Sharp Pencils

Friday, 5 October 2018

Solitary tears of Joy

It has been at least 10 minutes but I am still crying! I don't seem to be able to control the tears of joy. I just saw the picture that Jenna has sent me. Photos of one of the photos that's to be exhibited at #ManchesterArtGallery on Sunday 8th October.

The piece is going to be installed tomorrow. Not long before I could stand back and look at my complete artwork responding to Maya Angelou's Still I Rise. The work that took a couple of months to be specifically created for the lift in the Manchester Art Gallery.

If you are interested do come to the Still I Rise exhibition (a free event) on Sunday and have a look at the unique and magnificent artwork that women in the Travelling Heritage Bureau have created. You can also find "Solitary" exhibited in the life.

There will be three free trails (at 12.30pm, 2pm and 3.30pm). Do come early as there is lots of interest in this event.

#Solitary is the name of my work in a group exhibition #Still_I_Rise by #Travelling_Heritage_Bureau #CAN and #DWAN with Yusra Warsama at #ManchesterArtGallery

Gone

Tuesday, 2 October 2018

Solitary انفرادی

#Solitary is the name of my work in a group exhibition #Still_I_Rise by #Travelling_Heritage_Bureau #CAN and #DWAN with Yusra Warsama at #ManchesterArtGallery

It's a free event.

Trail Times: 12.30pm, 2pm and 3.30pm.

Hope to see some of you on 7th October

https://www.travellingheritagebureau.com

For more information click on the link below

https://www.facebook.com/events/2114477565479913/

افتخار حضور در نمایشگاه گروهی "با این وجود بلند می‌شوم" با مجموعه‌ی عکس و نوشته‌ی "انفرادی" در گالری هنر منچستر در 7 اکتبر را دارم. شرکت برای عموم آزاد و رایگان می‌باشد

Backstage

A response to Still I Rise

Yes We Rose

Tuesday, 25 September 2018

میراث سفر

Together we make #TravellingHeritageBureau :)
Although this is only a few of us in the group.

Sunday, 23 September 2018

گروه کر بهار در منچستر

دیروز روزی فوق‌العاده شلوغ بود با این حال نتوانستم سرکی به کارگاه آواز گروه کر بهار نزنم. فعالیت‌های هنری و فرهنگی ایرانیان منچستر خیلی خوب پیش آمده و اکنون فعالیت‌هایی چون شب شعر، جلسات موسیقی، گروه تاتر و موسیقی، شاهنامه‌خوانی و آموزشگاه موسیقی صهبا را در منچستر داریم. وجود گروه کر حرفه‌ای هم گامی دیگر در جهت موفقیت ایرانیان منچستر است

با بهترین آرزوها برای این گروه

جهت کسب اطلاعات بیشتر به یکی از لینک‌های زیر مراجعه کنید

https://www.facebook.com/uniquecirclemanchester/

https://www.facebook.com/events/2082080678470402/

HOPE

Music: Shadmehr Aghili, Tars

Thread Bearing Witness @WhitworthArtGallery
Travelling Heritage Bureau
Sep 2018
با گروه میراث سفر، نمایشگاه شاهدان نخ‌نما، گالری هنر ویت‌ورث، منچستر

#hierarchy_of_worth

I had the pleasure of working alongside Alice Kettle, Jenna Ashton and a group of female artists in Travelling Heritage Bureau [Roxana Allison, Rand Aljundi, Ekua Bayunu, Angelica Cabezas, Shaheda Choudhury, Lucia Cuevas, Aida Foroutan, Firoozeh Fozouni, Kani Kaml, Khalidak K, Anna Mikolajczyk, Zhila Mozoun, Roua Nazar, Mahboobeh Rajabi, Monika Rajani, Gloria Saya, Mania Soker and Mei Yuk Wong].

The main medium for this collective artwork was textile. Our cushions / sculptures were created and put together somewhat quietly. The exhibition was up and running days before the official preview day on 20th Sep. I first thought this lack of alignment with respect to the preview date and the start date of the exhibition was a miscalculation on the Gallery's behalf or maybe we got ready earlier than expected. I even wondered if this is how things are normally done by the Gallery.

It was nothing short of a wonderful dream for my HOPE cushion sculpture to be exhibited alongside Alice's work and the work produced by other members of the Travelling Heritage Bureau in the Thread Bearing Witness exhibition at Whitworth Art Gallery. 20th September 2018 was our Day.

