SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — The images we see of Iran lately are of brave women and men fighting against a repressive regime. While they risk their lives in Iran, many people here in San Diego are trying to honor them. CBS 8’s Neda Iranpour shows us how they’re doing so through art.
Works of art by women, dedicated to women.
“Women got together, helped raise money to buy the work of Pouran Jinchi, a women herself,” says Dr. Ladan Akbarnia who is the curator of South Asian and Islamic Art at the San Diego Museum of Art.
“There hasn’t always been a space dedicated to Iran,” she says. It wasn’t until 2016 when Iran’s art pieces went on display here. These tiles were among the first, “members of community came to conserve this panel and when it came, it came in pieces.”
The tile panels from the 20th century show dancing and feasting similar to the style of a Safavid dynasty painting from the 16th-17th century. And now with a modern twist, people can watch the images move through the museum’s app, “you can hear the music and you can see them dancing and swaying.”
All of these pieces of art tell stories.
In another piece by Shadi Yousefian: Fading Memories (2019), “she captures the sense of where do I belong?” Dr. Akbarnia said.
Using her actual photographs, the artist cuts them and then reconstructs them to build a new composition.
“It either makes somebody from the region feel proud in a country far from the motherland or someone who knows nothing about it feel that they’re entitled to it too. It’s part of our global history,” Dr. Akbarnia describes.
And right now, as the Iranian revolution unfolds, we are all witnessing history as Iranians attempt to overthrow the Islamic Republic regime. Women are leading the way in fighting for their freedom.
Freedom to wear their hair as they wish, travel as they wish, study as they wish, and express themselves freely. That includes through art and music.
Anahita Babaei with the Persian Cultural Center of San Diego says on stage before a musical performance at SDMA, “we this year stand in solidarity for Iranian women’s cry for their rights and freedom of expression.”
Dr. Akbarnia was on the stage too for what’s called “Mehregan” fundraiser and said, “so many women and Iranians are fighting, risking their lives to have the most basic human rights and to be themselves in Iran. It is such a small thing for us to do but as a women your hair might mean a lot to you… and I just want to do this in honor of Mahsa Amini and all the women, this is for them,” as she holds up a piece of her hair.
While this group of Iranians shows solidarity, they can’t help but worry for their loved ones’ safety.
Shahri Estakhry says, “I’m like everybody else on pins and needles, we’re all on pins and needles not knowing what’s going to happen. I hate seeing the people of my country being destroyed that way and it’s so difficult to talk about it, I can’t stop crying every time I think about it. It’s not fair, it’s not fair.”
Estakhry moved to the U.S. when she was just 13 years old, “if I can’t be there, I will do what’s right what can be done to bring the cultures together, this has been my aim for my life I’m 80 years old.” She helped start the Iranian School of San Diego, is an integral role on the Persian Cultural Committee, supports the Iranian-American scholarship fund, founded the Dollar-a-Month fund, and played a major role in bringing Iran’s art to San Diego.
Estakhry says, “I love the arts and I think it’s a bridge for communities to get to learn about each other and to bring peace to each other.”
Peace is their wish for a country they love.
“Human beings need to love each other and human beings need to look out for each other,” said Estakhry.
You can view the Iranian art along with galleries from all over the globe at the San Diego Museum of Art in San Diego’s Balboa Park.
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