ECHOES IN BLUE, Two Exhibitions of Contemporary Iranian Art, Opens September 24 AND 25, 2004 in Lexington and Wellesley

Echoes in Blue, two exhibitions of contemporary Iranian art, provides a vibrant examination of life within the boundaries of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This touring group show featuring six women and six men, is curated by Iranian-born Homa Taraji, and designed to introduce Americans to the work of artists living and working in Iran today. The show runs from September 25 – October 24 at the Depot Square Gallery in Lexington, with an opening reception September 25 from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. In addition to the 12-artist group show at Depot Square, “Echoes in Blue” includes the work of Hossein Khosrojerdi, whose individual exhibition takes place at the Crane Collection Gallery in Wellesley from September 24 – October 24 with an opening reception September 24 from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Boston, MA (PRWEB) August 26, 2004 -- Echoes in Blue, two exhibitions of contemporary Iranian art, provides a vibrant examination of life within the boundaries of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This touring group show featuring six women and six men, is curated by Iranian-born Homa Taraji, and designed to introduce Americans to the work of artists living and working in Iran today. The show runs from September 25 – October 24 at the Depot Square Gallery in Lexington, with an opening reception September 25 from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. In addition to the 12-artist group show at Depot Square, “Echoes in Blue” includes the work of Hossein Khosrojerdi, whose individual exhibition takes place at the Crane Collection Gallery in Wellesley from September 24 – October 24 with an opening reception September 24 from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.

“In the last couple of years, Iranian talents have achieved international recognition,” said Taraji. “Lawyer Shirin Ebadi won the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize for her human rights work. Firouz Naderi led NASA’s Mars programs, including the flawless Mars landings of two spacecrafts, Spirit and Opportunity. Shohreh Aghdashloo was nominated for an Oscar. I think Americans are surprised by these expressions of Iran, which is often portrayed only as a hard-line fundamental state.”

Though the Iranian government requires that artists refrain from topics like religion and politics, Echoes in Blue clearly reflects the life struggles that exist in a long-lasting revolutionary state. Said Taraji, “The timing is right to bring contemporary Iranian art to the attention of an international audience, to demonstrate that despite the repression of women and art, Iranian artists of both genders have flourished.”

Artists featured include Shahla Etemadi, whose work uses vibrant images of light on water to depict a society that separates genders in public places. Her paintings detail the curtains installed in the Caspian Sea to provide separate swimming areas for men and women. Shideh Tami’s piercing portraits explore expressions of frustration by women living under fundamental Islamic rules dictating the way they can act and dress. Khosrojerdi, who participated in the Venice Biennial in 2003, portrays characters with no identity, experiencing life in a society that operates in the shadow of revolution, and struggling to maintain their Persian identity in contradiction with the imposed Islamic system.

Echoes in Blue is organized and curated by Taraji and Hamid Ladjevardi, co-founders of The American Foundation for Contemporary Iranian Art, and sponsored by Paradi International Fine Arts (www.paradionline.com) in collaboration with The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art. Taraji is president of Paradi, based in Los Angeles. She acts as liaison to the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, which facilitates the transportation of the artwork and coordination with the artists in Iran. She was born in Iran but has lived in the United States for the past 28 years. She holds degrees in physics and electronics from Tehran University, and an M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Southern California. She began her career as a software engineer at Pasadena’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, working on the Viking and Voyager missions. Subsequently, she had an extended career in the aerospace and information technology industries. Prior to founding Paradi, she was the Manager of Information Systems at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

The Depot Square Gallery is located at 1837 Massachusetts Avenue in Lexington. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Sunday 12:00 noon – 5:00 p.m. For more information call 781-863-1597. The Crane Collection Gallery is located at 564 Washington Street in Wellesley. Hours are Monday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., with 7:00 p.m. closing on Thursdays, or by appointment. For more information call 781-235-1166.

Please note: Ms. Taraji is available in Boston for interviews, and .jpgs are available on request.