation with Niavaran Cultural Center will present the piano recital of David Gomez in Khalij-e-Fars hall of Niavaran Cultural Center on June 8 and 9, 2007 at 6:30 pm.

Reciting & Narration of Shahnameh, and Music Performance

On the commemoration of Ferdowsi will be performed on Monday through Wednesday

May 14 – 16, 2007 in Khalij-e-Fars Hall of Niavaran Cultural Center.

Ham Ava group will perform three of the main stories of this great epic masterpiece by the melodies of music. "Wedding of Zal & Rudabeh", "Wedding of Rostam & Tahmineh" and "Rostam & Sohrab's battle" are the three pieces which will be performed in this ceremony.

Puppet show of "Sinbad" the sailor will go on stage in Niavaran Cultural Center

The play is written by Maryam Taymuri & directed in cooperation with Vahid Shakeri & Fatemeh Samani. "Sinbad the Sailor" is one of the best selected works of Tehran's Puppet Biennale (UNIMA). On September 2006, it was on stage in "Theatr-e-Shahr" (City Theatre) and now it's going to be played for children and school students in Niavaran Cultural Center. Hamed Jafarikia, Samand Jafarizad, Naser Najafian, Mohammad Shayan, Fatemeh Samani, Roya Raad, Neda Farmani, Nilufar Taheri, Fatemeh Moshtagh, Soheila Bajelan, Maryam Jamalifar, Sahel Izadpanah and Parastu Ghaed Rahmat are the puppeteers of this show. Vahid Shakeri has design and made the puppets.

In the brochure of the show there has been shortly pointed out that "Sinbad the Sailor" has been the prisoner of a dragon in an island and is waiting for people to rescue him. A group of people in greed of wresting the spelled stone called "Gooharan" are heading the Holy Island after a man named Saman and in the way of this trip, there happens to happen strange adventures, but…

On Friday May 25 at 3:00 pm, Raphael Minaskanian plays in the main hall of Niavaran Cultural Center (related to the artistic deputy of Ministry of Culture and Guidance). Minaskanian will play some pieces from Beethoven, Chopin, Baroque and Melik Aslanian in this program. He has started learning music when he was 6 years old. When he was just a young man he performed his first recital in T.V.

Emanuel Melik Aslanian in Iran, Carl Olrish Schnal in Italy and Ilona Kakabush in London were his masters of piano.

Minaskanian is a graduated of Julliard Music Academy in New York and right now he teaches in the University of Tehran.

Payam Jahanmani's concert

In Niavaran Cultural Center

On Thursday and Friday May 24 & 25 at 7:00 pm, Payam Jahanmani will perform in the main hall of Niavaran Cultural Center (related to the artistic deputy of Ministry of Culture and Guidance). In this Persian music program he will play the tar and Hesam Inanlo plays the Kamancheh while Behzad Mirzaee plays the Tombak. Jahanmani is one of the distinguished students of the famous master of tar, Hossein Alizadeh. This will be Payam's third concert in the last 4 years in Niavaran Cultural Center.

News

May 23, 2007

Loris Cheknavorian, Dr. Khaleghi Motlagh, Alireza Shojapur and Dr. Morteza Kakhi attended in the first day of the Commemoration of Ferdowsi in Niavaran

Cultural Center

The identity and integrity of Iran is indebt of Ferdowsi

The first day of the three day commemoration of Ferdowsi was started in Niavaran Cultural Center's Khalij-e-Fars Hall while some guests could not find free seats, on Monday, May 16.

The program started with Shahnameh recitation of 6 years old Anahita Amiraftab and 5/5 years old Shayan Azhdari and continued with the beats of Zoorkhaneh and narration of Morshed Rezaee. Alireza Shojapur, the Shahnameh researcher and the director of Shahnameh recitations of Niavaran Cultural Center (every Monday at 4:00pm) admired the unique poet of the land of Persia for his great effort for abiding the Persian ancient language by reading a summary of Shahnameh addressing to Ferdowsi and talked about his epic piece of art. Dr. Jalal Khaleghi Motlagh, the distinguished Iranian Shahnameh researcher and resident of England, who was delighted by Anahita and Shayan's recitations, said: "This was an honor for me to see and watch these young children of Iran knowing and reciting these poems so fluently and correct and it encourages me that one day we will return to our identity and language and will value Ferdowsi as a national paragon". He emphasized that: "Iran owes its identity and historical and cultural integrity to Ferdowsi and one must be proud to have a poet such as him.

He then pointed to the "moment creating and originating" in Shahnameh and said: There are thrilling and pure moments in Shahnameh which dramatizes the narration and emotionalizes the reader and the listener such as "The battle of Rostam and the Dragon", "Fall of Siavash", "Leaning of Behzad (Siavash's horse) to Kaykhosro, "Fall of Esfandiar", "Fall of Rostam" and the "Tale of Barbad".

Khaleghi Motlagh objected that there have been pieces of literature added to the Shahnameh. For example he mentioned that in recent years there has been a negative illusion of "Esfandiar", yet practically there is no way for him to be so. Those whom think of "Esfandiar" as a negative personality have never read the book. Accusing him of bad behavior and lying, is not harmonious with Shahnameh.

In Shahnameh, people do not perform commemoration for liars, though, you see that Iranians mourn every year for "Esfandiar"'s falling commemoration.

Loris Cheknavorian, the distinguished composer of our country made a short speech saying: "My mother turned to Iran because of the Massacre of the Armenians and my father did so because of Stalin's jails and I was born in Lorestan. Today, I am proud of being a Persian. I have been a Persian for 2500 years, since the era of Koroush when all these areas were Iran's territory and one of the kings of that kingdom was Armenia's.

He said: my parents and I loved this book since I was a little child. So when my studies were finished in Austria and the Minister of Culture of the time asked me and my colleagues to come back to Iran, I made a request and it was the recommendation of composing the opera of "Rostam and Sohrab". I was young and aspired like Sohrab and everyone stated that it was impossible. For two years I was looking for an original copy. My hard effort toke 25 years until I grew old as Rostam of Shahnameh and my aspiration was conceived and I composed eight versions of the opera which waited 16 years in my drawer for performance.

Cheknavorian recalled Shahnameh inclusive of great and incredible tales and mentioned that only Shakespeare would have written such a dramatic and tragic story. He emphasized that "Ferdowsi has risen from Iran and he belongs to the whole world".

Dr. Morteza Kakhi was one of the other distinguished speakers of this commemoration who designated that in Boston, there is a wall in front of Harvard University where the names of the noble personalities whom have effected the human civilization is written, there beside names such as Plato and Aristotle, only one name of a poet from east is mentioned and that name is "Ferdowsi".

The first day of the three days commemoration of "Ferdowsi" was completed by the story of "Zal and Rudabeh"'s wedding which was performed by Hamava Ensemble directed by Mahdi Namdar.

The commemoration of Ferdowsi will continue until Wednesday May 16.

Puppet show of "Sinbad" the sailor will go on stage in Niavaran Cultural Center

Reciting & Narration of Shahnameh, and Music Performance

On the commemoration of Ferdowsi will be performed on Monday through Wednesday

May 14 – 16, 2007 in Khalij-e-Fars Hall of Niavaran Cultural Center.

Piano Recital by Bahareh Komaee

Niavaran Cultural Center

On May 3 & 4 at 6:30 pm a piano recital will be performed by Bahareh Komaee in the Khalij-e-Fars Hall of Niavaran Cultural Center.

In this concert, Komaee will play classic pieces. In her list, 4 pieces of "Italian Concerto" composed by "Johan Sebastian Bach", 5 pieces of "Vienna Carnival, Op. 26" composed by "Robert Schumann", 2 parts of "Frantz List" and 3 of the most romantic "Nocturnes" of "Fredrick Chopin" are to be performed.

Komaee has started playing the piano under Dr. Mehran Rohani's supervision. She continued with Hynoush Markarian and had the opportunity to present in Gerhard Gertchlger, the music master of Conservative of Vienna's master classes.

She has performed several concerts in Tehran's reputable concert halls.

The best of National Prize Plan of the First International Architectural Competition will be announced

Designs of 36 countries of the world in Niavaran Cultural Center

The selected designs will be announced on 4:30 pm of Wednesday April 25.

Morteza Esmaeeli the director of national prize project mentioning the news above said: The national industrial group planed this program aiming the improvement of architectural culture. Since Sept. 2006, when the recall of this competition was announced, 120 architect designers and architectural groups from 36 countries from all over the world sent 103 designs to the secretariat office of the project which is the reason to consider the plan as a great response. 87 of the received works were chosen. On April 25, the best top ten and the top ten of the art works will receive their prize. The director of the project introduced Iraj Kalantari as the head of the board of juries and the jury members are: M. R. Jodat, Dr. A. A. Saremi, K. Safamanesh and Dr. M. Golabchi. He said that the artistic value of the designs and also the city's aesthetic aspect were the main subjects effective in the juries' decision and selection. Mr. Esmaeeli also announced that 87 of the accepted designs will be on view for public visit on April 24 – 26 in the main gallery of Niavaran Cultural Center from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm.

April 18, 2007

Invitation of the fifth series of Thematic Play Reading

Was issued

On May 22^nd the fifth series of Niavaran Cultural Center's thematic play reading starts its work.

The recall for receiving the play texts was issued while the dead line for handing them in is until May 10^th.

Texts must be typed in three copies along with the registered permission of the writer.

As it was usual in the past series, every accepted text has the opportunity of two performances on either Saturdays or Sundays which would be arranged by the secretariat office in Niavaran Cultural Center.

The secretariat office is the Cinema & Theater department of the up mentioned cultural center which is located in Pasdaran Ave. Opposite Niavaran Park.

April 10, 2007

"Ekhrajiha" in Niavaran Cultural Center

The motion picture called "Ekhrajiha" created by Masoud Dehnamaki is being screened since March 25.

This movie tries to present a new narration of "Defa-e-Moghaddas" (The sacred Defense) which shows a perspective of personalities whom have less been noticed in "Defa-e-Moghaddas" and has been well received by the audience.

Akbar Abdi, M.R. Sharifinia, Amin Hayaee, Kambiz Dirbaz and Arzhang Amirfazli act in this movie.

Interesteds can watch this movie in the main hall of Niavaran Cultural Center on 5:00, 7:00 and 9:00 pm every afternoon.

There would be a 50% discount for the schools.

Gallery on spring 2007

Painting Exhibition on April 13 – 20 in gallery No. 1

Openning of the latest works of Mostapha Dashti

In Niavaran

Cultural Center

At 4:00 pm of Thursday Feb. 8, 2007 the latest art works of the distinguished artist Mostapha Dashti will be presented in Niavaran Cultural Center's main gallery.

"Final paintings, Heaven & Earth" is the title of this exhibition including 39 works with a close style to abstract concerning landscape. All the works are untitled and sizable with acrylic. In fact he has somehow preceded his works which was presented at the same gallery last year. Dashti was born on 1960 in Khash. He has received painting and calligraphy trainings from masters such as A. Aghdashloo, the late S. A. Abtahi, the late A. Foradi and Carl Echlaminger. He has joined in 24 single and approximately 60 group exhibitions up to now.

The final works of Mostapha Dashti will be on view until Feb. 17 in the main gallery of Niavaran Cultural Center. Interesteds can visit this exhibition on weekdays from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm and on Holidays from 2:00 to 7:00 pm.

Jan. 7, 2006

On the occasion of the fiftieth cultural anniversary of Iran & India narrators of Persian music from Niavaran Cultural Center perform in Delhi & Mumbai

Niavaran Cultural Center represents the Artistic Deputy of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance with the cooperation of the Organization of Culture and Islamic Relations and the Persian Cultural House in Delhi and Mumbai.

Hamid sokuti plays the Tar & Setar, Gholamreza Rezaee is the vocalist, Sasan Rasouli plays the Santour, Ramin Jazayeri plays Tar, Arash Kamvar plays the Kamancheh and Farid Kheradmand plays the Tombak. There would be two performances on Jan. 10 & 11 in Delhi and on Jan. 15 & 16 in Mombai.

On the occasion of the commemoration of Visual Arts Festival Aidin Aghdashloo talked about the polyphonic culture in the Persian Visual Art society

Saifollah Pooyarad: The first visual arts young artists club will be established.

On the afternoon of Friday Dec. 22^nd the commemoration of Visual Arts Festival was performed in the main hall of Niavaran Cultural Center.

