TEHRAN – The Cinematheque of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMOCA) will be screening three short documentaries on Iranian female artists on Sunday.
“Between Shadow and Light,” “Gizera” and “Gizera” are both documentaries directed by Khosrow Sinai and Maryam Navabinezhad’s “Stone Etched Story” is a documentary chosen for the programme that begins at Cinema Sek at 4pm.
The screening program is part of the ongoing “Women’s Words” exhibition at TMOCA. Every Sunday, the program presents a documentary focusing on women, society and the arts.
Produced in 2002, “The Shadow and Light Room” is about the ideas, style and works of the painter Pharaoh Souri.
The 25-minute documentary revolves around the work of artists who invent iconic characters and stories to express her views on life.
Osouri’s art, skillfully constructed and beautifully painted paintings that combine her character with a modern touch, blending her character with traditional Persian painting style, is internationally exhibited and award-winning. Here, a new dimension is given through pantomime and poetic narratives. As the film continues with Ossouli, the dramatic performance work brings the characters back to life with a surreal blend of wall observations and iconic images.
Born in Zanjan, 72 years old, Farah Osuri is a graphic design graduate who graduated from the Faculty of Art at Tehran University. She is known for her contemporary interpretations of Persian miniatures. Often her work is based on issues related to women’s lives, Persian poetry and classic Western art.
Over her more than 30 years of artistic career, she has achieved a unique blend of technique, material, theme and storytelling. She was a pioneer in introducing contemporary themes and ideas into miniature painting.
She founded Dena, a women’s art group that held over 30 exhibitions between 2001 and 2007. She is a member of the Iranian Association of Painters. She holds national and international exhibitions in West Asia, Europe, Africa, North America and Asia.
Her paintings are part of the collections of museums on the continent, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Los Angeles County Museum, the Ludwig Museum in Koblenz, Germany, the Tropen Museum in Amsterdam, and the Devi Art Foundation in New Delhi.
The 20-minute documentary, Gizella (2000), explores the work of Iran-based Hungarian artist Gizella Varga-Sinai (81). Featuring English narration, the film explores her life in both countries, introducing some of the artist’s biggest works.
Gisela was born in Chestkova, Hungary, and moved to Austria, where she studied at the Vienna School of Decorative Arts, where she received her bachelor’s degree in art education. There, she met Iranian filmmaker Khosrow Sinai and married him. In 1967 she came to Iran with her husband and settled in Tehran. A year later, Gizera’s first solo exhibition took place at a modern art gallery in Tehran.
In 1978, she won the “Mirror in the Mirror” Exhibition Award. Gizela taught at a contemporary studio in Tehran between 1981 and 1987, then taught art at the German Embassy school for 25 years.
Gizera became a member of the Dena Art Group in 2001. Over a six-year career, the group of Iranian female artists (such as Pharaoh Souri, Farara Shay, Mariam Shirinrou, Sharahabibi, Rana Farnod) has been exhibited in countries like Swands, Swands, Iaraland, Ianland, Swands, Swands, Devours, Swands, Swands, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swands, Whip, Swand The most important of these feats occurred at the United Nations buildings in Geneva, the European Parliament building in Brussels, and the Ludwig Museum in Koblenz.
She exhibited her works at 19 solo exhibitions in Austria, Finland, Hungary, Georgia and Iran, as well as more than 120 group exhibitions, including China, the United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, the United States, Finland, Portugal, France, Norway and India.
Beyond her artistic practice, she has made significant contributions as a teacher and organizer of educational events at institutions such as Moaser Studio in Tehran and schools associated with the German Embassy in Iran. Additionally, she has led many private workshops both in Iran and internationally.
Varga-Sinai always aims to create dialogues between the past and present, showing how myths and legends continue to resonate within modern culture. Her art reflects this interaction, bridging traditional narratives with contemporary expressions.
One of her most important works, created in the late 1970s, “Blind Doll,” draws inspiration from Omar Kayam’s poems and captures the atmosphere of the era. Another notable collection, “Echoes of Silence,” exhibited in 1986, was influenced by the salvation of Persepolis, and combined them with modern elements to provide a fresh interpretation of Iran’s rich heritage.
Born in Mashhad, 62 years old, Farzane Asady received an honorary doctorate from the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Education and is a sculptor who holds the title of most powerful female from Lebanon. She is a member of the founding committee and board of directors of the Iranian Association of Sculptors.
Asady graduated from Mashhad’s high school and continued to study graphic art and illustration at the Faculty of Art at Tehran University.
She has participated in numerous exhibitions in Iran and abroad, including France, Ukraine, Japan, and Greece. Many of her sculptures are installed in urban squares and auditoriums.
To understand Asady’s greatness as a sculptor, look for more than her many top art honors, honorary doctorates, and international exhibitions. But beyond praise there is a life shaped by strength and resilience. Married young and now a mother of three, she has made a creative path to all odds. He called out the heavy stones for emotion and meaning. Her work is very personal. Each sculpture reflects a part of her inner world, full of clarity, depth and untold stories. She reminds us that when true passion leads the way, excuses don’t hold weight.
The “In Women’s Words” exhibition, released on July 23rd, is dedicated to showing 121 works by contemporary Iranian female artists.
Curated by Afsaneh Kamran, Toka Maleki and Sajjad Baghban Maher, the exhibition displays works by artists such as Monir Farmanfarmaian, Behjat Sadr, Parvaneh Etemadi, Farideh Lashai and Leyly Matin Daftari.
SS/SAB