I was going to ask my friend to record my first reaction to the promotional material (banner, poster, leaflets, ...) on site. There had to be some indication that the exhibition was happening, right? I had my mobile and my camera with its stand ready for action; but as it turned out there was no need.

Rehearsing the background for the piece to have something to say about HOPE, just in case: Each side of HOPE represents a phase: sorrow, barrier, growth and hope. In the hope phase, my hand represents a tree and HOPE is its fruit. I was also looking forward to hear other artists' story about their artwork and what inspired them.

I listened to the talk about the exhibitions. I expected to be acknowledged somehow and again I wanted it on camera. My finger was hovering above the red circle on the mobile screen. This moment never came or maybe came and went so quickly that I missed it! There was a sentence about refugees or migrants or something. I just took a few pictures with my phone and put the camera away. Maybe I am expecting too much when even Alice was not given a chance to speak about her work.

Anyhow, I discovered that there was a catalogue detailing the production of the pieces. How fantastic! Even-though there was no chance to talk about the piece, I hope that at least we have a short paragraph about our work included in the catalogue. I'll find out exactly what is included when I get a copy of the catalogue.

P.S. Unfortunately I did not get to sign the thank you card for people who helped us. So I take this opportunity to thank Jennifer Wilks and Alison Stewart, the fabrication assistants for their help. Thanks also to everyone who came to see the exhibition.

To conclude I loved the fact that my work was exhibited at Whitworth Art Gallery and nothing could take this sense of pride and excitement away. After many years of being condemned to stay under the 'invisibility cloak', witnessing people looking at my artwork was magical. I am so proud of everyone in the Travelling Heritage Bureau. It was a pity that this wonderful event was not planned in such a way to include everyone. Maybe the artist's status matters but despite all, Still I Rise :)

#price_tag

related posts:
HOPE

مهر

Holing my mug in hand, I sit on the floor and rest my back to the radiator. So nice to be able to trust the warmth that won't let you down.

I start drinking tea in my half-filled mug. For a panicked second, my brain hesitate to direct the gulp of tea towards its usual path. I've had thousands cups of tea without any problem with the swallowing process. Scared of chocking on the second sip, I put the mug down. I become less of "me" everyday! Something is eating "me" away from inside.

It's time to let go and relearn some basic skills. I won't let this monster takeaway my ability to live I will re-learn how to stand up, how to lough. I most definitely re-learn how to enjoy a cup of tea even in the dark days of the Autumn ahead.

چای را در فنجانی چینی ریختم. فنجان به دست، روی زمین جلوی شوفاژ نشستم و پشتم را به شوفاژ تکیه دادم. چه خوب که شوفاژ آدم نیست که به ناگهان پشتت را خالی کند و بی‌خداحافظی برود. چشمانم را بستم و به مسیری که "به چه حالی من از آن کوچه گذشتم" فکر کردم. برای‌اینکه اشکم دوباره سرازیر نشود جرعه‌ای چای سرکشیدم و به سختی آنرا فرودادم، نفس عمیقی کشیدم و به جرعه‌ی دومی که می‌خواستم بنوشم فکر کردم. جرعه‌ی دوم

چرا اینقدر از نوشیدن جرعه‌ی دوم می‌ترسم؟ شاید به گلویم بجهد. ولی نه! توانایی نوشیدن را دارم. می‌توانم داشته باشم. خواهم داشت. ساده است. تمام عمر بدون آنکه لحظه‌ای به چگونگی فرودادن آن بیندیشم هزاران چای نوشیده‌ام. نمی‌گذارم حدس‌زدن‌های اشتباه خودم و واقعیتی که بر سرم آوار شده توانایی نوشیدن چای را هم از من بگیرد. نه! نخواهم گذاشت

دوباره می‌آموزم: ایستادن را، خندیدن را، لذت نوشیدن فنجانی چای را حتی در دلگیرترین و تنهاترین روزهای مهری مملو از بی‌مهری

Wednesday, 19 September 2018

افتتاح نمایشگاه در منچستر

'Thread Bearing Witness' exhibition at Whitworth Art Gallery

The exhibition preview day is tomorrow (Thursday 20th September 6-8pm).

It is a free event.

پرواز با بال‌های پارچه‌ای

فردا (پنج‌شنبه 20 سپتامبر) روز بازگشایی رسمی این نمایشگاه است. نمایشگاه تا بهار سال آینده به روی بازدیدکنندگان باز خواهد بود. خوشحال می‌شوم شما را نیز ساعت 6 در مراسم رونمایی در گالری ببینم. شرکت در نمایشگاه برای عموم رایگان می‌باشد