the PDF Book

“Yar-e-Mehraban”
Celebrating Feminity through Art
30Voices
March 8, 2014
Mission
Yar-e-Mehraban
(Kind sweetheart)
The Shahnameh ("The Book of Kings") is a long epic poem written by the Persian poet
Ferdowsi between c. 977 and 1010 CE and is the national epic of Iran (Persia) and the
30Voices is a not for-profit, non-political organization. 30Voices is dedicated to
Persian-speaking world. Consisting of some 50,000 verses. The Shahnameh tells mainly
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From the writings of: Reza Moradi ghiyas abadi (Persian studies site)
Translated by: Shirindokht Nourmanesh
www.30voices.org
Mission
Mission
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abuse.
www.30voices.org
www.30voices.org
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www.30voices.org
Thank
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Program
Mission
Conversations:
Elahe Amani- Activist
Emilia Sadeghi- Artist
Erit, Tiffany and Chloe Majdipour- Artist
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contributions of it’s supporters.
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With 30voices we also aim to raise
awareness
to domestic abuse and assist and
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rehabilitate Iranian woman and
their
families
who
have been victims of such
Sanam Salehian- Hayedeh
abuse.
Sahar Saeb & Sarvenaz Alambeigi- Broken wings
Samira Heshmati- Mom’s protest
Sarvenaz Alambeigi- Fear
Performances:
Pontea
Giselle Etessami & Lola Rice- Singer/song writer
Parisa Vaaleh & Homayoun Khosravi- Vocalist
www.30voices.org
Warning Signs
Are you in an abusive relationship?
This self-quiz will help you recognize the early warning signs. If you answer
"yes" to more than a couple of the following questions, you need to get help
now!
Does your boyfriend/girlfriend...
Want to spend every minute together?
Quiz you about everything you do when you are apart?
Keep you from seeing old friends?
Make fun of you or put you down in public?
Threaten to do something bad if you break up?
Make you feel like you can’t end the relationship?
Use alcohol or drugs as an excuse for being mean?
Have an uncontrollable temper?
Often get upset and refuse to discuss the reasons why?
Force you to do things that you don’t feel comfortable doing?
Domestic abuse, also known as spousal abuse, occurs when one person
in an intimate relationship or marriage tries to dominate and control the
other person. An abuser doesn’t “play fair.” He or she uses fear, guilt,
shame, and intimidation to wear you down and gain complete power
over you. He or she may threaten you, hurt you, or hurt those around
you. Domestic abuse that includes physical violence is called domestic
violence.
Despite what many people believe, domestic violence is not due to the
abuser’s loss of control over his behavior. In fact, violence is a deliberate
choice made by the abuser in order to take control over his wife or
partner.
Spousal abuse and battery are used for one purpose: to gain and
maintain total control over the victim. In addition to physical violence,
abusers use the following tactics to exert power over their wives or
partners:
Dominance — Abusive individuals need to feel in charge of the
relationship. They will make decisions for you and the family, tell
you what to do, and expect you to obey without question. Your
abuser may treat you like a servant, child, or even as his
possession.
Humiliation — An abuser will do everything he can to make you feel
bad about yourself, or defective in some way. After all, if you
believe you're worthless and that no one else will want you,
you're less likely to leave. Insults, name-calling, shaming, and
public put-downs are all weapons of abuse designed to erode your
self-esteem and make you feel powerless.
Isolation — In order to increase your dependence on him, an abusive
partner will cut you off from the outside world. He may keep you
from seeing family or friends, or even prevent you from going to
work or school. You may have to ask permission to do anything,
go anywhere, or see anyone. Source: Domestic Abuse
Intervention Project, MN
Threats — Abusers commonly use threats to keep their victims from
leaving or to scare them into dropping charges. Your abuser may
threaten to hurt or kill you, your children, other family members,
or even pets. He may also threaten to commit suicide, file false
charges against you, or report you to child services.
Intimidation — Your abuser may use a variety of intimation tactics
designed to scare you into submission. Such tactics include
making threatening looks or gestures, smashing things in front of
you, destroying property, hurting your pets, or putting weapons
on display. The clear message is that if you don't obey, there will
be violent consequences.
Denial and blame — Abusers are very good at making excuses for
the inexcusable. They will blame their abusive and violent
behavior on a bad childhood, a bad day, and even on the victims
of their abuse. Your abuser may minimize the abuse or deny that
it occurred. He will commonly shift the responsibility onto you:
Somehow, his violence and abuse is your fault.
Humilian
Domestic abuse falls into a common pattern, or cycle of
violence:
Abuse — The abuser lashes out with aggressive or violent behavior.
The abuse is a power play designed to show the victim "who is
boss."
Guilt — After the abusive episode, the abuser feels guilt, but not over
rch 8, 2012
March 8, 2012
How does art heal?
Scientific studies tell us that art heals by changing a person’s physiology
and attitude. The body’s physiology changes from one of stress to one of
deep relaxation, from one of fear to one of creativity and inspiration. Art
and music put a person in a different brain wave pattern, art and music
affect a person’s autonomic nervous system, their hormonal balance and
their brain neurotransmitters.
