The third edition of the Tehran Experimental Art Week was launched on Thursday (May 12) at the Niavaran Cultural Center in Tehran.
Organized by the Urban Art House (UAH), the event covers three different projects, including an art performance, an open exhibition of installations and fusion music.
As visitors walk into the open grounds of the venue, they come face to face with experimental sculptures and installations set in the green spaces. The materials used for the artworks are mostly ordinary stuff such as socks, cotton, wool, wire, paper pieces and short cut pieces of hose. Young artists are busy completing their projects before the viewers, an attractive feature of the show.
The group installation titled 'In Between' is organized by Bita Fayazi, a skilled artist and a group of 40 young talented art students and graduates.
"Two parallel concepts are the focus of this project: 'Time' and 'Experiment.' Each work gets ready in time while providing the opportunity for artists to move beyond the common themes of art and experiment with their artworks," Fayazi told the Financial Tribune.
"This is a show which makes a direct connection or a symbiosis between art and the audience, through the various forms, shapes and colors set in a natural space."
Forough Absalan, Anita Esfandiari, Hamoun Baqeri, Nahid Behboudian, Pouya Parsa-Moqaddam and Aria Tabandehpour are some of the artists in the group.
Apart from the installations, there was "a walking theater," an interactive outdoor theater, directed by artist and choreographer Hamid Pour-Azari. The artists, donned with exaggerated make-up and costumes, present themes on everyday life representing different characters in the society.
Additionally, the 'Bahamzi' group is performing several board games to celebrate the international Tabletop Day (April 29). The organizers include the Tehran-based Board-Games Group, Cafe Board Group and Iran Game Development Institute.
Fusion Music
The highlight of the weeklong program is the Tehran Fusion Music event that is presenting concerts by local music bands every day.
Fusion music contains music genres that could be considered fusions of various historical genres; that is, they combine elements of different genres together and are challenging to the world of music.
"Although the style is not accepted as an independent genre yet, fusion music is an umbrella category that covers over 17 different genres in music, including country, classical, folklore, instrumental, pop and so on," Arman Jafari, a member of the UAH board of directors told this newspaper.
The event seeks to gather music artists, working in an innovative style, to start a new movement in Iran's music industry, Jafari said: "The bands are motley groups who had no opportunity to be introduced to music enthusiasts so far. We are trying to help them continue with what they have started."
The opening day saw several duet performances by guitarist Amir Saremi and vocalist Makan Ashgvari. In addition, pianist Sardar Sarmast, bass guitar player Amid Bonakdar and drummer Farhad Leqaei also had a show.
'Kamakan', 'Talangor', 'Bomrani', 'Comment', 'Behnaa', 'Daal', 'Avan' and 'Damahi' are the other bands scheduled to perform in the weeklong event.
In addition, Christophe Rezai, an award-winning French-Iranian composer will conclude the music program, with his unique music and motion performance. His 8-member band comprises violinists Bardia Kiaras and Parisa Pirzadeh, viola player Taha Abedian, cello player Atena Eshtiaqi, pianist Amir Darabi, guitarist Mehrdad Pakbaz, clarinet player Sayuri Shafiei and flute player Armin Qeytasi.
The Fusion Music project has been co-organized by UAH and 'Saazbuzz' group.
Arman Jafari, Mohsen Shahrnazdar, Arash Sadeqi, Shadi Rafei-Nejad are founders of the UAH established six years ago. Its activities revolve around "the relationship between humanities and art."
The event will receive enthusiasts through May 18.
