This past January I was interviewed by Behnood Mokri on VOA - Voice of America - Farsi. I have always been a fan of Behnood Mokri's programs. It is hard to believe that I was a guest on one of the shows that we all used to watch back home in Iran with my parents. It was a great honor and I really enjoyed the chat. This is part of the interview which was aired today on VOA's "Shabahang". The complete version will be shared soon through VOA website and on their Facebook page. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcLthoDVWFA&feature=youtu.be[/embed]
poems
Bucket Feet Event at Soho House Chicago /
During Art week at Soho House Chicago, another fun event was held. We were given a pair of white shoes to paint on! Thanks to Bucketfeet, A Chicago based Company which was launched in 2011 after two strangers met in Argentina - an artist and a backpacker -. A pair of hand-drawn shoes inspired the idea of the company and showed the power of art bringing people together. Soho house members were provided a pair of Bucketfeet shoes to design. Amazing music, great atmosphere, lots of creative people, that is just a recipe to create something fun. And this is the result! The shapes are all from Persian (Islamic) designs and the Farsi calligraphy is a Rumi poem which translates into "When I found love I became immortal". Art week at Soho House Chicago has been such a fun and amazing week with lots of different and fun activities which brings all art lovers together.
My body lusts for soul and soul for me... /
Rumi sessions keep flowing through my soul and it's coming through different shapes and colors. It's created a new language of love. We hear his poetry and we delve into his world and listen for its echoes in our own. The world of Rumi is neither exclusively the world related to any particular religion; it is a state of an evolved human who is not bound by cultural limitations, a one who touches every one of us. As per the reflection of his poems, we see him as an impassionate seeker of the truth and love. It all began when Rumi met Shams, the impact of which left an everlasting impression on Rumi and his work. It's just another reminder to us that you would never know where your next inspiration may come from or who might actually aid furthering your growth. Few years later, when Shams disappeared, Rumi fell into a deep state of grief and gradually out of that pain outpoured thousands of poems which are collected in two epic books named "Divan-e-Shams-e-Tabrizi" and "Massnavi". In my new series of work, I have used some of these mesmerizing poems mixing them with Persian symbols and colors. Stay tuned for more images.