Art and music affect every cell in the body instantly to create a healing
physiology that changes the immune system and blood flow to all the organs. Art and Music also immediately change a person’s perceptions of
their world. They change attitude, emotional state, and pain perception.
They create hope and positivity and they help people cope with difficulties. They transform a person’s outlook and way of being in the world.
In fact it is now known by neurophysiologists that art, prayer, and healing
all come from the same source in the body, they all are associated with
similar brain wave patterns, mind body changes and they all are deeply
connected in feeling and meaning. Art, prayer, and healing all take us into
our inner world, the world of imagery and emotion, of visions and feelings. This journey inward into what used to be called the spirit or soul and
is now called the mind, is deeply healing. For healing comes to us from
within, our own healing resources are freed to allow our immune system
to operate optimally and that is always how we heal. This is the contemporary version of freeing our healing energies and is now recognized to be
crucial to healing. We go inward on The Creative Spiral together through
art and music.
Ghashghai
The Ghashghai nomads are found in the Fars province in the southwest of
Iran and they live in the providence of fars, Khuszestan and Southern
Isfahan but mostly in the surrounding of Shiraz.
They move twice a year, between the winter pasture near the Persian Gulf
and the summer pasture up in the Zaros mountains whereat is much
cooler. During the move it is possible to see the men with their typical
round hats, running together with their dogs, large flock of sheep and
herds of goats,along the roads swirling with clouds of dust. the women in
their colorful clothes move along with the help of donkeys and horses
towards new camp grounds. The tents that they live in are often made
from goat hair.
The reason why we present our work each year under such tents, is to
honor the respect that exists within Ghashghai tradition. Woman are
respected and treated as equals as with the Ghashghai men. Not only she
takes care of her family, she also is out hunting and doing what is needed
to take care of her family side by side her man.
After Eight Productions
After Eight Productions is a premiere event planning Productions
Company based in LosAngeles. We specialize in Consulting, Designing
and Planning upscale social events, including but not limited to
weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, anniversary and birthday parties, as
well as corporate events, holiday parties, theme parties, appreciation
dinners, and much more.
Our mission is to excel our services beyond the level of your
expectations. We acknowledge that each client is different, so we
are flexible and tailor our services to your needs and budget. The
experience and professionalism of our party designers can be relied
upon. This enables our clients to relax and enjoy their event.
We specialize in high profile events. We attend to the smallest details
of perfection for our events to satisfy our clients needs. We plan events
across the nation and internationally.
info@after8productions.com
https://after8productions.com/
Sarvenaz Alambeigi
Sarvenaz was born on February 16th, 1978 in Tehran. She has a BA
in Graphic Arts and Painting. She also has a certificate in documentary
making.
She says: The modern world should be the most secure place for
humanity to thrive. Nonetheless, people around the world have never
been more frightened than they are today. The concept of fear motivated
me to make a short film on this subject. The subject of this film is
fear - highlighted through the eyes of a child who, by virtue of the
observation of a mother, grapples with the fears she will eventually
face as an adult.
My Yare Mehraban, I honestly have to say, is myself. Because I don’t
think that in my world there is anyone else who sees me as I do or
understands me as I do, or even encourages or stands by me as I do
for myself.
sarv.alam@gmail.com
Elahe Amani
Elahe Amani is a gender, peace and social justice activist. Amani first came to United State in 1974 after
graduation from Tehran University. She had a scholarship to attend UCLA and further her education.
She is one of the founders of Independent Iranian Women Organization in 1985 in Los Angeles. Elahe
has also been very active on human rights of immigrant women in the ethnic communities of South
Asian, Iranian and the Middle Eastern in Southern California.
As a lecturer, Elahe has taught courses on Global Women’s Movement and Women in Cross Cultural
Perspectives in the Women Studies programs at the California State University (CSU), Long Beach
and Fullerton. Currently, she is chair of Women Intercultural Network, a global women organization
established after the Beijing Women Conference. She is also chair of the Coalition of Women from Asia
and the Middle East ( CWAME ), an Immigrant Women’s Human Rights Organization established in
1991, she is Orange County Representative of the California Women’s Agenda (CAWA) She is on the
Advisory Board of the Women Center at CSU, Long Beach. She has been active with the American
Association of University Women and frequent speaker for this organization on issues related to gender,
culture and women’s human rights. She served as International Interest Chair of American Association
of University Women in California between 20032005. Most recently she has been elected to be on the
founding board of the newly established non profit in Los Angeles called “ Society for the Support of
Human Rights in Iran “. Elahe is a peacemaker and trained mediator through the Southern California
Mediation Association ( SCMA) and works closely with this association on issues related to gender,
culture and mediation. In 2006 Elahe did a presentation at SCMA Salon on Gender and Mediation. She
also presented at the annual conference of SCMA in Pepperdine University on issues related to culture
and mediation. Amani is also affiliated with California Women Neutral which is a network of women
mediators in California and an active member of Mediators Beyond Boarders. Elahe has closely
monitored the global women’s movement and is connected with UN constituencies on women and
gender. During the UN 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, Elahe presented a paper
entitled, Women’s Human Rights and Islam. While chair of the President Commission on the Status for
Women at California State University Long Beach, she attended a postBeijing Conference in Cuba in
1998 and conducted two workshops. She attended Beijing Plus Five in summer of 2000 in New York,.
