art and photography

By David J. Wasserstein | – Be careful of the company you keep. In a threat delivered over Twitter on Jan. 4, U.S. President Donald Trump said that he is prepared to “HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD” culturally important targets in Iran should the country retaliate for the American killing of its top general. […]

art and photography

From State Censorship to Western Stereotypes. Interview with Iranian Artist Maryam Palizgir

Omid Memarian

This is part of a series done by Omid Memarian for Global Voices called How globalization, identity and culture intersect in art. ( GlobalVoices.org) – Maryam Palizgir is an Iranian-born artist and designer who currently lives and works in the U.S. Her work is interdisciplinary in nature, combining two and three dimensional drawing, sculptural painting […]

art and photography

Haider Ali, Pakistan’s Truck Art, and Islam’s Message of Peace

Juan Cole

A sort of Muslim pacifist, the artist maintains that Islam is all about peace

art and photography

Saudi Prince who Bought da Vinci Painting could have given Sight to 9 Million Instead

contributors

By Peter Singer | (Project Syndicate) | – – A Saudi prince has been revealed to be the buyer of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Salvator Mundi,” for which he spent $450.3 million. Had he given the money to the poor, as the subject of the painting instructed another rich man, he could have restored eyesight to […]

art and photography

Saudi Crown Prince splashed $450 mn on Jesus painting

contributors

Middle East Monitor | – – Mystery over the secret buyer of a record $450.3 million painting was solved after it was discovered that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman had used a proxy to get hold of one of the prized assets in the arts world. The power hungry de-facto ruler of the Kingdom […]

art and photography

Painting of the Day: “The Lovers” (Iran, 1630)

Juan Cole

Safavid Miniature by Riza-yi Abbasi of Isfahan

art and photography

Painting of the Day: Girl w/ Wine Cup, Isfahan, Iran, 1650

contributors

British Museum | Persian Watercolor in style of Muhammad Qasim | – – “Girl with a wine cup Style of Muhammad Qasim Safavid Iran, Isfahan, 1640-50 Ink and opaque watercolour on paper By 1650 drawings of young men or women holding wine cups in the countryside had become standard rather than hackneyed fare in Persian […]

art and photography

Picture of the Day: Iranian Woman Tambourine Player, 1848

contributors

British Museum | Persian Costumes | – – “Portrait of a young woman; single-page painting mounted on album folio. A young woman kneels on a yellow and white carpet while holding a large tambourine to the right with both hands. She wears an orange blouse, a blue jacket fastened at the waist, and a bright […]

art and photography

Image of the Day: European Buddhists (?) & Zoroastrians, c. 1650

contributors

British Museum | (Safavid Era Painting) | – – School/style: Persian School/Style term details Culture/period: Safavid dynasty term details Date: 1650-1700 (circa) Production place: Made in: Iran “Four men worshipping at a fire altar and idol shrine; detached folio from an illustrated manuscript. At left, two Zoroastrian men hold their hands out in prayer toward […]