This commemoration was performed on the occasion of publishing the Visual Arts Festival Catalogue which the festival was the endeavor of Damoonfar Co. in the first half of Tir 85 and also on the honor of the major and distinguished training classes. At the beginning of this program Sayfollah Pooyarad the general manager of Damoonfar Co. and the director of the Visual Arts Festival talked about establishing the first club for the young artists in the field of visual arts. He said that Damoonfar will open up this club in the year 2007 and this club will be equipped and available for the members with fine advance training courses, being in direct connection with distinguished artists, giving supports for holding exhibitions, having the opportunity of joining the expertise workshops and sessions and …

Pooyarad named the 1150 artist whom sent works for the Visual Arts Exhibition the first group of members of this club and said that before the biennale of this exhibition in year 2008 artistic training seminars will be held in the center of different provinces and special permanent workshops for the children. Aidin Aghdashloo, the chairman of the previous Visual Arts Festival said that polyphonic culture rules in the Persian society of visual arts and various aspects with different artistic styles talk for themselves. Aghdashloo indicated that the contemporary art of Iran is of a great variety. There is a part which works and concentrates on the field of national personage, another part zooms on the ancient Persian art, and some prefer the after revolution and the revolutionary art and the others like the new and modern art whom are mostly the young generation. He noted that "Thanks God there is no problem in this realm and visual artists are free to work and express their imagination in their own favorite way & style. He believes that this was a great festival. He said the quantity and quality of the works presented in the festival was unbelievable and this means that there is a kind of movement or flow growing among the young generation of visual arts which even trainers and teachers could not foresee it and this means good news." He called it his duty to give hopes. Having hopes for what is valuable and talking about it. Farah Osuli and Aria Eghbal, the judges, answered the questions of the audience and 10 top training centers and nurseries were announced. Also Amir Ebn-e-din the first runner up of the festival gave some details and report about his trip to Germany and visiting the Faber Castel Factory.

Jan. 7, 2007

In the analyzing and critic session of "Crime & Punishment" in Niavaran Cultural Center it was announced that "Rasklinkov" can have any nativity.

The session was performed in the Goosheh hall of Niavaran with the presence of group members of the Iranian theater national center. Ali Jafari one of theater critics adoring the mental aspect of "Yasrebi" and her smart subject selection about her Crime & Punishment mentioned that "This play is has a complete relation with Dostoevsky's novel and the key of some of the questions which have been posed in the play can be found in the novel. Therefore, it seems that the audience whom has read the book before watching the play would have a better impression and understanding of the work. Kayvan Kasirian, another critic also has pointed out that the indifferent themes are the common points of Dostoevsky's novel and Yasrebi's play. He said that poverty, love, conscience and moral torment, faithlessness and belief and human suffering are the main points in these two works. The difference is that in Dostoevsky's novel love is more signified and purifies Rasklinkov. Chista Yasrebi the director says that she has stayed 70% faithful to Dostoevsky's novel in this play. The title of the personages, complications, depression and the settlement are all what Dostoevsky has brought up in his novel she says. Of course she believes that she has made some changes in the performance technique, broken the structure of the narrations and has created and added a few scenes to the play as her own vision to make Rasklinkov a Para nationalist and modern young man. So she says I did not change the title of the play and as a writer wrote a text based on Dostoevsky's novel. Thereupon, it's natural that those whom have not read the novel might miss some keys of the story but I believe a clever audience will get the point and the story has its effects anyway.

Yasrebi also pointed to the variation of the music used in the play (Persian, Turkish and Russian) and said that her goal was to show that Rasklinkov can be some one from any where in the world and this story can happen for any student anywhere in this world. She mentioned that up to now there have been 34 different versions of "Crime & Punishment" made and appreciated the National Center of Theater Critics for their serious activities in criticizing the works on the stage and also their critics on this play.

"Crime & Punishment" was on stage until Jan. 12 in Goosheh hall of Niavaran Cultural Center.

Jan. 7, 2006

On the occasion of the fiftieth cultural anniversary of Iran & India narrators of Persian music from Niavaran Cultural Center perform in Delhi & Mumbai

News

Dec. 4, 2006

Reza Ebrahimi, Ali Samadpoor, Behrooz Hemmati, Hossein Hemmati

Persian Music Concert in Niavaran Cultural Center

The instruments tune up for the sake of children

On Thursday & Friday Nov. 30^th. & Dec. 1^st. a concert of Persian music will be performed in Niavaran Cultural Center. The “Working Children Supportive Society” upholds this concert. The program includes two parts of Persian music pieces. In the first part Mohammad Reza Ebrahimi plays the Lute and Ali Samadpoor plays the Koozeh (a kind of jug they play as a percussion instrument), and the second part involves Behrooz Hemmati as the Tar player and Hossein Hemmati as Tombak (percussion) player.

Dec. 4, 2006

Amir Abbas Khataee Photo Exhibition

Niavaran Cultural Center

On Thursday Nov. 30^th the photo exhibition of Amir Abbas Khataee will be opened in gallery no. 2 of Niavaran Cultural Center. There will be 25 photos in 50x50 cm with a kind of unique technique. Digital edition on these photos has presented an innovation. The exhibition will be on until Dec. 7^th every day from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. (Fridays 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm) News

Oct. 4, 2006

68 scripts are at the stage of revision and reviewing for the One Person Theater Festival

Announcing the titles of the accepted scripts of social disadvantages section of the festival and the time of the revision

16 works selected for the up mentioned section of the One Person Theater Festival will be revision on Oct. 12 until Oct. 22. All together there are 68 works to be revised. The selected works will be on the stage of Niavaran Cultural Center (Artistic Consulate of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance) for the festival.

Announcing this news, the secretariat of the festival in Niavaran mentioned: Despite the lack of time and the limited deadline of the Social Damages and Disadvantages, 100 scripts were received. The juries, Chista Yasrebi and Mahmood Ostad Mohammad discriminated these works to penetrate the final along with the previous 52 scripts.

The titles of the scripts accepted for the Society Damages and Disadvantages:

Dialogue was better than Bagh Bagho (Azim Musavi)

Horizon in Istanbul (Farzad Jafari)

Next Rendezvous (Akbar Ghahremani)

Words for a Wooden Doll (Samira Mahdavi)

Interview (Shahrzad Khayatian)

Finished (Parisa Vosughi)

We whom are not us (Davud Bani Ardalan)

Unfinished (Ehsan Afzali)

Jonah (Mojtaba Ahmadi)

Nightly General (Sehat)

Behjat (Farnaz Ghobadi)

Somewhat like life (Neda Nasr)

On the line (Zakaria Hashemi)

Mash Kazem Halabi (Farhad Naghd Ali)

Reality or a Show Window midst Heaven and Hell (Bahram Rayhani)

Coffee Shop (Majid Molaee)

The Tenth session of criticizing and analyzing the spirit of Rumi in Niavaran Cultural Center

Badkoobehee: Our society needs the Spirituality and Mysticism of Rumi

Badkoobehee: Rumi is the voice of Islamic Mysticism

Today, Wednesday Oct. 4th on 4:00 pm, the tenth weekly sessions on analyzing and criticizing the spirit of Rumi starts by Mostafa Badkobehee at the main hall of Niavaran Cultural Center. Badkoobehee the manager of these sessions said: More than 200 advocates of Rumi receive this program whom 82 percent of them are of high education and this indicates the enthusiasm and strong need of our society to spirituality and mysticism of the great Molana (Rumi). He indicated that “Molana is the voice of Islamic Mysticism and the bearer of traditional culture of the land of affection, emotion and love.” About the increasing attention of people towards Rumi, he pointed that evolution is human’s final destiny and anywhere on this mortal earth that he/she cerebrates, with no doubt finds tendencies towards Molana and his thoughts and sentiments and evolves and reaches a kind of evolution.

The weekly sessions of criticizing the spirit of Molana, describing and analyzing the great Masnavi, is open to all whom are interested in Niavaran Cultural Center.

News

September 18, 2006

The One Person Theater Festival will go on stage.

The invitation for the particular section of the art works with the subject of Social Damages and Disadvantages was published

By adding the new special section to the “One Person Theater Festival”, this event will occur from Oct. 27 through Nov. 21 in Goosheh Hall of Niavaran Cultural Center. Interesteds can send their play scripts on the special section added to this festival to the secretariat of the festival. The subject of this section can be about addiction and… aiming to raise the public knowledge and social vision by bringing up subjects about the social disadvantages and harms until Sept. 16. After the reading judgment, the selected works along with the last 52 penetrated works will be reviewed on Mehr (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) to be performed from 5^th to 10^th of Aban (Oct. 27 – Nov. 1).

Other than the free section, the One Person Theater Festival includes a special section on the occasion of the year of “The Grand Profit” which involves with the artworks on sacred themes.

News

September 18, 2006

Classical Choir Songs and Everlasting Melodies

In Niavaran Cultural Center

A choir group of 40, called “Far Ahang” ensemble, conducted by “Dr. Mahdi Shams Niknam” will perform Persian and classical pieces in Niavaran Cultural Center. Four “Soprano, Alto, Bass, and Tenor” groups along with pianists: “Ehsan Mohagheghi Fard” and “Reza Taj Bakhsh” will perform 41 Persian folk and classical pieces. “Far Ahang” ensemble has started its activities on Azar 82 and has attained the leading prize on “Ghadir Festival” on 1384 and “Folk Music Festival” on 1385.

News on August 2, 2006

Wednesdays with Rumi in Niavaran Cultural Center

Criticizing & analyzing the Masnavi of Rumi, will be presented every Wednesday from 4:00 to 6:00 pm in the garden of Niavaran Cultural Center.

These sessions start from August 2. Mostafa Badkoobehee

Public attendance would be free of charge.

News on August 2, 2006

Eve of Poetry with the title of “Qana never Dies”, with attendance of distinguished poets will take place in Niavaran Cultural Center.

Holding the reverence of the Lebanese defense, on Monday August 7, at 5:00 pm, both experienced and young Persian poets will read their verses about the tragic inhumanity behavior of a country against another. Ali Aeenehsaz has invited all the artists and aficionados to use their Persian artistic temper to honor the South Lebanese and Qana’s martyrs while announcing the fortitude and immorality of the untiring defenders of that land.

Theater

The Puppet Show of “Demons & the men” is on stage until August 22, 2006.

Cinema

“Café Setareh”

Directed by: Saman Moghaddam

Produced by: Mostafa Shayesteh

News on July 23, 2006

On the occasion of the holy birthday of Fatima

Opening of Women Artistic Festival with attendance of outstanding ladies in the field of visual arts and music

At 5:00 pm on Saturday July 15, the Women Artistic Festival opens in Niavaran Cultural Center. There will be an exhibition of 52 art works of painting, space work and video art at the visual arts exhibition of this festival. 16 of these works belong to Shahla Habibi, 15 to Hayedeh Zarrinbal, 8 to Mansooreh Hosseini, 10 works to Maryam Saloor and 3 video arts to Farideh Shahsavarani which will be presented in the main gallery of Niavaran Cultural Center for four days.

“Dream of color, Metra, Lullaby” are the titles of Farideh Shahsavarani’s video arts that present the traditional clothing of women, lost serenity of mothers and human salvation. In this exhibition, the hand made clothing of women from different regions of Iran with photos of Persian women traditional clothes which are the result of Nahid Omidi’s 30 years experience in this field would be performed. The musical play of “That extreme Jasmine” written by Mandana Abghari and directed by Alireza Dehghani will go on stage every day at 5:30 pm in the main hall of Niavaran.

This play is a composition of music, form and illustration since the man’s creation till the birthday of Fatifa. Music of Republic of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran (Pari Zangeneh, Khatereh Parvaneh) are the music programs of this festival.

News on July 23, 2006

“Sarmad Ensemble” in Niavaran on July 21, 22 & 23

“Sarmad Ensemble” directed by Ali Ghamsari will perform in Niavaran from Thursday July 21 until Saturday July 23 at 6:30 pm.

This concert will be presented in two parts. The first part will be completely musical by Tar, Kamancheh, Percussion Instruments and Dijirido. The second part includes four songs, a few rhythmic pieces and a piece on Greek Leedin scale named “Khamoosh”. Mesbah Ghamsari (Dijirido, Nuban Harp & Duduk), Negar Kharkan (Kamancheh, Bass Ghaychak), Erfan Shahrabadi (Ney), Golnaz Khazaee (Daff), Ashkan Rahbar (Tar), Majid Khayati (Bass Tar), Vahid Saberi (Santour), Hamed Zand Karim Khani (Tombak), Ali Ghamsari (Tar player & compositor) are the members of this ensemble.

Two new instruments of “Dijirido & Noban Harp” will be introduced in this concert.

July 24 – 26, 2006

Indonesian Cultural Festival

Niavaran Cultural Center

Indonesian Cultural Festival will be performed in Niavaran Cultural Center on July 24 – 26. The vice president of Tourism Ministry of Indonesia will open this ceremony, and exhibitions on handicrafts and jewels, traditional and Islamic Indonesian clothing, photos of tourism attractions, traditional & regional food and batik training workshop (art of painting on cloths). Music of Angklung (traditional instrument of Indonesia), meetings on tourism and the attractions of Indonesia would be the other programs of this festival.

News on July 23, 2006

Musical Puppet Show

Niavaran Cultural Center

A musical puppet show especially for children and youth will go on stage at 7:00 pm in Goosheh Hall of Niavaran Cultural Center every day until the 22^nd of August. The story of “Demons & the Men” is the title of this happy play that is written and directed by Maryam Kazemi. Khosro Ahmadi, Sara Banisadr, Hossein Mazinani, Ana Namakchian, Mohammad Reza Taghipoor, Maysam Usefi and Laleh Shoari are the artists and Hassan Ziaee is the puppet designer of this play. Maryam Kazemi explains the outline of this play as: “A kind Demon who likes human very much but doesn’t hunt them gets into conflict with other demons so he was exiled to the world of the Men…

The story of “Demons & the Men” will not be performed on Saturdays.