Since the Beijing conference, Amani has conducted workshops and facilitated numerous dialogues and
sessions at local and global conferences. Amani was also a member of the Women Intercultural Network
US Delegation to Afghanistan in May 2003.
Elahe is an unschooled artist and enjoyed painting and calligraphy. She had one solo drawing show
at Tehran University in 1972 and participated in a group art show in Los Angles called “ Veiling and
unveiling” in 2000.
Elahe has been a member of California State University family since January 4th 1988. She worked at
CSULB from 8899. In 1988, she was elected as the outstanding CSULB employee of the year. In the
same year she also was elected as the President of the Commission on the Status of women at CSULB.
At CSULB she was also a lecturer in the Women Studies Program since 1994. She took the Associate Director of Student Financial Services at CSU Fullerton in 8/99 while still teaching at the Women
Studies Program of CSU Long Beach. In 2001 she accepted the position of Director of Student Financial
Service at Fullerton. Currently she is Director of Technology Services for the Division of Student
Affairs at CSU Fullerton and active on campus and nationally to bring new and emerging technologies
for teaching and learning to the Student Affairs professionals.
elahe4peace@yahoo.com
Artecnica
Artecnica is a Los Angeles based design company that collaborates with established
and emerging international designers to create inspiring decorative objects for the living
environment.
Alongside such talented designers as Tord Boontje, Hella Jongerius and the Campana
brothers, we continue to explore vibrant, colorful ways of expressing compelling ideas
and bringing delight and discovery to everyday design.
Artecnica is committed to considering issues of environmental sustainability and
responsible manufacturing. Products are often made with recycled materials and
transported in easy-ship flat packages to help reduce our carbon footprint. And our Design with Conscience® program works with artisan communities in developing countries
to produce unique handcrafted objects that reflect indigenous skills. This humanitarian
approach supports shared work and profit across borders, cultures, races, and religions.
Here again, design acts as a catalyst for change, providing an opportunity to help
transform the global landscape.
Design w/Conscience, founded by Artecnica in 2002, is a program for the design and
manufacturing of products to be in accordance with humanitarian and environmentally
sensitive principles.
With the increasing globalization of trade, village artisans have become the outcast of
their traditional markets, insulating them from the potential demand for their craft. The
challenge is to develop a competitive product that will encourage the survival of
indigenous skills while managing to avoid the mechanization of the artisan and the
devaluing of artisan’s work.
In order to promote self-sustaining communities of talented artisans in underdeveloped
countries, Artecnica—partnering with nonprofit organizations such as Aid to Artisans and
the British Council—acts as the project producer and teams artisans in areas of need with
internationally renowned designers. The designers help the artisans find their place in the
international market and Artecnica provides the logistics, marketing and art direction
necessary to bring a finished product to the consumer.
www.artecnica.com
Hasti Ershadi
Hasti Ershadi is a Ph.D candidate in the field of Industrial Organization
Psychology. She is an expert consultant, trainer, and leader for different
organizations and projects. She has a special talent and ability to
understand the client’s needs and expectations. She treats every client
with respect and dignity. She has been accused of being a perfectionist,
organized and detail oriented. For every event she gathers information on
each project to achieve real quality in event productions. Her education
enables her to conduct research and make site visits ad find resources
to help each ordinary event become extra ordinary. She also develops
need assessment and client interviews to make sure that client has
been satisfied and received what he/she expected of this company.
Hasti believes that detail is what differentiates the ordinary events from
spectacular events. Hasti, had many leadership and planning experiences
through her time. She recognizes what needs to go into a project and how
to execute it well. She has natural leadership and creative vision, which
makes every event memorable. She has a taste for luxury, and she is
expert in consulting and producing upscale events for any occasion.
With her talent, charm and education, and her professionalism, she
develops solid relationships with her clients that tend to last throughout
client’s future plans.
ershadi@gmail.com
Giselle Etessami
Giselle Etessami is a 14-year old student from Los Angeles,
California. She has a plethora of hobbies, including acting, singing,
ballet, drawing, painting, and writing. In the future, she would like to
be either an entrepreneur, a performer of some sort, an endodontist,
a teacher, or a combination of the above professions (on top of being
a mother). One of her biggest supporters/inspiration is her best
friend, Lola Rice, with whom she co-writes songs with and discusses
subjects from spooky ghost stories to general theism and its effects
on humankind. Giselle feels that Lola is a source of comfort and wisdom,
two important things she looks for in a friend.
Satin Ghaffari
Satin Ghafari started painting when she was 10 years old and continued
learning with some of the finest teachers in Iran for 16 years.
She continued her education in Interior design, and has been teaching
painting classes for the past 8 years.
She lives in Tehran for the moment and hopes to one day be able to travel
to the States.
