We’re spoilt for choice!
At the V&A, there are going to be traditional songs, storytelling, sound art and poetry, along with dance performances. Most exciting of all: “Help make a giant pop-up paper carpet for a Persian picnic, create designs for tiles and find out all about the animals, plants and objects that represent spring.” It’s FREE: on – Lydia & Manfred Gorvy Lecture Theatre
On BBC TV (or later on the internet), this weeks Saturday Kitchen is featuring Sabrina Ghayour (author of Persiana) cooking a classic Persian New Year dish with a a great modern accompaniment.
In Tehran’s Saadabad Cultural Historical Complex, nomads from various regions of Iran are gathering to celebrate Noruz, with a series of exhibits and live music performances during the holiday.
And there’s some other not strictly New Year stuff, I wanted to let you know about:
No Lands Song – film about Iranian women singing solo, against all the rules – is going to be on at various cinemas in London 20/21/22 March – with some FREE actual singing on 22nd in Brixton. Read about the film, and the battle for women to sing in Iran here.
Kaveh Golestan’s surreal / prostitute / utopian polaroids are on show now-abouts. Read more about this ignored era of immediately pre-Revolution art history here. And go and the see the images as below:
- Polaroids by Kaveh Golestan. Art Dubai, 18–21 March
- Kaveh Golestan’s Prostitute series, Photo London at West Wing Embankment Gallery, Somerset House 21-24 May
- A Utopian Stage: The Archives of Festival of Arts, Shiraz Persepolis, Whitechapel Gallery in London, mid-April thru October
For the first time ever, an Iranian artist has a solo show at the Guggenheim, NY: Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian’s Infinite Possibility: Mirror Works and Drawings 1974–2014, runs until June 3. Read more here.
Asia House: Asian marketplace is “bringing the buzz of the ancient Silk Road to Marylebone (in London) for one long weekend”. This isn’t strictly for the New Year, but the seventh annual Asia House Fair features “dozens of exhibitors that represent the best in arts, crafts, fashion and design from across the Asian region”.
There’s lots on … giant pop-up DIY paper carpets; a nomad festival; solo female singing; mirror mosaics; pre-Revolutionary polaroids …
I’m sure I’ve missed out loads, but click here to read more.
And many apologies for saying ‘Persian New Year’ in the last posting, when of course it’s also New Year for Kurds, as well as in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, the North Caucasus, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
With the war with ISIS across Kurdish lands, though, not everyone can be happy, or is celebrating. Read here how Kurds in Bristol are boycotting Nev Roz this year.
Best wishes to everyone
Caroline
Gosh! I only spent 5 hours at the V&A, ignorant of the other events in Londonistan! You are a gem to collate an array of events. Hope you enjoyed the haft sin’s (without too much sinning)! 😉