News on July 23, 2006

80 Artists and Indonesian Tourism Experts

In Niavaran Cultural Center

With attendance of 80 artists and Indonesian tourism experts the ceremony of the Cultural Festival of Indonesia opens at 9:30 am on Monday July 24^th.

Indonesians have invited Persians to visit the traditional clothes, photos of tourism attractions, handicrafts, Angklung performance (the traditional instrument of Indonesia) and tasting their local food. The vice president of Indonesian Tourism Ministry and the Ambassador of Indonesia in Iran will give a speech on this festival and its relations with Iran through a news conference in Niavaran at 10:30 am in the opening ceremony.

Gallery

On the occasion of Women Artistic Festival, four concerts will be performed particularly for ladies during the ceremonies in Niavaran Cultural Center.

On Saturday July 15 after the opening ceremony, a Turkish ensemble directed by Nebahat Ulmaz (vocalist) and accompanied by Aishe Noor Chokran (Daf), Maryam Yerli (Ney) will start the programs. This ensemble will perform again on Monday July 17. On Sunday July 16, Pari Zangeneh will perform classic pieces and Persian folk songs. She has presented more than 300 songs up to now and has performed in New York, Boston, Munich, Japan, Paris and… In this concert she will sing pieces of Schubert, Schumann, Brahms and also “Garnet Bracelet”, “Blue Dress”, “Caravan” and “Distraction” (names of Persian folk songs). Fariba Javaheri will accompany her with piano. Khatereh Parvaneh along with Ophelia Parto (pianist) and Nushin Aghighi (Daf player) will perform on the third and ending night of the festival. “Wild Deer”, “Shirazi folk music”, “Heart’s Annunciation”, “Sweet Spring” and… (names of the songs) will be sung by her. The Azerbaijan Ensemble will perform on Saturday and Sunday July 15 & 16 with 11 members directed by Saeedeh Bagher Ova and “Urkhan Mohammad Ov” as vocalist.
Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation has organized this festival on the occasion of Women Artistic Festival that includes theater, visual arts, poem and music and is due through July 15 – 17.

In the name of God

Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation

Respects your attendance at “International Women Festival”

Coinciding with the blessed birthday

Holy Fatima during July 15 & 17, 2006.

“Naghsh-e-Noor” (Impression of Light) Photo Exhibition Opening

Niavaran Cultural Center

The exhibition of “Alireza Rajaieh” photos is being held in Niavaran Cultural Center’s Gallery No. 2.

“Naghsh-e-Noor” is the title of this exhibition which includes 20 colored photos of different parts of crystal objects.

Rajaieh is a cinema graduated, majoring on directing and he has been photographing as an expert since 1994. His main idea in this exhibition has been trying to pay more attention to different parts and points which we notice them in our every day life as a totality but we don’t notice them as much as they deserve to be noticed.

This exhibition will be on view until Thursday June 15 and the visiting hours will be from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

News

April 30, 2006

Niavaran

Return of Saeed Poorsamimi to Play Reading

In spring of last year, Saeed Poorsamimi worked on “faust” along with Parizad Sayf which was directed and dramatized by Katayoun Hosseinzadeh for 4 nights. The experience was good enough to make him return for play reading after not longer than a year.

On the evening of Friday April 28 the fifth exercising session of the play reading “Mede of Saint Medar” will be held.

Saeed Poorsamimi, Parizad Sayf and Keramat Roodsaz will read the text under the observation of Katayoun Hosseinzadeh (the director).

“Mede of Saint Medar” is going to be read on May 1 – 4 on the occasion of the International day of theater in Niavaran Cultural Center. “Mah Soo” group is exercising every day for the performance.

“Saint Medar” is the name of a city and “Ani” is a middle aged woman who has been a fan of theater since her youth. But other than an experience in school, she was never able to be satisfied in this field. Ani finds back her hobby through a difficult period of her marriage life and tries to relieve her old pains to form the “Mede of Saint Medar”.

Contemporaneously with the International day of Theater, “Dramas of Life” including 20 pieces is going on stage. Babak Mohammadi the writer and director of this work, benefiting subjects such as racism, beauty surgeries, affection to dogs, the philosophy of women beating, the importance of tourism, mistreatment of Europeans with foreigners and the daily incidents subsisting in Austria and Iran have created these pieces which each and every one of them puts a smile on the audience’s lips while bringing up a social struggle which exists all over the world. Each of these pieces is between 2 to 5 minutes long and the variety of the subjects along with the contrast of the artists’ play has brought a new and modern performance to the stage.

8 pieces of this play are the selection of audience which will be performed at the first two nights. The other 12 will be performed along with the selected ones every night at 7:00 p.m. in the main hall of Niavaran Cultural Center.

April 26, 2006

Beginning of the fifth session of play reading and the second session of street plays in Niavaran Cultural Center

On Thursday April 27^th the second session of street play and on Saturday April 29^th the fifth session of play reading will start in Niavaran Cultural Center.

At 6:00 p.m. of Thursday and Friday April 27 & 28 the theater ensemble “Afarinesh” will start its work of street plays of the year 85, with the performance of “My house is in some other place” in the open space of Niavaran Cultural Center.

Mostafa Sasani & Zamin Pardaz will be the artists of this play.

At 6:00 p.m. of Saturday and Sunday April 29 & 30 “Hiva” ensemble will start the fifth session of play readings of Niavaran Cultural Center with reading plays called “Interview” & “Poof”. Masoud Gharagozloo is the director and Mohammad Rahmanian has written the script of “Interview”. Dena Tarefi and Neda Tarefi are the readers of “Poof” written by Lin Natij and Mahsa Sadraee & Anahita Mohebali are the readers of this script.

It is notable that the subject of the fifth session of play reading is free and the subject for the second session of street plays is Persian texts and will be performed by the Cinema & Theater Department of Niavaran Cultural Center every week in Niavaran.

April 24, 2006

Mohammadi with 20 dramas of life and 9 players in a play

Return of “Herfeheeha” (Experts)

To Niavaran Cultural Center

On the April 27^th the theater ensemble “Herfeheeha” (Experts) return to Niavaran Cultural Center after two years. Babak Mohammadi is the supervisor and director of this group whom this time will take the 80 minutes “Dramas of Life” to the stage.

This drama includes 20 pieces of short comedies. Afsar Asadi, Maryam Saadat, Maedeh Tahmasebi, Ahmad Saatchian, Mohammad Reza Jozi, Mahmood Akbar Shahi, Kazem Sayahi, Shima Bakhshandeh and Mozhgan Joodi are the players of this charming and varied play. M. Aladpoosh the light designer, D. Bani Ardalan the programmer and assistant director, Sara Gharechedaghi the screen and custom designer, Koroush Vafaeean is the pianist and the production manager of this play.

“Dramas of Life” is a collection of short stories of the daily life of people which was published by Babak Mohammadi in a book called “Madam Pipi and a few other plays” in 2003. Babak Mohammadi is a M.A. graduated from Austria and Italy whom after 20 years of expertise activities in the fields of cinema and theater outside and inside the country and publishing different play scripts in German has been working in Iran for a while. His and “Herfeheeha”’s last work was “Herfeheeha, a sad comedy” which was performed in Niavaran and City Theater and now “Dramas of Life” is the second cooperation of this group. April 27 – June 2 would be the date of this work’s performance every night in the main hall of Niavaran Cultural Center.

April 24, 2006

On the occasion of the International day of Theater

Along with “Mahsoo” ensemble

Play Reading of Saeed Poorsamimi

In Niavaran Cultural Center

On the occasion of the International day of Theater, “Mahsoo” ensemble will perform 4 sessions of play reading in Niavaran Cultural Center.

This script has been written by “Anka Vesideh” and has been translated by Mehrnoosh Solooki. Katayoun Hosseinzadeh is the director of this work which will be performed in the open space of Niavaran Cultural Center during April 21 – 24.

Saeed Poorsamimi, Parizad Sayf and Keramat Roodsaz will be the readers of this work.

“Mede of Saint Medar” is one of the famous plays of the nineties. The story is about a woman enamored of theater and her problems with her husband through her destiny.

This would be the second presence of Saeed Poorsamimi in the arena of play reading.

He played in “Faust” play reading. It’s notable that the up mentioned 4 performances will be at 6:00 p.m.

April 24, 2006

Criticizing and analyzing of the motion picture “Havoo”

In Niavaran Cultural Center

On Monday April 24^th the criticizing and analyzing session of “Havoo” will be presented in the movie theater of Niavaran.

The movie will be featured at 6:00 p.m. and then the session will start with the presence of “Alireza Davoodnezhad” the writer and director of the work and Nima Hassani Nasab the critic. These sessions started since the second half of last year on the best movies of the day in Niavaran Cultural Center and it will be continued this year, too.

News of Niavaran on Feb. 20, 2006

Street Play & Play Reading

Thursday & Friday Feb. 16 & 17 on 5:30 p.m. the street play of “Javanmard-e Ghassab” (The Cavalier Butcher) written, directed & played by “Sajed Ghoddosian” in the open space of Niavaran Cultural Center. Saturday and Sunday Feb 19 & 20 on 4:00 p.m. the play reading “Booy-ye Hame-ye Atrha-ye Arabestan” (The smell of all perfumes of Arabia) written by “Fermando Arbal” will be read on a team work with Negin Zamani, Payman Fatemi and Reza Hazaveh’s narration.

February 27 & 28, 2006

Sirus Ebrahimzadeh and Reza Babak

Monday and Tuesday 27 & 28 of Feb. at 6:00 p.m. “Vakil-e Taskhiri” (Court-appointed Lawyer) written by “John Mortimer”, translated and directed by “Sirus Ebrahimzadeh” will be narrated in Goosheh Hall of Niavaran Cultural Center. Reza Babak, Mahmood Akbarshahi, Saman Azin, Reza Soofi and Hamed Seyed are the narrators of this play which is “Paeezeh” group’s work.

Chista Yasrebi

“Girl and the dead man”

On Saturday and Sunday Feb. 25 & 26, “Girl and the dead man” play, written and directed by “Chista Yasrebi” will be read in Goosheh Hall of Niavaran Cultural Center. Elnaz Shakerdoost, Amir Delavari, Minoo Zahedi, Alireza Mehran & Alireza Tarikhi are the play readers of this art work.

On the day after this performance, there would be a session of critic and analyze of the work with the presence of “Behzad Sedighi”. “Melika and the dead man” was to be the title of this play but Yasrebi renamed it just before the performance.

“Jan Sakht” (Die Hard) with Bruce Willis

A Film, a film script

On Sunday Feb. 19, the movie “Die Hard” of “John Mac Tier Nan” will be featured along with critic and analyzing right after. “Jab Stewart and Steven E. Disuse” have written this work and Bruce Willis, Allen Rickman, Bane Bodleian and… are the players. “Die hard” is an American production of 1998 which will be criticized by Hamid Garshasbi. This program is being presented every last Sunday of each month in Khalij-e-Fars Hall of Niavaran Cultural Center with cooperation of Cinema Dept. of Niavaran and “Filmnegar Cinema Journal”.

Calligraphy Exhibition with inscription writing

On Sunday Feb. 12, 2006, the calligraphy exhibition of Nader Abedini will be presented in gallery # 2 of Niavaran Cultural Center. 45 gilled and illuminated inscription writing art works have been put on view in this exhibition. These pen drawings Nasta’liq compositions are selected from verses of the holy Koran and Persian poems. Nader Abedini the son of master “Mansoor Abedini” is one of the renowned contemporary painters graduated from the art & architect faculty and has passed different calligraphy courses in the Calligraphy Association under the training of master “Karam Ali Shirazi” between the periods of 1989 to 1993. His first personal exhibition will be on view until Feb. 19 in the gallery# 2 of Niavaran Cultural Center from 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. everyday.

The second Ashooraee Play Reading

On Sunday and Monday Feb. 12 & 13 at 5:00 p.m. the second session of Ashooraee play reading will be presented in Goosheh Hall of Niavaran. “Butler’s passage” written by Akbar Radi and directed by Naser Sohrabi will be narrated on the mentioned date. Anoosh Moazami, Ali Jamshidi, Yalda Ghashghaee, Ali Shams, Hamid Reza Maghami, Ali Abedi, Nima Zare, Mehrdad Bahram, Mohammad Reza Saffari, Hamed Hooshyar and Naser Sohrabi are the narrators of this play.

Hooshang Samani has composed the music of this play reading.

Ali Aeenehsaz, the new director of Niavaran Cultural Center

Along with a command from Dr. Imani, the Deputy Minister in Artistic Affairs of Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Ali Aeenehsaz has been selected as the director of Niavaran Cultural Center. Aeenehsaz is a member of Scientific Board of Jahad-e Daneshgahi and Vahdat Hall whom has been the director of Vahdat Hall for the past two years. He used to be the manager of Graphic Dept., director of Cinema and Theater Dept. Director of Photography Dept. of Art University, the general secretary of Fajr Music Festival for three years. He has also been the manager of Persian Cultural House in Karachi, Pakistan, the member of Post Museum’s Board of Trustees. Aeenehsaz has been nominated as the director of Niavaran Cultural Center while appreciating and honoring Dr. Fadavi’s cultural and artistic services.