She paints almost every day and some days she spends 16 to 17 hours
a day painting. She loves to paint. She is an avid horseback rider and
enjoys painting them. She paints anything that she finds interesting.
Satinghaffari@yahoo.com
Halehhoo
Halehhoo is a mother, a painter, a sculptress and a storyteller. She has
self published two books with her poetry and paintings. She tells her
stories in video art form and she is currently working on a documentary.
Halehhoo, her art and expressions are born from the sorrows and
difficulties, the delight and tears of womanhood, and family across
many cultures. Her expression has been tempered in the crucible of
Persian-Iranian culture both lost and gained.
Leigh J. McCloskey
‘Across the broad continent of a woman’s life falls the shadow of a
sword.’ On one side of the sword, there lies convention and tradition
and order, where ‘all is correct’. But on the other side of that sword, if
you’re crazy enough to cross it and choose a life that does not follow
convention, ‘all is confusion’. Nothing follows a regular course.’ Her
argument was that the crossing of the shadow of the sword may bring
a far more interesting existence to a woman, but you can bet that it will
also be more perilous.”
Virginia Woolf
Halehhoo@gmail.com
Hayedeh
1942-1990
Hayedeh was born as Masoumeh Dadehbala in Tehran on april 10th 1942. She was born to be the
most influential and ionic Persian classical and pop singers of the 20th century.
Hayedeh was introduced to the people of Iran, when she was 25 years old, as a singer, on a Tehran
radio program called “Golhaye Rangarangh” (colorful flowers).
Her first song, a classic, is “ Azadeh” ( the free spirit ) as she was.
Hayedeh left her beloved country Iran shortly before the Islamic revolution in 1979. At first she
moved to London and lived there for 3 years but then moved to the US and spent her final days close
to her children and her beloved sister Mahasti who also was a singer. She released many successful
albums during her life time but her nostalgic and political songs became the most popular for the
migrated group of the exiled Iranians.
Hayedeh worked with many lyricists but the one who wrote mostly for her and worked on her last two
albums, was her best friend Leila Kasrai, also known as Hadieh. Her “Yar-e-mehrban”, Leila Kasrai
died in 1989 only months before Hayedeh’s passing after a long battle with breast cancer. Hayedeh
married and divorced 3 times and had three children from her first husband.
On the afternoon of Saturday Jan. 20th 1990, the day after her concert at a club in San Francisco,
Hayedeh died of a heart attack at the young age of 47.
She had complained of discomfort in her heart in the morning of her concert, but her doctor had
assured her that it wasn’t anything serious. Hayedeh had a series of heart problems, diabetes and
hypertension. She also had a history of alcohol and drug use and was a smoker. Her father and two of
her brothers also had died of heart attack.
Hayedeh was very saddened by her exile and that led to much of her depression and drug and
alcohol abuse.
She left a hole in hearts of everyone that loved her and her music. To this day she has not been
replaced with any female singer with her vocal capacity.
During her last night on earth, in her concert, she told the audience that life is like a speed train,
“I’m going to the house of God”, she said!
who knows what will happen in the future?, I may not be alive tomorrow! and she performed her last
song… man mikham be khouneye khoda beram( meaning I want to go to the house of God” lyrics
were by her best friend Yare mehrban Leili kasraie ( Hadieh).
Hayedeh’s albums are ageless masterpieces that are played and replayed in every Iranian household.
Hayedeh will always remain in our hearts.
Samira Heshmati
Samira Hashemi is an Iranian interdisciplinary artist who lives and works
in San Francisco/CA. She is the winner of FOKUS Video Art Festival
2014 Best video Prize/ Copenhagen/Denmark. Her work has been
exhibited internationally, recent venues are including, Copenhagen
Contemporary Art Centre, Copenhagen/ Denmark, Museum of
Ex-Teresa Arte Actual in Mexico city/Mexico, Parramasala Media
Festival in Sydney/Australia, Fonlad Festival/ Portugal and YATOO-i/
South Korea. She is also nominated for the Video Production award
from Kadist Foundation 2013/ San Francisco/ CA. She is currently
MFA candidate for New Genres from San Francisco Art Institute in San
Francisco/ CA. She received Bachelor of Fine Arts from Birmingham
City University in Birmingham/ UK.
samira.hashemi.f@gmail.com
Suzi Khatami
Suzi was born in Shiraz and raised in Tehran.She left Iran after finishing High School in
1977 at age 16. She then moved to London England and entered the School of Nursing
where she received the Nursing degree
Her passion for the Iranian youth is what makes her show popular amongst almost all
Iranian American youth. Her ever so understanding and passion and caring comes from
the fact the she has a son whom she adores and loves dearly.
Suzi is also an active board member of the Iranian American Parents Association (IAPA)
of Beverly Hills since 1994. She has also been helping the Iranian student groups and
continues to support their activities. She became a board member for an Iranian student
media network at UCLA. Suzi has been also one of the advisers edia world started in
1999 where she produced and hosted her first live talk show on local cable TV which became very successful over night. Soon after her work on TV, she joined the 670am KIRN
Radio Iran by producing and hosting an entertainment Show called “Live from Hollywood”. She was also asked to do a morning talk show for a while at the same station.
