Standing in the Dust
July 10-July 28
Photography of Yalda Moaiery
The Sausalito Center For The Arts and Artistic Freedom Initiative is honored to present Standing in the Dust, Photography of Yalda Moaiery.
The establishment of the Islamic Republic has resulted in women in Iran engaging in various forms of struggle for over four decades. Importantly, they have sought economic independence and distanced themselves from the government's stereotypical view that a woman's role should be confined to mother and wife. Their protests have included everything from resistance to wearing government-prescribed clothing to wearing excessive and exaggerated make-up as a way to challenge a government that so closely regulates appearance.
This movement has also led women to acquire higher education and secure positions in universities to combat academic discrimination. In recent years, it has involved defiance against compulsory veiling and taking to the streets to voice fundamental rights. Iranian women are in a constant battle from birth, navigating through the most delicate stages of life while confronting traditions, myths, religion, and gender discrimination on a daily basis. They are like roaring rivers that, for years, have been trying to bore through obstacles and continue on their own path.
As a woman in Iran engaged in the traditionally male-dominated profession of news photography, I endeavored to capture the struggles of these women over the past two decades. Through photographing each one of them, I learned a great deal about their patience and resilience. I hope that viewing these photographs and this exhibition will help draw the attention of the global community towards the plight of the women of Iran.
Opening Reception
Saturday, July 13th
5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Panel Discussion
Sunday, July 14
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
More details to come.
Dancing with Hafez
July 28th, 2024
Starting with the poetry of Hafez, one of the most famous Iranian poets of the 14th century, choreographer Parya Saberi considers “every word as a jewel.” During the pandemic, with her mother stranded here in the United States, Saberi and her mother read Hafez’s poetry daily to begin each morning together during shelter-in-place. Each section of her latest project is named after a section of a poem by famous Iranian poets, and thematic inspirations come from the words. “The verses have so much movement and dance within them,” notes Saberi. A concise version of Dancing with Hafez will premiere on July 28th, 2024 at the Sausalito Center for the Arts.
Parya Saberi has worked with Bay Area artist Suhaila Salimpour for years, so this collaboration is a natural extension of their work. Their mutual admiration, commitment, and cultural connections shine through within the process. “Dancing with Hafez tells the stories of Iranian women’s lives. At the forefront of the project is Parya’s experiences in Iran. She is an immigrant, a person who had to leave her family in pursuit of a better life. We want to honor those who cannot. It is really important to understand her why,” offers Salimpour. Salimpour herself is a first-generation immigrant. Her family is Kurdish and fled from Iran to the United States.
The movement vocabulary in Dancing with Hafez is based on Parya’s lived-body experience as an Iranian woman and the Salimpour School vocabulary. Special attention is given to the upper body and the head-hand connection. Saberi describes it as “contemporary Iranian dance.”
Dancing with Hafez is a vital and timely work to express Iranian culture and the voices of Iranian women. While dance is illegal in Iran, Saberi and Salimpour on U.S. grounds feel empowered and called to share their stories and speak on behalf of Iranian women. Saberi emphasizes, “We want to honor and represent the anti-patriarchal revolution in Iran and all of the brave women and men who have fought and continue to fight for the Woman Life Freedom movement.”
Join us on July 28th, 2024 to see, feel, and hear a multi-layered expression of contemporary Iranian art. Salimpour shares, “This is for all of the Iranian women and men imprisoned. It was not for nothing. When the rallies and the hashtags stop, there has to be another level of hope, with work like this.”
Two Shows July 28th
5:00PM - Photography discussion
5:30PM - Dance
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8:00PM - Photography discussion
8:30 - Dance