Latest News on Niavaran

January 21, 2006

Mezrab, Isomi Miamato, Raphael Miaskanian

A week of music

In Niavaran Cultural Center

Performing these three last concerts, Niavaran’s music file will be closed for this solar year. At 6:00 PM of Saturday & Sunday January 21 & 22 the Mezrab Persian traditional music ensemble which lately has had a performance in Fajr Music Festival, with supervision of Mahdi Valeh, and with the honorable attendance of Majid Derakhshani and Darshan Annand will perform pieces such as “Ay Ghoome be Haj Rafteh”, “Ay Joseph”, “Hejabe Chehreye Jan” and… in the Khalij-e-Fars Hall.

On 6:00 PM of Tuesday and Wednesday 24 & 25 of January, Isomi Miamato, the Japanese bright future pianist will perform pieces of famous compositors in Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation with the cooperation of Embassy of Japan and Arshe Jame Jam and Yamaha’s support. These classical pieces will be performed at the Khalij-e-Fars Hall for two nights as mentioned. This would be Isomi’s third performance in last 3 years in Niavaran.

At 6:30 PM of Thursday and Friday 26 and 27 of January, Raphael Minaskanian, the

Masterful Persian pianist will play pieces of Mozart and Schumann on the occasion of the 250^th.Birthday anniversary of Mozart and centennial commemoration of Schumann, to give it a fine ending for a year of music performance in Niavaran Cultural Center.

For information about autumn programs, please click here.

Latest news of Niavaran on Jan. 4, 2006

Beginning of Street Plays and the sixth session of play reading

In Niavaran Cultural Center

On Thursdays and Fridays, street plays and on Saturdays & Sundays, play reading sessions will be held in Niavaran Cultural Center. For the start, on the first week on Jan. 5 & 6, “Three servants & no master” written by Maliheh Moradi and directed by Mahdi Arjmand will be presented in the open space of Niavaran Cultural Center at 5:30 PM. Ahmad Akashteh, Bahram Bahrami and Mahdi arjmand will be playing in this 20 minutes piece.

On Saturday and Sunday Jan. 7 & 8, the sixth session of play reading starts with a melodrama text titled “Midway Kiosk” written by Sam Sheppard and directed by Abbas Naderan will be presented at 4:00 PM. Mohammad Babavand, Negar Atashafrooz and Abbas Naderan are the readers of this play.

News on Jan 2, 2006

Prolongation of Realism and Hyper Realism Exhibition

In Niavaran Cultural Center

In the past 24 days, more than 9,000 visitors visited this exhibition.

The exhibition was prolonged until January 20. This project is being held in two galleries of Niavaran Cultural Center with 186 tableaus of 96 artists which reviews 4 generations of Persian Realism painting.

The oldest work of this exhibition is titled by “Tired Butler” which has been created by “Alireza Arzhangi” on 1922. Among the visitors, other than the renowned painters of different styles of painting in our country, foreign tourists, cross-country student groups, and artists such as A. Kiarostami, Dr. Elahi Ghomshehee and…have visited the exhibition.

This exposition will be on every day from 10:00 AM through 8:00 PM (holidays from 2:00 PM until 8:00 PM) until Jan. 20, 2006.

News on January 7, 2006

“Panic Room” – David Fincher

Niavaran Cultural Center

On 5:00 PM of Sunday Jauary 8, Panic Room of David Fincher will be featured and the screenplay will be criticized & analyzed. David Coep has written the screenplay and Judy Foster, Christian Stewart, Forest Vitaker and… are the cast players of the movie. Dariush Zanji and Conrad Hall are directors of photography and Howard Shore has composed the music of this movie. Shabnam Mirzai-ol-abedin will be the critic and analyzer of the movie.

News on January 4, 2006

Beginning of Street Plays

And the sixth session of Play Reading

From now on every Thursday and Friday, Street Plays and Saturday and Sundays, sessions of Play Reading will be performed in Niavaran Cultural Center. For the start, on the first week, on January 5 & 6, on 5:30 PM, “Three servants and no master” written by Maliheh Moradi and directed by Mahdi Arjmand will be performed in the open space of Niavaran Cultural Center. Ahmad Akashteh, Bahram Bahrami, and Mahdi Arjmand will be the actors of this 20 minutes play. On 4:00 PM of Saturday and Sunday January 7 & 8, the sixth session of play reading will be presented with a melodrama called “Dakeh-ye Bayne Rah” (A Kiosk in the midway) written by Sam Sheppard and directed by Abbas Naderan. Mohammad Babavand, Sima Norouzian, Negar Atashafrooz and Abbas Naderan will be the readers of this work.

News on January 2, 2006

Realism & Hyper Realism Exhibition Renewal

More than 9 thousand interests have visited the exhibition of Realism & Hyper Realism in the past 24 days. For this reason the exhibition was renewed until January 20^th.

The exhibition is on view in the two galleries of Niavaran Cultural Center with 186 paintings of 96 artists which overviews 4 generations of Iran’s Realist paintings.

The oldest work of art in this collection is called “Sagha-ye Khasteh” (Tired Bottler) which has been created on 1922 by “Alireza Arzhangi”. Among the visitors of this exhibition, other than renowned painters of different styles of our country, foreign tourists, student groups from all over the country, personalities such as Abbas Kiarostami, Dr. Elahi Ghomshehee and… were present.

This exhibition will be on view every day at 10:00 AM until 8:00 PM on weekdays and 2:00 PM until 8:00 PM on weekends and holidays.

News on Jauary 2, 2006

New generation of Persian Tar players

“Nasl-e-No” Music Festival

On 6:00 PM of Thursday and Friday January 5 and 6, the music festival of “Nasl-e-No” will be performed in Khalij-e-Fars hall of Niavaran Cultural Center.

This festival has been planed with the aim of originating necessary fields for introducing the Persian new generation musicians, making chances for this generation’s performances, figuring future horizon for music and evaluation of music training system of young age of less than 28 years old. In this festival, 6 young Tar players whom have passed three stages of selection tests will perform Tar solo.

At the first night, Bahareh Fayyazi (in Mahoor system), Hossein Emadi (Isfehan song), Siavash Imani (Abu Ata Isfehan) and at the second night, Amir Pooyan Biglar (In Segah system), Faraz Entesari (Abu Ata song) and Babak Rahati (in Homauon system) will play the Tar.

The second series of Nasl-e-No music festival will end with the accompaniment of the mentioned six Tar players. This festival is not a competition and all the six players are considered as the best selected players. Dariush Talaee has cooperated music department of Niavaran Cultural Center in performing this program.

It is notable that last year the music festival of “Nasl-e-No” was allocated to Piano players which four piano players performed in a one night concert.

News on Jan. 2, 2006

New generation of Persian Tar players

“Nasl-e-No” Music Festival in Niavaran Cultural Center

Thursday and Friday Jan. 5 & 6, “Nasl-e-No” Music Festival will be presented in Khalij-e-Fars Hall of Niavaran at: 6:00 PM. This festival aims to prepare the necessary fields for introducing Persian new generation musicians, creating performance opportunities for this generation, imaging the future horizons of music and evaluation the system of training music specially designed for young trainees under 28 years of age. In this festival, 6 young Tar players whom have passed 3 stages and have been selected will perform.

On the first night, Bahareh Fayazi (plays in Mahoor system), Hossein Emadi (Isfahan Song), Siavash Imani (Isfahan Abuata) and on the second night Amir Pooyan Biglar (plays in Segah system), Faraz Entesari (Abuata song) and Babak Rahati (Homaun).The ending of This festival is the six players accompaniment. This program is not competitive and all six players have been selected players of the festival. Dariush Talaee has had diligent cooperation with the music department of Niavaran on performing this festival. It is remarkable to know that last year the same program was

organized for Piano as “Nasl-e-No” Music Festival for Piano players whom 4 players were selected and performed on one night.

News on Jan. 2, 2006

Critiquing & Analyzing “A tiny kiss”

Wednesday, Niavaran Cultural Center

The moving picture, “A tiny kiss” will be critic and analyzed with the presence of its casts in the main hall of Niavaran Cultural Center. Mozhgan Farah Avar Moghaddam the manager of Cinema & Theater Department of Niavaran whom is working in this status since one month ago, giving the up mentioned news mentioned that the movie will be featured at 6:00 PM as usual and then Nima Hassani Nasab, the critic host of the program will analyze the movie along with Bahman Farmanara the writer and director, Reza Kianian and three other casts of the movie.

News on Dec. 31, 2005

Training Classes of “Materials & Techniques of colors”

In Niavaran Cultural Center

Training classes of “Introductory to materials and techniques of oil coloring and acrylic” will be held in Niavaran Cultural Center. “Winsor & Newton” Co. will be cooperating Niavaran on performing the classes which will be consisted of 8 sessions of two hours on Thursdays.

January 5 will be the beginning of these courses.

News on Dec. 28, 2005

“My Name is Sargarmi” (Amusement), with 6 different items

20 Pantomime performances in Niavaran Cultural Center

On Saturday Dec. 31 at 7:00 PM, the pantomime called “My name is Sargarmi” directed and performed by “Bahram Rayhani” will go on stage in Niavaran.

This pantomime which will be presented 20 nights in Goosheh hall includes 6 items of hungry typist; weird things; this is a long detailed matter! Nursing the baby; the bird, hunter, human and existence, this altogether is a 45 minutes performance.

Pantomime is a plane play which the player expresses the audience of any race, clime or language and culture, only by movement of the body. Unfortunately, often pantomime does not get the opportunity of public performance and it is usually performed on special occasions and festivals. Now with the great endeavor of the Cinema & Theater department of Niavaran, “My name is Sargarmi” is going to be performed for 20 nights (except Sundays). Bahram Rayhani will be accompanied by Babak Khadiri as player; Anahita Poormand as subject designer; Shervin Pashaee, Mahdi Maleki, Kasra Pashaee and Vida Jafari Ark as the technical and music members of the group.

News on Dec. 17, 2005

Sunday Dec. 18

Raising Arizona

In Niavaran Cultural Center

At 5:00PM of Sunday Dec. 18, “Raising Arizona” by “Koen Brothers” in the shape of a film, a film script, will be featured in Niavaran Cultural Center. Nicolas Cage and Haly Hunter will be performing in this movie. Ashkan Rad will critic and analyze this film script. A film, a film script is being presented on every last Sunday of the month with the cooperation of Film Negar monthly journal and Cinema & Theater division of Niavaran Cultural Center.

News on Dec. 17, 2005

Representations about Entezar (Waiting), Mashrooteh (Parliamentary) and the Defeated Love

Niavaran Cultural Center

Tomorrow, Saturday Dec. 17, on 3:00PM, the Second transverse Play Reading Festival will start in Niavaran Cultural Center.

Reading plays of the late Ali Hatami, Bahram Bayzaee, Chista Yasrebi, Mohammad Rahmanian, Bizhan Mofid, Mohammad Yaghoobi, aside with young play writers and young working directors and known play readers of theater realm, bespeaks of having a successful festival.

In this festival until Dec. 21, there will be three presentations on 3:00PM, 4:30, and 6:00Pm every day. Interests can purchase tickets for 500 Toomans and Theater experts and students will have a discount of half price. Play Readings will be presented in Goosheh Hall of Niavaran Cultural Center.

This festival such as the last one is especially for Persian texts and the interesting point is the presence of plays in different genres of comedy, tragic, melody and…

Parisa Vosughi is the director of the first performance of the festival. She is the director of “Two men, one bench”, an art work of Chista Yasrebi which Shahin Alaeenezhad and Reza Papi will be the play readers. “Two men, one bench”, relates that a suspense between two men, effects ravels between them. But the first gleam of the second play text of the second play reading festival has been sparkled in the centennial of the parliamentary movement. “Burned Ice” written and directed by “Hosein Ghareh” which will be red at 4:30PM relates a story that has happened on winter of 1977 and reviews the parliamentary movement’s circuit up to the Naseri’s period. Naser Alaghehmandan, Ali Aminipoor, Shahram Zarabi, Narjes Nadimi Danesh, Mohammad Reza Zhyan, Shahrokh Shahid, Elham Mohtasham and Hosein Ghareh are the play readers of this work. The las performance of the first day of the festival come from Shahr-e-Kord: “Reza Valipoor Dehkordi” along with the play reader “Solmaz Hematzadeh” will come to Niavaran Cultural Center to do the single narration of a girl that has failed her love during the war.

News on Dec. 8, 2005

Duet of Violin & Piano

Niavaran Cultural Center

A duet of Violin & Piano will be performed on Wednesday and Thursday Dec. 14 & 15 in the main hall of Niavaran Cultural Center. Sattar Javaher Haghighi, the Violin player, and Faraz Khanafari, the Piano player, will play classical pieces of composers such as Beethoven, Schubert & Stamina. Faraz Khanafari who has started playing Piano since 1991, is working on classical composition seriously from 2002. Sattar Javaher Haghighi began playing the Violin since 1994 and from 2002 he has been teaching formaly in this field. Khanafari & Haghighi have started their accompaniment since the year 2000.

They have had performances in Hafezieh Hall of Shiraz, Artists’ Residence and Niavaran Cultural Center.