She has been a host for an entertainment show on an Iranian television show from 2002
to 2011. In 2004 she started another show called “The New Generation” that became a hit
since its start. On January 2012 suzi became an assistant Program director for the 670 am
KIRN radio station while doing her radio shows on the same station. She then resigned
as of March 2013 from 670 KIRN. She started a weekly TV show soon after where she
produces and hosts on Asreemrooz TV station. As soon as the newly Radio station, Radio
Hamrah started to launch in LA in February 2014, Suzi khatami was asked to join their
team and she has started her weekly program since which airs every Wednesday from
8-10pm PST. She is know for her bilingual shows so that she can cater to more listeners
including the Iranian American new generation.
Her passion for the Iranian youth is what makes her show popular amongst almost all
Iranian American youth. Her ever so understanding and passion and caring comes from
the fact the she has a son whom she adores and loves dearly.
Suzi is also an active board member of the Iranian American Parents Association (IAPA)
of Beverly Hills since 1994. She has also been helping the Iranian student groups and
continues to support their activities. She became a board member for an Iranian student
media network at UCLA. Suzi has been also one of the advisers for another Iranian
student association union in north America. Suzi has been working with several non profit
organizations and acting as their master of ceremonies. Iranian youth of Orange County,
hurricane Katrina and Iranian recovery center are to name a few.
suzikhatami@yahoo.com
Taraneh Khodai
I have been painting since I was very little and have always found it to be
a way to lose myself in thought and inspiration. Time and place can seem
endless to me when I paint and the love of it kept me going.
When I graduated from high school, I found myself interested in
architecture and that’s when I attended University of architecture
in Tehran.
After graduating I pursued my love for the arts and continued my
education in photography. Now I love both these art forms - Architechure
and photography- and I work in both fields.
I was born in Tehran, Iran and still live there today. I find the intersection
of old and new in this beautiful land keeps me on my toes with new ideas
and forms to paint or photograph all the time.
taraneh.khodai@gmail.com
Homayoun Khosravi
Homayoun Khosravi was born in Tehran, Iran. His musical influence began with his
father who was a violinist. From the age of 14, Homayoun started his own journey
in the Tehran Conservatory. At first, Homayoun meddled with other instruments
until he found his calling; the cello. After some years of classical study, Homayoun
began working with the Tehran Radio Orchestra and Tehran’s Symphony Orchestra.
With subsequent years of training and work experience as a cellist, he received a
scholarship to join the Vienna Music Academy. This cultivation of music in Vienna
occurred under the guide of A. Navara. Homayoun’s musical journey would take him
across Europe where he apprenticed and performed with the Warsaw Conservatory
of Music in Poland. After his return to Iran, he started to play in the NIRT Chamber
Orchestra. The culmination of his musical exploration was expressed back in
Tehran. Homayoun’s distinct love of music was practiced in a multitude of areas
including teaching, performing, and working as a recording artist with multiple
renowned studios.
In 1986, Homayoun brought his family to California where he embarked on a
new venture while keeping his passion for music alive. His experiences include
performing with the Beverly Hills Symphony Orchestra and the Wilshire Ebel
Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Allan Gross. Further he was at the musical
forefront of many acclaimed performances including a tour with Michael Crawford
and the Phantom of the Opera where he performed in over 100 venues all through
out the United States. Homayoun continued to explore music in the world of composition with the drafting of music for French movie “Reve de Lac”. Additionally,
he worked on the composition for the film “Ever After”, as well as the music for
the film “Return to Paradise”. Homayoun’s involvement hasn’t stopped there; he
continues to actively perform throughout the United States with different artists and
orchestras, keeping his experiences vigorous with film, television, and any venue
that allows him to express his musical expertise.
Homayounkhosravi@gmail.com
Haleh Mashian Lahijani
For over seventeen years, the paintings of Santa Monica resident artist
Haleh Mashian have colorfully illustrated her whimsical and astute view
of the world, both real and imagined. With layer upon layer of thick
acrylic paint continually applied, scraped off and re-applied, her
paintings reveal richly colored stratum of expressivity. Fascinated by
the similarities between color theory and musical composition (she is
also an accomplished composer), Mashian merges theory with instinct,
ultimately transcending visual boundaries and bringing all the senses to
her work. Key to her creative process is her ability to translate into visual
form her inner expression and sense of intuition. With this process in
motion, Mashian dances with color and shape.
