"As a responsible citizen of the United States, I oppose my country’s brutal foreign policy." These words, by Haleh Niazmand, are prominently displayed at the entrance of the Ellipse Arts Center’s new exhibit of contemporary Iranian art called "Transform/Nation."
Niazmand, along with other artists of Iranian heritage throughout the world, was encouraged to submit works addressing issues of identity, tradition, culture and stereotypes; over 250 submissions were received. Along with the 14 artists showcasing their work in Arlington, several others have displayed their pieces at a sister exhibit in Tehran, Iran.
The show was put together by Iranian Alliances Across Borders, a D.C. based volunteer organization dedicated to strengthening the Iranian diaspora community. The organization’s co-founders, Narges Bajoghli and Nikoo Paydar, curated the exhibit with Maryam Ovissi and Leyla Pope.
Highlights from the show include Niazmand’s photo of her enhanced fingerprints with the accompanying sentence, meant to be a response to the political and social atmosphere of the United States, post-9/11.
Other standouts were Jairan Sadeghi’s paintings of faceless Iranian women and Haleh Anvari’s photos of an Iranian woman in the Western world.
"I really liked the portraits of Iranian women because they show how they struggle to find a place in society, which is something I can relate to," says D.C. resident Maria Dabrowski, 23.
LIKE MANY OTHERS in attendance at the exhibit's opening reception last Thursday, Dabrowski came to the gallery hoping to learn more about the current situation in Iran.
Iranians have been living in a constantly changing environment since the 1979 revolution. Following the revolution, the creation of the Islamic Republic and the lengthy Iran-Iraq war both contributed to a growing diaspora. Iranians in the nation, and those outside of its borders, find themselves struggling to find a place in their transforming society.
The curators set up two exhibits hoping to educate a larger audience about the changes taking place in their birthplace.
"We really wanted to showcase art that spoke to Iranians and non-Iranians alike, as far as informing people of the feelings and experiences endured by Iranians," says Leyla Pope, one of the curators of the exhibit. "That’s what is so great about having two exhibits. More people will be exposed to the art and the messages this way."
Shirin Hakimzadeh, one of the executive directors of IAAB, hopes that the exhibit particularly speaks to Iranian youth.
"We [the members of IAAB] all came over here when we were really young, after the revolution," says Hakimzadeh. "I feel like younger Iranians don’t have the baggage that our parents do and we have the opportunity to be more creative and expressive with our art."
Along with photography and paintings, installations and films are also on display at the exhibit. Other events taking place in conjunction with the show include a panel discussion titled "The Power of a Cliché" on July 19, from 7-9 p.m., and a performance by a Persian classical musical ensemble, "Enchanted Strings" on July 12, from noon-1 p.m.
"Transform/Nation" runs through Saturday, August 4, 2007. The gallery hours are Wednesday-Friday from 11 a.m.-7 p.m., and Saturday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Ellipse Arts Center is located at 4350 N. Fairfax Dr. in Arlington, Va. The gallery will be closed the week of July 4. For more information, call 703-228-7710 or visit www.iranianalliances.org/art.