Narges Bajoghli on Paramilitary Cultural Producers of the Iran-Iraq War
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- byRustin Zarkar
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Rustin Zarkar
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Artifacts: the Paykan
The Paykan, like many of its drivers, has survived the tumult of revolution, war, reconstruction, and economic crises. The resilience of the Paykan mirrors that of 20th and 21st Century Iran, which can explain why it still endures not only as functional car, but also as a symbol of collective experiences and an object of nostalgia.
Goodbye Lenin, Hello Timur: The Evolution of National Monuments in Uzbekistan’s Capital City
National monuments in the Uzbek public sphere are often viewed as indicators of A concerted effort to break from Russian historiography and establish counter-narratives predating both Tsarist imperialism and the Soviet experience. However, if one carefully examines 20th century mechanisms of control in Central Asia, it is clear that Uzbek strategies to resignify historical and literary figures are derived from Soviet historiography.
Landmarks, Heritage, and Sites of Remembrance: The Armenian Churches of Iranian Azerbaijan
As UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran act as a celebration of the past, but not an examination of it. One may ask: where are the Armenians who lived here, if only their buildings remain? As landmarks are indoctrinated into the cult of heritage, we are able to consecrate something that speaks to cosmopolitanism without actually having to live it, or ask the question why the past no longer resembles the present.
گرافیتی به سبک ایرانی: آثار قلمدار، هنرمند خیابانی تهران
گروه رسانهی عجم از سال 1392 تاکنون مجموعه مقالههایی دربارهی هنرهای تجسمی ایرانیان داخل و خارج کشور نوشته و نمایشگاههای هنری نیویورک، هنرمندان خیابانی تهران و برنامهی زیباسازی شهرداری مشهد…
Making Graffiti an Iranian Art: The Works of Tehran-based Street Artist Ghalamdar
The work of Tehran-based street artist Ghalamdar exemplifies a new direction in Iranian street art. While the majority of artists operating in Iran are heavily influenced by motifs and techniques popularized outside of Iran, Ghalamdar is inspired by endemic calligraphic styles and miniature paintings that have been the primary targets for 20th century modernist art. In several conversations with AjamMC, the artist discussed how Iranian visual and literary culture influenced his work and how dominant trends in Iranian street art have solidified.
A Mural Erased: Urban Art, Local Politics, and the Contestation of Public Space in Mashhad
Municipal politics around beautification programs reveal the complexity of governance in Iran and shatter illusions about the monolithic nature of the Iranian state. By exploring how local actors express often-contradictory opinions about the nature and future of Iranian cities, a fuller picture of modern life and politics in Iran emerges — one that highlights the diffuse nature of power and local decision-making in the Islamic Republic.
Word As Image: Contextualizing “Calligraffiti: 1984-2013” with French-Tunisian Street Artist eL Seed
This synthesis of linguistic signs and visual representation is explored by New York’s Leila Heller Gallery in their new exhibition entitled “Calligraffitti: 1984-2013.” The show features a substantial collection of text-based visual art created by artists such as eL Seed, Parviz Tanavoli, Hassan Massoudy, Hossein Zenderoudi, Shirin Neshat, and many more. The show’s titular portmanteau points to another unification: that between graffiti and calligraphy.
The Poster Arts of May Day: International Worker’s Day in Revolutionary Iran
During the Iranian Revolution, International Worker’s Day became an ideological battleground as competing political organizations— secular and religious— organized their constituents and articulated their interpretation of worker’s solidarity. Visual ephemera related to May Day, such as posters, are testaments to the pluralistic nature of the early years of the Revolution. By looking at various posters disseminated by organizations of the time, one can see how various political factions used similar visual motifs and iconography.
Taking Back the Streets: Iranian Graffiti Artists Negotiating Public Space
Co-written by Los Angeles-based filmmaker Shahrzad Ghadjar and Ajam Co-Editor Rustin Zarkar. Follow Shahrzad on Twitter @spooksvilla. On the eve of Iran’s 1979 Revolution, the Iranian public sphere was transformed…