Iranian born and fluent in five languages, Mashian believes that each
language she speaks adds a new dimension to her life, a new layer. She
earned a Bachelor of Science degree from USC.
info@halehstudio.com
Andy Madadian “Andy”
ABringing matinee idol charisma to the silver screen and concert stage is ANDY, Persia’s legendary
music exile aka “The Prince of Persia” or “The Persian Elvis” in media circles, who has released multiple
albums selling in the millions throughout the world with countless Number 1 hits. Voice of America ,The
Persian program called the Iranian /Armenian the best artist of the year and Armenian pulse called him the
best Armenian international singer of the year. Andy has toured extensively around the world many times
over playing some of the globes most prestigious venues, theatres and stadiums. A humanitarian, he has
appeared and contributed in many International charitable causes, most recently having recorded “Stand
by Me” with Jon Bon Jovi to show solidarity for the people of Iran garnering 7 million hit on youtube . He
was recently invited to perform at the One World Peace Concert with HH Dalai Lama which was broadcast
live on AXS TV. Appearances in feature films have include DREAMWORKS’ “The House of Sand and
Fog” ( Sir Ben Kingsley and Jennifer Connelly) where Andy is featured singing in the film and contributed
to the score and he has supported and contributed to several indie films such as “Futbaal”, “The Florist”,
and Guide Company Films “The Keeper” (The Legend of Omar Khayyam) with Academy Award Winner
Vanessa Redgrave, in which Andy plays the governor of the ancient city of Samarkand. Andy first made his
mark on ABC’s 2001 production of the “Princess and the Marine”.
When Andy’s not acting or producing movie scores, Andy’s a musical trailblazer forging a new path
that redefines traditional musical borders. He plays to soldout venues all over the United States, Europe,
Canada, Australia, Russia and the Middle East. His touring schedule regularly includes locales
rarely if ever performed in by Americanbased artists such as Armenia, Uzbekistan, and cities
Tashkent,Samarghand , and in the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates, amongst others, spreading
his universal message of love and joy. In the United States, he has played for the last ten years to critical
acclaim at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, as well as the prestigious Kodak Theatre in Hollywood
and large scale venues in Las Vegas. His music was recently chosen by the JPF “Independent Music”
Awards Best Middle Eastern Album and Song for the second year in a row. In a gala ceremony at
Universal Studios, he was named Persian Pop Male Singer of the Decade. For five years in a row he
has received the coveted Best Armenian International Singer, Best Armenian World Artist and Best
Armenian World Album awards and in Nov 09 he received the “ Legend Award “ from Big Apple
Music Awards. He was also recognized and awarded twice by the City Council of Los Angeles for his
contributions through music to the city.
Once a professional soccer player, Andy’s love for the game has remained throughout the years and a
personal highlight, he was chosen to be the Featured Halftime Performer for the exclusive Chelsea VS
InterMilan Soccer Match at the Pasadena Rose Bowl which allowed him to combine both his passions.
His recent concert at Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre was a huge success where he also hosted several
major International Artists (Israel, Korea, Afghanistan) to participate in a live debut performance of
the Humanitarian Charity project / song “We Hear Your Voice” which was Written and Produced by
his wife and fellow Recording Artist – Shani Rigsbee. The song / video which promotes Peace and
Connection will release in mid 2013 with proceeds benefitting International Children’s charities.
www.andymusic.com
Chloe Majdipour
Chloe is an 18 year old from Los Angeles, California. She is
currently studying Political Science and Women’s Studies at the
University of California, Berkeley. Chloe sees art as a form of self expression and began painting and drawing at the age of 8. Since
then her artistic abilities have grown and she now enjoys oil painting
on canvas as well as graphic design. Chloe hopes to use her artistic
skills in conjunction with her passion for politics and social
equality to one day make a difference in the world. Chloemajdipour@yahoo.com
Erit Majdipour
Erit is an LA-based artist who lives with her husband and two daughters.
She acquired her artistic skills from her mother, who is also a painter.
She has been oil painting on canvas for over twenty years and her
favorite style of painting is realism. She draws inspiration from artists
such as Georgia O’Keefe, Eli Repin, and Ivan Shishkin. Erit uses her
art as an expression of her perceptions of the world and views all art
forms as a means of expressing oneself and bringing about peace. She
has instilled the same passion for art in her daughters, who also pursue
painting not as a hobby, but rather a lifestyle. Her life mantra is that
we only have today, so we must use it wisely. She believes that one must
always be impeccable with his/her being. She aims to inspire through art.
Majdipour@roadrunner.com
Tiffany Majdipour
Tiffany is currently a third­year undergraduate student at UCLA. She is
majoring in Gender Studies and pursuing a career in Dentistry. She began
drawing and painting at a very young age with the influence of her mother, who is also an artist. Her favorite artists include Salvador Dali and Georgia O’Keefe. Currently, her topic of interest/inspiration is Old Hollywood, with her most current painting being a black and white portrait of Audrey Hepburn.
Tiffanymajdipour@yahoo.com
Pontea
Pontea is a passionate singer/songwriter and actress from LA whose
music forms a bridge between contemporary/pop/soul/R&B. She
entertains audiences with her raw, vibrant, and soulful vocal/piano
performances, which spontaneously include beat boxing. She has
performed in numerous venues across LA including House of Blues, The
Beverly Hilton, Rockwell, Republic of Pie, Room 5, Pig n Whistle, and more.
Pontea graduated from UCLA as a psychology major, and is fascinated
by human interaction and connection, especially by intimate relationships
and friendships.