News on Dec. 8, 2005

Shahin Farhat and Sasan Fatemi, give speeches on the occasion of the commemoration of Dr. M. T. Masoudieh along with the performance of Parsian String Ensemble in Niavaran Cultural Center

On 5:00 PM of Friday Dec. 8 the commemoration of the late Dr. M. T. Masoudieh, the distinguished master of Persian Ethnomusicology, will be held in the Khalij-e-Fars Hall of Niavaran Cultural Center. In this ceremonial program, the subject of Dr. Shahin Farhat’s speach will be about the scientific personality of the late Dr. Masoudieh, and Dr. Sasan Fatemi will talk about the history of Ethnomusicology in Iran. Parsian String Ensemble will perform a piece of Masoudieh’s compositions and three other pieces on the memory of the eminent master. The Parsian String Ensemble has started its activities on 2002. In this performance 4 instruments and 9 players will be playing as follows:

Maziar Zahir-e-dini, Nima Zahedi, Ali Jafari Pooyan, Mohammad Reza Karimi (Violin)

Maysam Marvasti, Sohrab Berahmandi (Viola), Aidin Ahmadinejad & Negar Norad (Cello) and Poorang Poorshirazi (Contrabass). It is considerable that participating this ceremony is free of charge.

News on Dec. 7, 2005

Life times 3

In the Weekly Play Reading of Niavaran Cultural Center

On 4:00 PM of Saturday and Sunday Dec. 10 & 11, in the fifth session of weekly play reading of Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation, the melodrama text of “Life times 3” written by “Yasmina Reza” and directing by “Sara Nafar” will be read.

Maryam Salemi, Erfan Nazer, Mehrdad Iranmanesh and Sara Nafar will be the readers of this work.

News on Dec. 5, 2005

Wednesday/Critiquing and analyzing Hokm

Masoud Kimiaee, Ezat-ol-lah Entezami, Leyla Hatami

In Niavaran Cultural Center

The movie of “Hokm” will be critiqued and analyzed in Niavarn on Wednesday Dec. 5.

On this day at 7:00PM the latest film made by Masoud Kimiaee will be featured and critiqued and analyzed by the presence of the casts.

In this session, Masoud Kimiaee (Writer and director) Ezat-ol-lah Entezami, Leyla Hatami, Poolad Kimiaee (Actors and Actress) Alireza Zarin Dast (Director of Photography), Javad Toosi and Reza Dorostkar (Critics) will be attending. This is the fourth session of critiquing and analyzing the movies on screen in the country.

Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation has endeavored to hold these sessions in Khalij-e-Fars Hall.

In recent days, movies called: “Gilaneh”, “Bid-e-Majnoon”, “Khaili Door, Khaili Nazdeek” (So far, So Close) and while before the analyzing “Khaneh-ee Rooye Ab” (A house on the water) and “Baj Khoor” (Racketeer) have been presented with the presence of the casts.

News on Dec. 4, 2005

70 Pictures of Ali Kaveh, Mohammad Sayad & Rasool Kazemnezhad

Photo Exhibition in Niavaran Cultural Center

On the occasion of honoring the International day of handicaps on Dec. 3 at 10:00AM

A photo exhibition is being held especially for the blind & weak eyed sports in the Gallery #2 of Niavaran Cultural Center. In this exhibition there would be 70 pieces of colored photos of Ali Kaveh, Mohammad Sayad and Rasool Kazemnezhad presented.

These images illustrate the presence of Persian blind athletes in Global fields and sport Olympiads. This exhibition has been held by the endeavor of the Blind Sports Federation and intends to familiarize the viewers with the abilities and accomplishments of their enlightenments.

Interests can visit this exhibition until Dec. 7, everyday from 10AM to 7:00PM

For reviewing the programs of Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation in autumn, please click here.

Latest news in Niavaran on Dec. 17, 2005

100 Realist & Hyper Realist painters with 147 tableaus will gather on Sunday in Niavaran Cultural Center.

Sunday Dec. 11, at 5:00PM, the Persian Contemporary Realist and Hyper Realist Painting Exhibition will start its work in the main Gallery of Niavaran. Dr. A. Norouzitalab, the curator of this exhibition while giving the above mentioned news to the public relations of the Niavaran

Artistic Creations Foundation denoted that:

After publishing the recalling, more that 800 paintings from all over the Iran, reached the secretariat office of the exhibition which were evaluated and analyzed on Dec. 1.

Ali Akbar Sadeghi, Manuchehr Motabar, Nami Petgar, Mahdi Alizadeh, Kazem Chalipa, Ali Petgar, Jamal-e-ding Khoraminezhad and Iraj Eskandari were the expert members of the selection board of the Realist & Hyper Realist Exhibition.

He mentioned that according to the above mentioned board of selection, 147 of the art works will be on wall in the Gallery # 1 & 2.

He denoted that from the artists who have part taken in the exhibition, we can name:

The Late Jafar Petgar, The late Sani-ol-molk, The late Ali Mohammad Haydarian, The late Asghar Petgar, The late Fath-ol-lah Ebad, Morteza Katoozian, Nami Petgar, Gholamali Afzali, Naser Arasteh, Ali Petgar, Hoseing Termehchi, Morteza Habibpoor, Arabali Sherveh, Hosein Sadri, Kasra Kiaee, Ahmad Vakili, Tanaz Yarmohammadi, Jamal-el-ein Khoraminezhad, Mahdi Farhadian, Shahrooz Mohajer, Ali Nedaee, Ahad Vatani and….

Dr. Norouzitalab about the criterion and standards of selecting the art works said:

The board of experts came to the solution that recreating the nature by human would never be a mere imitation or recreation, but comments, taste, and aesthetic of the artist will always visualize different styles of duplication or representation. Each painter can visualize with his/her own exegesis from the reality and specific kind of vision to the nature and reality. Each work of art is artist’s peculiar aesthetic visualization that appears in his/her art work. He added: Realism in general is titled to a special theory that believes in the objective reality of outer world. Realism in painting is an endeavor to represent the real world’s illustration, without interference of the painter’s imagery. Realism is an ideal covert inside the reality and the painter by painting, visualizes it.

From this point of view, the image not only should agree with the reality, but it also must discover the aesthetic and social aspects of reality and through orderly originating the painting, have a contemporary expression.

Hyper Realism is an extreme or magnified realism, which gives a remarkable, precise visual report of the objects.

In Hyper Realistic expression, the visualizing should be done in a mere technique and higher than reality’s ordinary look. And visualize the object over the way it is seen normally. The idiom of “Hyper Realism” is presenting such aspect of expression. The curator of Realism & Hyper Realism in the end indicated that:

Realism contains very various trends such as political, social, and critical and one of such is the trend of Magic Realism. The Persian contemporary Realist and Hyper Realist painting Exhibition tries to introduce some of academic and artistic abilities and aesthetic values of contemporary Persian painters with varied gravitation to this way and style of visual expression.

News on Dec. 10^th 2005

15 play on the Second Transverse Festival of Play Reading

15 plays have been selected for the second transverse festival of play reading.

Alireza Khamseh, Hayedeh Haeri and Saeed Shapoori, the revision judgments panel of the festival, picked 15 play readings out of 44 works during a one week task.

The interesting point is that 80% of the directors in this step, are the theatre graduated and half of the text works which have penetrated the festival are being read for the first time. Titles of them are as follows:

“Dar Saye Sar-e- Sokoot” (Under the shadow of silence) written by: Milad Akbarnejad, directed by: Sepideh Nazaripoor

“Az Tariki” (From Darkness) written by: Mohammad Yaghobi, directed by: Mahdi Esmaeeli

“Yakh-e- Sookhteh” (Burned Ice) written & directed by: Hosein Ghareh

“Mosahebeh” (Interview) written by: Mohammad Rahmanian, directed by: Samira Sepehrnia

“Two men, a bench” written by: Chista Yasrebi, directed by: Parisa Vosughi

“Bimarestan-e-Eshgh” (Hospital of Love) written by: Ali Hatami, directed by: Mahnaz Zabihi

“Karname-e-Bondar-e-Bidakhsh” (Report of Bondar-e-Bidakhsh) written by: Bahram Bayzaee, directed by: Mehrdad Noori

“Taval” (Blister) written by: Alireza Tavan, directed by: Saeed Zein-ol-Abedini

“Sokut” (Silence) written & directed by: Reza Valipoor Dehkordi

“Mah – o – Palang” (Moon & the Leopard) written by: Bizhan Mofid, directed by: Pezhman Kashefi

“Kalagh” (Crow) written by: Marzieh Ozgoli, directed by: Roya Bakhtiari

“Naghl-e-Zanan-e-Sangi” (Narration of stony women) written by: Chista Yasrebi, directed by: Mohammad Nadjari

“Madagascar” written by: Ehsan Noruzi, directed by: Hamid Aghazadeh

“Gheseh haye dare gooshi” (Whispering Stories) written by: Amir Reza Kuhestani, directed by: Saeed Darvishzadeh

“Dastan-e-Ameh Pasand” (Popular Story) written & directed by: Arash Abasi.

It is considerable to mention that this festival starts on Saturday Dec. 17 in Goosheh Hall of Niavaran Cultural Center from 3:00 PM until 8:00 PM

Reading the plays will be continued until Dec. 21 and the ending ceremony of this festival would be on Dec. 22.
On Dec. 11^th the Persian Contemporary Realism and Hyperrealism Painting Exhibition will start its work in Niavaran Cultural Center.

At 5:00 PM of Sunday Dec. 11^th, 2005 the Exhibition will present a grand collection of contemporary Realism and Hyper Realism painters of our country.

Dr. S. M. Fadavi, the general manager of Niavaran Cultural Center, while announcing it, denoted that the responsibility of artistic directing indicates originating suitable field for activities in different fields and modes of art and make a fine challenge, preparing a suitable field for growth and elevation of our culture and art. Advanced countries such as America and European countries, have caused the quality and quantity of their own artistic motivation. Fadavi said: Although we live in a modern period, but different styles of painting like realistic which has a long background since past centuries, still has kept its fans. The actual news and information speak of this reality that simultaneously with creating modern art works by Modernism artists, a wave of trends to older styles such as Impressionism and Realism is seen in different societies.

The head of Niavaran Cultural Center, regretted that: Unfortunately, in the past decade, artistic directors, exaggerating in supporting and backing up the Modernism artists, have caused solitude for a large population of other artistic styles. Undoubtedly, Modernism is one of the artistic specifications of nowadays in the world as well as in our country. But it does not mean that we cause solitude or elimination for other artistic flows by supporting the Modernism process. Fadavi announced that performing the Realism painters exhibition on the second half of November, whole of December and the first half of January (2006), Niavaran Cultural Center, intents to introduce the distinguished Persian artists of specialized and academic Realism, and to critique and analyze this artistic style in contemporary Persia. Fortunately, this exhibition was acclaimed by most eminent Persian Realism painters and it is a harbinger of a rich and valuable exhibition. Dr. A. Norouzitalab, the curator of this exhibition announced that Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation is preparing to perform an exhibition of Realist and Hyper Realist painters. This exhibition with the aim of Persian contemporary painters will be on view through Dec. 11^{th. 2005}& Jan. 5^{th
2006}^, in Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation. He said: The goal of this exhibition is to perform the artistic abilities and posing the Naturalism academic painting values in Persian contemporary artistic realm while appreciating the artists. The panel of artistic experts of this exhibition comprises the members of scientific board and experts of university’s cultural – artistic centers and artists whom have the responsibility of selecting the art works. Norouzitalab denoted that: We anticipate that, from the collection of selected art works, an exquisite book along with description and explanation about each work will be published. There is also a plan to have round table discussions and lectures given on the art of painting during the exhibition.

Chehel Daff along with 35 performers

Chehel Daff ensemble will perform mystical & spiritual pieces in 5 concerts with 35 players at “The Second Artistic Koran Exhibition”. “Chehel Daff” with the management of “Farshid Gharib Nejad” & “Behrooz Tavakoli” as the vocalist, will perform on October 16, 17, 19, 20 & 21 at 7:00 p.m. in Khalij-e-Fars Hall of Niavaran Cultural Center for 90 minutes. “Bemirid” & “Bia Bia”, the songs version of Rumi’s poems, the rhythms of Daff Navazan, Sama-e-Daff & Zekr, Kordish pieces, and… are the suites which will be performed at this concert. The “Chehel Daff” ensemble has been formed on Feruary 1999 and it is the selected group of the 16^th Fajr Music Festival. There will be 22 players of Daff, 6 percussions & drums and 7 performers of Tar, Santour, Kamancheh, and Saxophone presenting at this concert.

News of Oct. 10^th, 2005

11 concerts of ceremonial & spiritual music in “The Second Artistic Koran Exhibition”

Tomorrow, on Oct. 10^th at 7:00p.m. “The Second Artistic Koran Exhibition” starts its music part of the programs with the ceremonial & spiritual performance of “Ashigh Lar-e-Azerbaijan” ensemble in Khalij-e-Fars Hall of Niavaran Cultural Center.