To Pontea, friendship is a priceless and timeless dynamic. It is most
meaningful when two souls hear each other, see each other, and
recognize each other. A good friendship brings out the best in us, and
inspires us to be better. A friend shows no judgment, only support and
insight. Friendship is an effortless bond, yet needs care and maintenance,
with proper communication, honesty, kindness, and laughter. I feel most
grateful in my friendships when I can be myself completely and loved
and valued for everything that I am, good and bad. I feel most grateful
when my friends and I share a reciprocity that satisfies both of our
energies in this bond. I am ever grateful for the beautiful friends that
add light to my life.
ponteab@gmail.com
Mina Rafaie
From 1971-76 I studied general art and stage design in “academia di
belle arti di roma” in Italy. I worked as a stage designer in Tehran’s opera
house. After the revolution I continued my work as an illustrator for
children’s book and also as a painter. In my spare time I loved to teach
young people to draw and paint. I also had many individual and group
exhibitions in Tehran.
My work is a mixture of traditional Iranian art( miniature) and modern
art. I use patterns similar to eastern carpet design; I also usually use
bright and joyful colors to express positive energy to the viewers.
I use mix media and a lot of collage in my work. Mirrors are used as
medium to reflect the viewer’s presence, creating an interaction with
each individual viewer. This will be my first exhibition abroad. This
collection of my work is a reflection of my own life. Joy of living, and
mysticism of death, although in my view death is a new beginning.
Mnrafiei@yahoo.com
Mojgan Saberi
Mojgan was born in Tehran, Iran. She immigrated to United States in
1983 to pursue her studies in Architecture. She received her degree from
Southern California Institute of Architecture.
Love of colors and art forms have been part of her life from early on
and manifest themselves in her paintings, drawings and photography.
Mojgan’s inspiration comes from lucid poetry and also nature’s clarity,
purity and simplicity with yet complex relations to human interactions.
Her paintings start with metaphors, concepts & forms from her
imagination transferred by brush strokes and colors to a blank canvas.
Each painting unfolds as a mystery from the beginning, emerges with
new ideas in the process and ends with a story to tell.
Oil, Acrylic and Water Color are mediums which she uses in
her paintings.
mojgansaberi@gmail.com
Emilia Sadeghi
Emilia Sadeghi was born in Esfahan, Iran. She received her BA from
UCLA School of Art and Design in 1985. She has been working as
a creative director commercially. Sadeghi has been exhibiting her
sculptures in juried shows and galleries throughout Southern California.
In 2013, her bronze sculpture “Rak-She” received honorable mention in
“All Media 2013” exhibition from the chief curator of the Laguna Art
Museum of California.
Sadeghi lives and works in Laguna Niguel, California. Her recent
collection “I am” consists of 3 series “Two Worlds”, “Shahnameh and
Me” and “Desert Ships”. The collection consists of bronzes, ceramics
and three-dimensional mixed media that are about her and her childhood
memories of Iran.
sadeghi@yahoo.com
Sahar Saebnia
Sahar Saebnia is an artist from Iran. She graduated from Emily Carr
Institute of Art & Design, Vancouver Canada, in 2008 in Fine Arts.
At a young age, she started painting. Sahar employs a variety of
traditional themes in her paintings and photography to recall the history
of her beloved country Iran. Her art is a link and a bridge connecting
the past to the present. Her Art Works are very sensitive and responsive
to the realities of human condition of her time. In recent years, her Art
Works are inspired by the inhumanity in the world. Her last creation
touches your soul by the unbelievable shots of Child and mesmerizing
melodies of her home town reveals the cruelty of child abuse.
She reside in Iran after living in Canada for last decade to feel the
reality of the Art in the heart of her home and have several Art Works
to be presented in upcoming exhibitions.
sahar.saebnia@gmail.com
Homa Sarshar
Homa Sarshar is a published author and an award-winning journalist, writer, media
personality, and lecturer.
She is the author of two books and the editor of twelve other volumes, including five
volumes of the Iranian Women’s Studies Foundation Journal and four volumes of The
History of Contemporary Iranian Jews. Her latest book Shaban Jafari was the number
one best seller Persian book in Iran and abroad in the year 2003.
From 1964 to 1978, she was as a correspondent, a reporter, and a columnist for Zan-e ruz
weekly magazine and Kayhan daily newspaper in Iran, where she also worked as a
television producer, director, and talk-show host of National Iranian Radio & Television.
In 1978, Sarshar moved to Los Angeles where she resumed her career as a freelance
journalist, radio and television producer, and on-air host. Since 1998, Sarshar has been
working with a satellite television network here in the United States as a writer, producer,
and host of various programs. Her show is broadcast weekly throughout the United
States, Europe, and Iran.
In 1995, Homa Sarshar founded the Center for Iranian Jewish Oral History in Los
Angeles, an organization that has succeeded in collecting a wealth of information and
documentation about the life and history of Jews in Iran.
Throughout her 40 year career with Iranian print, radio, and television, Sarshar has done
more than 1500 interviews and has produced and anchored as many radio and TV
program. She has also produced a collection of twenty video documentaries on exiled
Iranian writers, poets, and artists, some of which has been acquired by the Library
of Congress.
Sarshar has received numerous awards for her work, including the Medal for Special
Achievement in Women’s Rights, given by The Iranian Women’s Organization of Tehran,
Iran; Journalism Award: Distinguished Iranian Women by The Encyclopedia Iranica, and
Commendation for community affairs services by County of Los Angeles.
www.Homasarshar.com
Poline Shooshani
“It is only with the heart one can see rightly; what is essential is
invisible to the eye”. This quote by Antoine de SaintExupéry in “The
Little Prince” examples Artist’s purpose to reveal inner meaning through
color and texture on canvas. The strength of her work stems from the
drive to express emotions that cannot be pinned down in to words. As
a child, growing up in the rich cultural heritage of Iran, the beauty of
music, paintings, poetry and nature moved and inspired her to explore a
medium for self exploration and expression. Poline is on a life’s journey
to bring the magnificence of nature in synergy with the freedom of the
soul and the glory of being. Her works reflect a world filed with vivid,
beautiful colors, which beckon the viewer on a powerful visual and
emotional journey. She has a storytellers ability to brings feelings and
dreams in to life.
As a student of Rumi, the great Persian poet and philosopher, She is
motivated to look beyond the ordinary for mystic and symbolic
meanings. Through the lens of her paintbrush, she seek unity of man
with nature. The result is the familiar, yet abstracted reality, formed
with dreamlike sensation of human emotion.
She says; “ I am on a life’s journey to bring the magnificence of nature
and color in synergy with the freedom of the soul and the glory of being.”
1poline11@gmail.com
Marjan Vayghan
Born to Azerbaijani parents in Tehran, Iran in 1984, I emigrated to the
United States in the Spring of 1995, settling with my family in Los Angeles. I continue to live alternately between Teheran and L.A. My work
is informed by this context of movement and flexible citizenship across
both geographical and cultural spaces, and the multiple realities these
spaces engender.
As an AzeriIranian American, my life has been and continues to be
informed by politics of transnationalism, which engages the subject as
a flexible citizen. The notion of home becomes an idea that manifests
itself throughout my conceptual and performative art. The impetus of my
creative practice is an effort to bridge these diverse communities into a
space of creativity and understanding.
The works submitted are a part of a series of exchanges and performances, which began to take shape as my work began to transcend rigid
notions of borders and classifications. Giving me a sense of “Home”
within my creative practice, while simultaneously creating sensations of
displacement and alienation. As I am a condition of hybridity, my practice is a site where I reconcile this condition of dislocation, and create
an alternative space that engenders community and belonging for those
existing in between cultures, borders, and sanctions.
marjanvayghan@gmail.com
Womenfound Foundation
Womenfound foundation was created to raise money and awareness about
the plight of women around the world. Among our current projects are a
Womenfound Education Foundation where we prepare lecture series or
semester curricula for high schools, colleges and universities to make the
next generation of leaders, writers, politicians, philanthropists and citizens
better aware of the legal, cultural and political status of women around the
globe, and the plight they face. Women and girls often bear the brunt of war,
famine, natural disaster and political upheaval. We hope to shed a bright light
on traditions and systems that disserve women around the globe and empower
a generation to engage in the global trend toward fundamental freedom for all
people, including women.
We are also working on creating a seasonal gallery to showcase the works of
women who find us from around the world, and seek our help in not just aid,
but a mechanism for longterm sustenance. It has often been said that if you
help a woman, you empower her to help the entire community around her. At
Womenfound, we look for ways to establish longterm sustenance for women in
need. The gallery has at its core a mission to help create a market for the creative
able to send back the proceeds and establish a longterm income stream for them
and the community they belong to.
We started Womenfound with a small retail store in Los Angeles. But as the
economy would have it, the store could not survive. So we have turned away
from retail as we try to grow in other directions. We invite anyone with ideas,
resources and an interest to get involved to contact us through our website. We
look forward to hearing from you.
Our hope is to grow WOMENFOUND into a foundation that helps some
of the neediest women,caring for some of the neediest children, on Earth.
Visit us at www.womenfound.org
Sohi Zargham
I’m a wife, a mother, a sister and a grandmother. In Iran I was an
industrialist, a University professor and a factory owner. I am a textile
engineer by education from England and a painter at heart. Since I was
a little girl in Iran, I have doodled flowers and birds. As far back as I can
remember I’ve loved the colors of nature and the trial and error of putting
their forms down with a paint brush.
As I have gotten older, and my busy professional life has given way to
the quieter contemplative world of family matriarch and doting grandma,
I have gotten better and better at painting and enjoy it more than ever.
I paint out of love and as a hobby. I love giving my work away to friends
and family. They seem to really appreciate the kar-e-dasty that goes into
my work and shower me with compliments and accolades - which at my
age I relish.
I paint on silk, china and glass and give to to my friends and family on
different occasions including birthdays, NoRooz, Valentines Day and
Thanksgiving which is my favorite holiday.
sohi@soffalle.com
Yar-e-Mehraban March 8, 2014
Yar-e-Mehraban March 8, 2014
www.30Voices.com