“Ashigh Ghorban Rasouli” one of most renowned Azerbaijani Ashighs, presents songs & melodies eulogizing “Abraham”Khalil-o-llah (beloved friend of God), Meraj of the Devine graceful profit of Islam, Mohammad, attribute of Ali the Lord of men of faith, and praise of Imam Reza (The Holy)Ashighs are pukka players whom have always tried to sustain their pedigree. And besides epic aspects, they have been solicitous for lyric, spiritual and religious melodies & songs. Azerbaijan’s Ashigh Lars, on Oct. 12^th, the musical theater ensemble of Lorestan from 13 until 15of Oct. and the Chehel Daff’s ensemble will perform their program on Oct. 14, 15, 17, 18 & 19 on the occasion of “The Second Artistic Koran Exhibition” in Niavaran Cultural Center every night at 7:00 p.m. Melodrama; subject of the fourth series of weekly sessions of play reading in Niavaran Cultural Center

The fourth public recalling of weekly sessions on subjective play reading in Niavaran Cultural Center has been announced. Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation’s Cinema & Theater department will present the fourth series of play reading with melodrama subject from the middle of September 2005 until 19^th of March 2006. Interested artists have the opportunity to submit their biography and play script to the related office located in Niavaran Cultural Center to attend at this course. The art works received by the mentioned office will be evaluated by the board of selection. The play reading sessions of Niavaran Cultural Center will be held every Saturday and Sunday in Goosheh Hall.

Musical and Theatrical Tradition of Lorestan’s “Dakhil Bandan” in Niavaran Cultural Center

The spiritual musical and theatrical tradition of “Dakhil Bandan”-e-Lorestan will go on stage in “The Second Artistic Exhibition of Koran”.

Lorestan’s Theater Council directed by Behzad Pakdel, will perform their program along with 21 players and the spiritual and traditional music ensemble on Oct. 13, 14 and 15 at 7:00 p.m. “Dakhil Bandan” is a musical, devotional theater that focuses on the inner and esoteric desires of human. There is a sacramental tradition in Lorestan on which people who have supplications to God, would go to the shrines on the Holy month of Ramadan and tie cloths and materials to treelike places and pray to their Worshipped by reading their caresses and singing their songs and melodies. On the occasion of “The Second Artistic Exhibition of Koran”, 11 nights of spiritual and traditional music has started in Niavaran by “Ashigh Lar” ensemble from October 10^th until 12^th and after the traditional performance of “Dakhil Bandan”, the presentation will end with 5 performances of “Chehel Daff” ensemble.

News of Oct. 9^th, 2005

Saffar Harandi: The Second Artistic Koran Exhibition, reference to the forgotten spirituality

The Islamic Culture and Guidance minister visited the second artistic Koran exhibition attending the opening ceremony which was held in Niavaran Cultural Center. At the end of this 4 hours visiting of visual and conceptual arts, along a discussion, Hossein Saffar Harandi mentioned that art in concept of a beautiful image of existence can have terrestrial or celestial forms. Koran has effective presence in terrestrial and supernal world. Therefore, a comprehensive art can be illustrated through Koran. The Islamic Guidance Minister denoted that if art gets supported by Koran, it deals with both earth and heaven. This is the most beautiful exegesis that one can give for the existence. Existence is meaningless without divinity and just being over the firmament, not having a foot on the ground, is not coincide the reality of life. He said that despite some late legends which expounded religion an outright cordial relation of man with God, Koran illustrates a commentary which is spiritual as much as substantial. Indeed it illustrates man’s routine life. The Cultural and Guidance Ministry proclaimed: fortunately, the art works I saw at the second artistic exhibition of Koran, is a reference to the forgotten spirituality. A refer that regards to today as well. It speaks of a celestial that reflects the illustration of earth. And it talks about the earth that reflects the illustration of heaven. And this is what increases the beauty of the art works. It seems that artists, whom have created such illustrations, deserve admiration.

The visual and conceptual section of the Koran’s second artistic exhibition is free to visit for public everyday from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. (Holidays: 2:00p.m. to 8:00p.m.)

News of Oct. 10^th, 2005

Bani Etemad, Motamed Aria and Bahram Radan in Niavaran Cultural Center

The motion picture of “Gilaneh” will be featured and analyzed afterwards with the presence of the casts on Saturday Oct. 8^th, at: 7:00 p.m.

In this session, Rakhshan Bani Etemad (director), Fatemeh Motamed Aria (actress), Bahram Radan & Baran Kosari (actor & actress), Abdol Vahab Mostafavi (screen writer) and Reza Dorostkar (critic) will be attending.

News of Oct. 3^rd, 2005

The Selection Committee of Visual Arts, announced the second artistic exhibition of Koran’s art works

S. M. Ahsaee, B. Darash, M. Hosseini, K. Chalipa, H. Sadeghi, M. Goodarzi, M. B. Aghamiri, A. Nadealian, S. M. Fadavi, A. K. Moghaddam and Farah Osoli are the members of this committee.

Dr. H. Sadeghi, secretary of the exhibition, and Dr. S. M. Fadavi, head of the secretariat will give comprehensive explanations upon the various programs of this event. The second artistic exhibition of Koran will inaugurate on Friday Oct. 7^th in the open space of Niavaran Cultural Center.

Latest news of Niavaran Oct. 17, 2005

For viewing the programs of artistic units of the foundation in autumn, please click here.

Reza Mir Karimi, Masoud Rayegan, Elham Hamidi in Niavaran Cultural Center.

So Far, So Close will be critiqued on Tuesday.

On Tuesday Oct. 18^th, at 7:00 p.m. the motion picture of So Far, So Close will be featured and critiqued by the members of the cast. Reza Mir Karimi the director, Masoud Rayegan, Elham Hamidi & Afshin Hashemi (the casts), Mohammad Reza Gouhari (the scriptwriter), Reza Dorostkar & Ali Mirzaee (the critics) will attend this session. It is remarkable to note that along the past month, with the endeavors of the Theater & Cinema department of Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation the critical analyze of the movies: Bid-e- Majnoon & Gilaneh have been held in Niavaran Cultural Center for the interested.

News 12 oct 2005

10 art works of Meaningful Cinema in Niavaran Cultural Center simultaneously with the opening of “The Second Artistic Exhibition of Koran”

“Digaran” (Others), “Ay Baradar, Kojaee?”(O, Brother, Where are you?), “2001 Odyssey-e-Fazaee” (2001, A Space Odyssey), “Barekat” (Bounty), “Faramoosh Shodegan” (Forgotten), “Halghe-e-1&2” (Ring 1&2), “Constantine”… From Sunday Oct. 9^th, simultaneously with “The Second Artistic Exhibition of Koran”, 10 works of meaningful cinema will be featured in Goosheh Hall of Niavaran Cultural Center. The third

Series of artistic expertise film house will start its work at 7:00 p.m. with featuring the movie “Digaran” (Others) of “Alekhandro Amanabar” and each movie will be screened for two days. But based on the time table given by the cinema-theater department of Niavaran, everyday at 7:00 p.m. “O, Brother, where are you?” of Joel Conan on 11 & 12 of Oct., “2001, A Space Odyssey” of Stanley Coobrick on 13 & 14 of Oct., “Bounty” by Ran Ferric on Oct. 14 & 15, “Forgotten” by Joseph Ruben on 17 & 18 of Oct., “Ring 1” by Guru Robinski on Oct. 19 & 20, “Ring 2” of Hideo Nakata on Oct. 21 & 22, will be screened. This program will not be presented on Ghadr Nights and during the mourning time of Superior of the Pious Ali the Holy for 6 nights and the 3 ending movies of this series will be started on Oct. 29 & 30 at 9:00p.m. with “Constantine” of Francis Lawrence and continues with “Astigmata” by Robert Win Right on Oct. 31 & November 1 and finishes with “What dreams may come true” by Vincent Ward in Goosheh Hall on November 2 & 3, 2005.

It is considerable that “The Second Artistic Exhibition of Koran” that has started its work from October 7^th in Niavaran Cultural Center will be on until the 3^rd of November.

News 28 jun 2005

An Interview with Master Mohammad Zeimaran about the Spiritual Art

Farah Seyyedabolghassem

Thank you for your taking part in this interview. Here are a series of questions regarding the Exhibition of Spiritual Art in Niavaran Artistic Creation Foundation. I will be glad to hear your answers to these questions. First of all, what is your definition of Spiritual Art?

When you are talking about art, the adjective “spiritual” seems to be excessive. Meaning and spirituality do exist in every art. Art is actually a representation of spirituality. Art is an attempt for getting free of the objective world and reaching to the world of spirituality. Therefore, the art’s job is to go beyond and to get free. Spirituality and meaning are already settled down in the root of the art. Art means moving from the objective world into meaning. Therefore, when we are talking about art, the word “spiritual” is an extra word.

Is the spiritual art a part of plastic arts?

The spirit and meaning is the main base in every kind of arts including plastic arts. Such a question contradicts with the art’s essence.

Does the spiritual art need to be accomplished by the spiritual artist?

An artist who is not living in the meaning’s realm is not an artist at all. An artist’s obsession is to discover the unknown worlds not discovered yet by anybody else. This subject has been reviewed from a wrong point of view. An artist is not a person being distinguished from the other artists by being “spiritual”. Separating art from spirituality is meaningless and hasn’t any outcome.

If the art is essentially spiritual according to art philosophers, should we call all of the artistic works spiritual? If we should, what is the difference between the art of El Greco and Degas?

These two artists have experienced two different worlds. This kind of comparison between the artists is caused by a very hasty attitude towards art showing that a person who thinks like this doesn’t have any knowledge of neither El Greco nor Degas. Some people assume that the spiritual art means religious art. In my opinion, this kind of categorizing is irrelevant to art.

What about the materialist artists who don’t believe in anything beyond material?

Using the word “materialist” for an artist is not justified at all. Especially in plastic arts, you cannot find any researcher to use the word “materialism”, except in the field of sociology of art, and it would be a kind of hastily generalization too. Talking about the “materialist” art doesn’t lead to any conclusion and doesn’t make clear anything. How can you name an artist as a materialist one?

Do you consider “Guernica” by Pablo Picasso a spiritual work?

Picasso’s “Guernica” may seem to enjoy less spirituality than Raphael’s “Athens’ School” or Giotto’s “Birth of Jesus Christ”, but one of the greatest problems of the human being is pictured in this work. Picasso has incarnated a catastrophe neglected by many other artists. He has in fact pulled a human tragedy into sacredness. Therefore, you can see more meaning and spirituality in “Guernica” than in Raphael’s work, though Raphael has also searched for his own meanings. Raphael and Masaccio have taken their themes from the Bible of course, but it doesn’t mean that their works have essentially deeper meanings. Edvard Munch’s “Scream” may have deeper meaning than Constable’s “Old Guitarist”, for example. Rothko’s “Funeral”, for example, in spite of enjoying a simple language, has described the being that is on the eve of death in the deepest and the most vigorous form. In his paintings of the years 1947 and 1948 in which he has used just two or three colors, an expanded realm of metaphysics are incarnated, much more than what you can find in the works by Manet and Van Dyke and Jean Dubuffet, the works that are full of the themes like human being’s alienation, human being’s responsibility and his destiny, death and freedom. These are the most meaningful themes the twentieth century artists are interested in, but some people are calling them non-spiritual works.

So is it right at all to consider such categories in art?

Dividing art into two categories of materialistic and spiritual is a kind of misunderstanding and damages a deep outlook into art. The art that is called “materialistic” nowadays may enjoy deeper spiritual concepts than the art that is called “spiritual”.

An Interview with Master Mohammad Ehsaii about the Spiritual Art

Farah Seyyedabolghassem

The mind’s activities in an artistic way make as a whole a spiritual development. But it seems that the authorities in charge of this “spiritual art” exhibition believe in a new definition of art that should be explained in a descriptive form.

Can we consider “spiritual art” as a part of plastic arts?

The answer to your previous question explains about this question too. If we assume art as a spiritual activity, the artist’s works are generally rooted in meaning, even if the artist would be just a narrator. Plastic arts can be a kind of artistic activity in “Heavens”. I guess the literal meaning of the word “spiritual” explains about the aim and the purpose of this exhibition. It is maybe a kind of “Mystic Art”. We have many kinds of such preoccupations in the history of art. There is a kind of iconography or praising religious virtues included in this realm. From this point of view, the works in this exhibition are representing spiritual art.

You mean you can discern a kind of revelation and illumination in “spiritual art”?

This would be a kind of explanation. However, “spiritual art” can have many different forms and interpretations.

Does Spiritual Art need to be accomplished by a Spiritual Artist?

In painting, for example, the main object is to make an image of soul. While the main object is to make an image of soul, the painter may be just an illustrator, may be just a skillful illustrator of the objective world and at the same time a narrator of what is happening in his soul. You have a believer who is living in Heavens all the time and you have a researcher who is working on different kinds of the religions of a nation in spite of being an atheist.

According to art philosophers, art is essentially spiritual. Does it mean that every work of art is spiritual? If you say yes, what is the difference between El Greco’s art with Degas’?

It is amusing for me how you can talk about El Greco’s art or Degas’ art. Maybe it is better to discuss about a certain work or another artist. As you know, these two artists have created many different works. If you want to discuss as a whole, there may be some misunderstanding and you cannot ascertain if the artist had devoted himself to the church and religion or he had been leading his career as he liked. If you consider admiring Beauty in our literature and poetry, when the writer or the poet is talking about a beautiful youth with a great deal of enthusiasm, you wonder how he is discovering divine radiance in that boy’s face. According to Nima (I am quoting just the meaning), we should have the power to sit at the creator’s place and look at the work of art from his own point of view.

What is the difference between the church paintings of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci with Picasso’s “Guernica”, from the viewpoint of spiritual art?

In the history of art, you have to judge everything according to the society of a certain time. For example, once upon a time, all of the artists were settled down in the courts of the rulers and were supported by them. But now we haven’t such a situation in our time. While the works of art in different periods of time are different from each other, we should consider the fact that the main reason is the personal situation of the artists and their outlook. Michelangelo’s and Picasso’s works may have the same esteem from the artistic point of view, but the artists have completely different outlooks. But I reiterate that the essence of “art” in their works is the same and the magic of art is flourishing from their works. Although one of them is living in Heavens and the other one is living in Human Dilemmas. In Leonardo’s portraits such as “Jesus Christ’s Passion” and in “Guernica”, the human being’s catastrophes are incarnated. In Leonardo’s work, you can see a divine background and in Picasso’s you can see a human and earthly background. But the artist’s impression is not a local one; it is a universal one belonging to all of the human beings. From this point of view, you can see that Leonardo, Michelangelo and Picasso have worked in the same way and have paid considerable attention to spirituality.

Thank you again indeed.

Interview with Shahla Habibi on the occasion of the “Spiritual Art” exhibition held in Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation at May 13^th, 2005.

Shahla Habibi is a well known painter who has returned to Iran after graduating in France. She has been studying and painting at the same time. At the moment, her concern is painting and studying in psychology of art and theosophy and eastern mysticism. There is a lot to be learned from her either in the field of painting or philosophy & mystical points of view.

We will have a discussion with her on this matter.

1-What is your definition of “Spirituality” and if we want to find a description for it, can we divide this subject to two parts of spiritual & unspiritual?

We know that evolution is the specification of nature & man however and in any situation runs this course.

The routine challenge and contradiction of daily life, is a kind of meditation itself. Through this effort, man finds his way. In fact a metamorphosis of consciousness happens.

Depending on the person, sometimes this process happens quickly and other times slow. “Consciousness is a matter different from knowledge and cognition."

Speaking of consciousness and wisdom either in religious vision or scientific point of view, based on the fact of man’s action and reaction, one spontaneously goes through the way of evolution and this path at most approaches the origin of creation and all it’s possibilities. But how could this road get passed? The common sense says that God is the purpose and manifestation of perfection; and self consciousness is the beginning of theology. A glance at the psychology of art shows that all the experts agree that art is a kind of self consciousness and we have heard that theosophy begins with self consciousness. Based on this fact, ones with more poetical observation believe that an artist is closer to God. Somehow we all believe that the nature of art gives a kind of speed to the spiritual evolution process of the world and the world is spiritual virtually. In the art of Persian painting (miniatures), up to the 13^th century, this spirituality is obvious. The origin of spiritual art is manifested in art works of that period, the metamorphism of immortal joy and a symbol of utopia.

2- We might get a little far from the main point, but I see it necessary to bring up a question here and it is that how does self consciousness manifest?

When the process of thinking decelerates, the absence of the mind evokes activation, concentration and energizes.

The Latest News of Niavaran: May 8, 2005.

Khojasteh Music Group Performing in Niavaran Cultural Center

Khojasteh Music Group led by the composer Sousan Aslani, will have a concert at Niavaran Cultural Center in May 12 and 13, at 7 p. m.

Talking to Ilna’s art reporter, Sousan Aslani said, “This concert will be a combination of traditional, local and classic music, being performed in two parts. The first part will be Esfahan’s Song and we will perform some pieces called In the Spring, without any singer. In the second part, we will perform some pieces with the singing of Bahram Tajabadi. The musicians Babak Baghaii (Tar), Ali Shahidi (Ude and Violin), Soodabeh Badiei (Violin), Tahmineh Badiei (Ude), Akram Matin and Fatemeh Seyyed Mohammad (Tonbak and Daf) will be accompanying me playing Santoor.”

She also talked about another concert of Khojasteh Group that is going to be performed in Talare Vahdat in July 7 & 8. One of the performances will be devoted to ladies in which there will be a singing by a lady.

News: May 1, 2005.

Loris Cheknavarian about the Music Festival of Contemporary Composers: This is a first-rate festival.

Kiavash Sahebnassagh: Most of the pieces performed in this festival are unknown for the audience.

The first Music Festival of Contemporary Composers will be held in Niavaran Cultural Center in May 5 to May 7, at 7 p. m. We had an interview about this cultural event with Loris Cheknavarian and Kiavash Sahebnassagh, two of the composers some pieces of them will be performed in this festival, in the Public Relation of Niavaran Artistic Creation Foundation.

Loris Cheknavarian said, “This is a first-rate and extraordinary festival. This is an encouraging for Iranian composers. I appreciate this program of the Music Department of Naivaran Artistic Creation Foundation.” About Armenian group Ani String Quartet that is performing in this festival, he said, “This professional quartet had been performing in various countries of Europe for ten years. They are extraordinary soloists.” About the contemporary composers and their status in the Iranian musical history, he said, “One of the specifications of our contemporary composers is that they are not similar to each other at all. Fortunately, everybody is following his own style.”

Kiavash Sahebnassagh who has been so active in forming this festival, said, “Most of the pieces by contemporary composers being performed in this festival are unknown for the audience. This is because the pieces haven’t been existed in a written format.” About choosing a string quartet for performing all of the pieces by Iranian composers, Sahebnassagh who has been living abroad for many years, said, “You can find the essence of a composer’s task in the pieces he writes for the string quartet. On the other hand, you can find all of the capabilities of an orchestral work in a string quartet. Considering the limitations of this cultural center and the festival, we couldn’t have a full orchestra here.” About choosing a foreigner group for performing pieces by Iranian composers, he said, “I preferred these pieces would be performed by an Iranian group, but I believe that playing the pieces is not the only important case; the sympathy of a group is important too. I got acquainted with this Armenian group through Mr. Cheknavarian a few years ago and I found out that it was a talented professional one. Along with this group, a few other ones were introduced to us too, but they hadn’t the ability of performing these pieces. Three or four months after choosing this group, we found out that the String Quartet of Kristof Rezaii has become active too. By listening to their works, we concluded that it was a very talented group, but we couldn’t do anything about it then, since we had already ordered the pieces.” About the number of the pieces performed every evening, he said, “We have 11 pieces by 11 composers. In the first and last evening, we will perform 4 pieces and in the second evening, we will perform 3 pieces. We will also hold a meeting with the presence of the contemporary composers and reporters in the last evening.”

Iranian masters of contemporary music in the Festival of the Contemporary Composers

The masters of Iranian music will be present at the first festival of the Contemporary Composers. This festival will be held at May 5, 6 & 7 in the Cultural Center of Niavaran. The musical department of Nivararan Artistic has been working to make preparations for this festival since the last months of 2002. This is the first time such a festival is being held in Iran, and Iranian composers from all countries around the world are attending it. Most of the pieces by the Iranian composers living abroad will be strange for the Iranian audience, since most of their works have been published abroad for the first time.

Cooperating with Dr. Kiavash Sahebnassagh who is living in Austria, the Music Department of Niavaran Artistic Creation Foundation has been in touch with the contemporary composers of Iranian modern music and convinced them to present their works in Iran. This festival is supposed to present the modern music of Iran. The concert will be performed in three successive evenings in the main saloon of the Cultural Center of Niavaran. All of these composers’ works are written for the string quartet and will be performed by the Armenian String Quartet of Ani.

Music Department of the Cultural Center of Niavaran will publish all of the pieces performed in this festival in a book and a CD.

Many prominent Iranian composers are attending this festival, including Ali Reza Mashayekhi, Hormoz Farhat, Behzad Ranjbaran, Kiarash Sahebnassagh, Loris Cheknavarian, Amir Mahyar Tafrashivar, Reza Vali, Ali Gorji, Shahin Farhat & Ramin Sadrbeigi.

“Ashes of Thirst”

Four Taziyeh Performances 5 – 8 April

at Niavaran Cultural Center

In the framework of the program Ashes of Thirst and in the final days of the Lunar month of Safar, four Taziyeh performances will be held at Niavaran Cultural Center.

According to the Public Relations of Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation, four performances are staged 5 to 8 April everyday after the call to evening prayers. They are played under the titles the Market of Shaam, Martyrdom of Ali Akbar, Martyrdom of Qassem, and Martyrdom of Imam Hassan Mojtaba, in the open space of Niavaran Cultural Center.

These four performances are led by Ali Akbar Qodousian, jury member of mourning rituals and nationwide Taziyeh festivals and former member of Iranian Council for Taziyeh. He is accompanied by professional Taziyeh singers

Reading of Play

A Life in Three Episodes

at the Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation

The play “A Life in Three Episodes” written and directed by Fereshteh Pezeshki, will be read on 18 and 19 December, at 6 p.m.

Maryam Moini, Tahmineh Mohammadi, Ibrahim Alipour, Maryam Bazrafshan and Shahrzad Khanzadeh play roles in this play and Maryam Danandeh is the assistant director. It is noteworthy that the autumn course of thematic play reading at the NACF is dedicated to comic plays.

Two Concerts in Four Days at the Niavaran Cultural Center

Two Iranian music concerts will be held at the Persian Gulf Hall of the Niavaran Cultural Center from Tuesday to Friday. Payam Jahanmani (Tar player) and Behzad Mirzaie (Tombak player) will perform a duet on Tuesday and Wednesday, 4 and 5 January 2005 at 7:30 p.m.

Payam Jahanmani, one of Hossein Alizadeh’s distinguished pupils, held a concert last year at the NACF entitled“Multiple Playing in Iqaie Periods”. It led to the release of a CD entitled Raha (Free), followed by another collection entitled Negah (Glance) which is due to release. Jahanmani and Mirzaie will play “selections of Iranian classical music, which is a reminiscent of the past, a harbinger of the present mirth, and a beginning for a glimpse”. Safa Katebpour Shahidi will also hold his piano recital of Iranian contemporary music at the Persian Gulf Hall on Thursday and Friday, 6 and 7 January 2005. He will play his compositions of Iranian and Azarbaijani fantasies. Isfahan Fantasy, Mahour, Dashti, Homayoun, Funeral March, Iran to the Memory of Rouhollah Khaleqi, etc. are parts of his concert.

This event might not happen for an artist in an ordinary situation. Since we know how active the mind is and it is constantly reviewing the incidents that have either happened in the past or the fear and worry for the future does not leave the mind alone even for a moment. In the situation of emptiness of mind, the redundancy thoughts banish and artist’s art work becomes his main concern. That is when the secret of nature appears on him (or her). It is called “intuitional perception”. Artist’s consciousness hunts this

Second, so a spiritual and transcendence course will be traversed. Psychology of art believes that art is one of the ways to acquire the self consciousness.

3- Is it necessary that all the artists go through this passage of spirituality?

Of course any one who paints does not drift this way as deep. But it’s expected that in an actual course, the artist comes to an intuition perception and cognition of new and creative forms of reality. To say that where and what level of this inner journey the artist is is not possible.

It is not to say that if a painter delineates the roughness and violence of human life, his art is not spiritual. In this process the course of evolution happens and we see how his mind regenerates. When the supernumerary thoughts go aside, the brain cells transform. The mind regulates and constantly before this reformation a kind of destruction occurs.

Before each instance, an inharmonious challenge of destruction to reformation exists. Biologically, occasionally, the cells renew. The artist drifts these courses faster and (for the reasons mentioned) sets in order quicker. Or some times he stays in this period of chaotic for years. Anyway, this is a course of evolution and spirituality.

K. G. Jung, the contemporary philosopher, psychologist and mysticolog speaks of the influence of religion in intuitional perception which Persian artists in past centuries had realized, through philosophy and knowledge. He says that artists are in danger of dementia and strong confusion. Because of the inner journey which is very dangerous itself without any preparation. In fat, by this statement he speaks about the surrealist artists whom are very interested in individual symbols. Jung believes that in the dream of people who are faithful to religious and mystical origins, worldliness symbols appears. These symbols for Jung are as “a psycho annunciation”. But those, who do not have religious beliefs, have chaotic dreams with no intentions.

(Psychology is a kind of empirical philosophy that explicates a general order. When 70% of an experiment is correct, it could become a general order.)

4- What is the origin of the word “Spiritual Art”?

Because the “Religious Art” or “Sacred Art” or “Mystical Art” motivates a special kind of spirituality, when we use spirituality, we had better know its roots and find its origins from the beginning modern art. When the school of Bauhaus formed, many artists felt the danger of fascism and probability of the negative impact of the improved technology.

“Kandinsky” and some other artists look for insurance in realm of spirituality. “Kandinsky” under the influence of “Wilhelm”, the German philosopher who has lived in China for many years, and was impressed by the Chinese culture yoga and follows their ways, he acquainted west with Chinese philosophy. “Kandinsky” writes the “Spirituality in Art” under the influence of this way of thinking. But this book is only the individual experiences of him. In my opinion, all of those who are interested in this kind of activity had better know his attitude. In this condition, art makes interrelationship with philosophy. Either it has a tendency for monotheism or not. Simultaneously with Kandinsky the most artists who were impressed by the Christianity, on the base of this statement of Christ, that “only children can enter the celestial world”, they endeavor to experience an infantile world, for example “Paul Klee” or “Pablo Picasso” who say: “I tried for many years to paint like a child”. Although, they worked with consciousness of a mature person and other group of artists like “Piet Mondrian” and “Kasimir Malevich” tried to display the basic harmony of nature in their new compositions.

If we should have a glance, and see an artistic path only by spiritual vision, we better name it as “Sacred Art”.

5- How could we definite the energy of artist’s creativity?

When the mind awakes, the intuitional perception, like the passage of a meteor, happens in an instant.

The works of the eminent “Michel Angello” is thought as “Sacred or Spiritual Art”. Thinking of the sculptor, we conceive him as a very strong person. When we refer to his works, we imagine him as a ancient God although we know that he was sick since childhood and they thought he would soon die. But with the great creativity and energy he worked for many years and he has created many master pieces.

This is a kind of energy that we can see in the works of “Michel Angello” as “Spiritual Art”.

For instance, “Jackson Pollack” also had this kind of energy. His works are expressions of energy. He shares his expressions with the viewers and impresses them by his excitement. So the artist begins his inner journey with a rich cognition and his knowledge would be the light of his way.

6- What is the basis of visual arts in the “Spiritual Art”?

Nature is the greatest teacher for an artist. When the sky is blue we feel happy and when it is gray we get sad. Sharpness of the mountains gives us anxiety and the softness of the clouds does not. At the same time, because of the order of relativity, we get illusion. For example when we paint the sun, in relationship with houses or human beings, we show the sun smaller that it’s original measure. We can not ignore the psychological reflect of the forms. Beauty creates beauty and chaos creates chaotic space. By the correct use of form and color, for a moment immortal world could be manifested. But forms in “Sacred Art” go to Meta conceptions and changes to the universal symbols. If we remind the international symbols the “Yen” and “Yuan”, we see in the recent years the realms of the Quantic Physics as the symbol for weltanschauung. The origin of this symbol goes back to the “Taoism” outlook. The meaning of this symbol in one sentence is balance between contradictions and the circle is the conclusion of the contrasts.

This symbol also exists in Persian arts, like Bote Jeghe “Termeh” directed upwards symbol of male, fascination and sky and downwards denotes the symbol of female and earth.

Translator: Gisha Rajaie

News 23 may 2005

Sessions for reciting plays, with the best actress of the Festival of Reciting Plays

The tragedy “Chinese Doll”, written and directed by Azadeh Ahmadian, will be performed in Niavaran Cultural Center’s open air, in May 28 and May 29, at 7:30 p.m. Azadah Ahmadian, the best actress of the Festival of Reciting Plays, along with Ghazaleh Jazayeri, Zia Homayoun, Elham Tanaii, Majid Mahzadeh and Soheil Mirsepassi, will perform this play. The track music of this session of reciting plays will be performed by Kaveh Alizadeh. Mihan Bahrami will have a lecture, reviewing this work. These sessions about “tragedy” will be held in Niavaran Cultural Center’s open air, every Saturday and Sunday of the week, till August 22.

News 21 may 2005

The first expedition of Iranian artists coming back from Mecca.

The first expedition of Iranian artists will come back from Mecca on Sunday, May 22. This expedition, supported by Niavaran Artistic Creation Center and the Art Under-Secretariat of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, will come back from the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina on the early hours of Sunday morning. One hundred artists have been accompanying in this expedition, including Mehdi Hashemi, Golab Adineh, Habib Ayatollahi, Hessamoddin Seraj, Asghar Hemmat, Mehdi Ghanbeigi, Behnam Kamrani, Reza Babak, Abdolmajid Hosseinirad, Anoushirvan Arjmand, Mahmoud Azizi, Taher Sheikholhakamani, Afsar assadi and Iraj Rad.

News 17 may 2005

The first Exhibition of Spiritual Art in Niavaran Cultural Center

The first Exhibition of Spiritual Art will be held in Niavaran Cultural Center from June 6^th. The secretariat of spiritual art of Niavaran Cultural Center will hold this first exhibition of spiritual art in three fields of painting, sculpture and modern arts. A seminar on spiritual arts will be held too, with some musical and dramatic pieces being performed. The jury of this exhibition is consisted of Parviz Kalantari, Seyyed Mohammad Fadavi, Asghar Kafshchian Moghaddam, Kazem Chelipa, Habibollah Sadeghi, Ali Akbar Sadeghi, Iraj Eskandari, Taher Sheikhol’hokama, Behnam Karmani, Abdolmajid Hosseinirad and Simin Keramati.

News 14 may 2005

Three great treasures of Café-painting in Niavaran Cultural Center

An exhibition of works by the masters of café-painting inaugurated in Niavaran Cultural Center in May 14. Some paintings from the collections of Niavaran Cultural Center, Museum of Contemporary Arts and Javad Aghili will be on show for 10 days, including paintings by renowned masters of café-painting such as Hossein Ghollar Aghassi, Mohammad Farahani, Ali Akbar Larni, Mohammad Hamidi and Javad Aghili.

The instructive workshops of café-painting will be held in the gallery of Niavaran Cultural Center with the great masters of this genre being present, every day from 2 to 7 p. m.

The Second Seminar on Art and Globalization

Iran & Japan

Training Workshop

“Japanese Tea Rituals, Flower Design, and Calligraphy”

The second Conference on Art and Globalization, attended by Iranian and Japanese thinkers, will be held on Sunday, 6 March 2005, at the Persian Gulf Hall of the Niavaran Cultural Center.

Six Japanese and five Iranian academicians will discuss traditions, art and culture of their lands as well as their interaction with globalization. Japanese Calligraphy and flower design workshops, along with tea rituals will be held during the conference.

The event, due to be held on 6 March, 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., is a collaboration between the Iranian Academy of Art and Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation.

Latest updates from Niavaran Cultural Center

4 April 2005

free admission for

Naser Taqvaee’s “Last Exercise” along with four Taziyeh performances in the program “Ashes of Thirst”.

Beginning from 5 April and continuing for four days, a program entitled Ashes of Thirst will be held at Niavaran Cultural Center to observe the Lunar month of Safar.

Last Exercise, directed by Naser Taqvaee, will be screened at the cinema hall of Niavaran Cultural Center everyday at 7p.m. The film, produced by the Center for Dramatic Arts and expected to register Taziyeh (mourning) performance at UNESCO, depicts Horr’s Taziyeh (Horr is one of the figures in the battle of Karbala).

A Taziyeh performance is also performed every evening at 8p.m. Market Place of Shaam (formerly known as Damascus), Martyrdom of Ali Akbar, Martyrdom of Qassem, and Martyrdom of Imam Hassan Mojtaba, directed by the group leader, Ali Akbar Qodusian, will be recounted in the open space of the cultural center.

The program will continue until Friday, 8 April, with free admission.

The First International Program of the Secretariat of the

“Spiritual Art” Exhibition in 2005

The commencement of activities by the secretariat of the exhibition “Spiritual Art”, based in Niavaran Cultural Center, in the new Iranian calendar year will be an exhibition in Bangladesh.

Dr. Seyed Mohammad Fadavi, chairman of the secretariat, said, “A selection of works from the First Quranic Festival, held last year in the month of Ramadan at Vahdat hall, will be displayed in Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, 16 to 21 April this year.”

“Displaying 48 works by 45 Iranian artists,” he added, “the exhibition will feature renowned artists, including Parviz Kalantari, Habibollah Sadeqi, Mohammad Ehsaee, Yadollah Kameli …”

including Sajed Qodousian, Abbas Maqsoudi, Qahreman Yousefi, Aqil Sediqi, Mostafa Rajabi, Seyed Davoud Vaqefi, Seyed Morteza Mir-Asqari, Ali Akbar Qodousian. Seyed Farajollah Miri and Baqer Riyazi are guest actors.

Ashes of Thirst will bestow a spiritual ambience upon Niavaran Cultural Center, 5 to 8 April, after the call to evening prayers.

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Dr. Seyed Mohammad Fadavi

Appointed as the Executive Manager of the Niavaran Cultural Center

Receiving an official decree from the Deputy Culture Minister in Artistic Affairs while retaining his current position as the president of the Institute for Promotion of Visual Arts, Dr. Seyed Mohammad Fadavi was appointed as the executive manager of the Niavaran Cultural Center. He is the former chief of the Plan for National Development of Visual Arts, Dean of Al-Zahra University, and the head of visual art group at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran. Below is a full text of decree issued by Dr. Imani, Deputy Culture Minister in Artistic Affairs:

With regard to your capabilities in managing art and cultural events, you are hereby appointed as the manager of the Niavaran Cultural Center. I hope you will benefit from your precious experience as well as cooperation of artists and professionals in expanding the activities of the center and sponsoring relevant programs to promote “spiritual art”.

Works of Installation, Video Art, and Photomontage

“Last Twelve Minutes in Bam”

at Niavaran Cultural Center

The exhibition “Eight Readings from Twelve Seconds”, due to open on 1 March at the Niavaran Cultural Center, once again will commemorate the victims of Bam.

A report by the Public Relations of the Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation quotes Homayoun Askari, creator of the artworks, “The exhibition is not a documentary; I do not apply a documentary approach to my works. They do not contain the definition that documentary works usually convey.”

A Kermani student of Architecture at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Tehran University, Askari, explains, “The distortion of documentaries, “Rectangular”, “Memorabilia”, “Houses of Bam”, “Palmistry of the Game of Bam”, “Bend your Knee”, “Official Figures”, and “Graveyard” are the titles of eight interpretations of the twelve minutes that led to the destruction of Bam.” He continues, “These works display different interpretations of the earthquake in Bam in the form of installation, video art, and photomontage. They are interpretations of human kind, statistics, figures, death and Bam.”

According to Askari, his works look at Bam in a different way and he has taken a whimsical glimpse at what occurred in Bam. In “palmistry” section, for instance, seven pictures of the dead bodies bear palmistry signs on their palms, or in the “Houses of Bam” section, five hundred Bami children have been asked to draw their houses before destruction and this way, create a paper city.

Askari, who will be holding his first solo show, explains why he chose the venue, “Both because of the type of its architecture and sizeable exhibition space, I considered that the Niavaran Cultural Center was quite suitable for my works. Besides, the only true gallery I know is the gallery of the Niavaran Cultural Center.”

The exhibition that opens on 1 March 2005, at 4 p.m., will continue until 8 March.

Exhibition of Conceptual Art

Abi-e Bikaran-e Honar (Blue Expanse of Art)

Niavaran Cultural Center

Saturday, 12 February

An exhibition of conceptual works by the Iranian art group Abi-e Bikaran-e Honar will open at the Niavaran Cultural Center on Saturday, 12 February 2005. According to a report by the Public Relations of NACF, 35 artists will display their works with the aim to present the group at the Niavaran Cultural Center.

Sculptures,pottbry, painting, and conceptual works of art as well as mime performance will be on view as of 13 February. The group leader, Jafar Najibi, says that the show includes 30 works of pottbry, 15 sculptures and relief works, and 150 paintings. Dramatic and conceptual art will be on display in the other section of the show. The paintings range between 40 x 50 cm and 150 x 200 cm in size. “The theme of the exhibition is free and each artist has created a work of art based on his/her social and political background”, commented Najibi, “however, a part of the show has been dedicated to blue color.”

With an aim to acknowledge Iranian pioneering artists and educate a younger generation of art students, Abi-e Bikaran-e Honar was established two years ago with only 12 members. Today, the group includes 50 artists. The exhibition, which is a collaborative effort between the Institute for Promotion of Visual Arts and the Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation, will continue until 22 February.

The Jury Panel for the Screening of the Works

in the First Nationwide Play Reading Festival

Behzad Farahani – Azita Hajian – Mihan Bahrami

Screening of the works for the First Nationwide Play Reading Festival will take place at the NACF on 2 January 2005. Behzad Farahani, Azita Hajian and Mihan Bahrami will be the members of the jury panel who will judge 32 works at this stage. The best works will go on the stage 15-20 January 2005 in the First Nationwide Play Reading Festival.

Iranian Music Concert

by Mehrbanou Group

at the Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation

Mehrbanou group will hold an Iranian music concert on Thursday and Friday 22 and 23 December at 7 p.m., in Persian Gulf Hall of the Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation. The group was formed in 1999 and has since performed successfully in Japan, Germany, Fajr Music Festival …

The group leader, composer and Santur player is Roshanak Nouri. Other members of the group include Hamed Kavosh, Mahroo Mostofi (vocalist), Nyusha Barimani (Kemanche), Fardin Lahourpour (Nay), Massih Tahvildari (Tar), Mahgol Emamian (Tar), Melodi Hashemi (Ude), Soheil San-Ahmadi (Bass Tar), Naqmeh Farahmand (Tombak) and Faeqeh Shahablou (choir). The group will perform Tesnifs, including Lovesick, In Your Quarter, Strutting Cypress, Night of Imagination, My Moon, Love Story, Dialog, ...