COOK, EAT, and CLEAN
Die iranische Künstlerin Masoumeh Jalalieh lädt zusammen mit 20 Künstler*innen aus dem Iran das Publikum vom 29. Mai bis 2. Juni ins eindorf zum Salon “COOK, EAT, and CLEAN” ein. Den Salon im eindorf zeichnet aus, dass das Publikum in einer intimen Atmosphäre und sehr unmittelbar die Darbietungen erleben kann.
29. Mai bis 02. Juni 2024 von 18:00 bis 22:00 Uhr
Free entrance
WEDNESDAY 29th
18:30h
Dietmar Baurecht (Bezirksvorsteher) speech
Masoumeh Jalalieh (Curator) speech
Daniel Zimmermann(eindorf) speech
Meinhard Rauchensteiner (Advisor for Science, Culture and Art to the Austrian Federal President) speech & poems
19h
Nima Noury music
20h
Flatland Alireza Keymanesh & Amir Pousti shortfilm
In plain sight Tanin Torabi shortfilm
Artist insurance Masoumeh Jalalieh shortfilm
21h
Even if we are here Yalda Pakzad performance
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THURSDAY 30th
19h
Damnoosh In Memoriam Sina Saberi lecture performance
19:30h
Es gibt allerdings Unaussprechliches Marzieh Emadi & Sina Saadat shortfilm
My lovely home Alireza Keymanesh shortfilm
20:30h
Mit einem Sieb Wasser schöpfen Toranj Mashayekhi & Masoumeh Jalalieh performance
21h
Toranj Mashayekhi music
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FRIDAY 31th
19h
Nargess in progress Sina Saberi lecture performance
19:30h
Metaphore Shirin Farshbaf performance
20:30h
Mira/o Nazanin Mehraein shortfilm
Solitude Roya Keshavarz shortfilm
Licking Ava Jalalishortfilm
Ice cream: the one that is worthy of closure Ava Jalali & Sorena Zahedi shortfilm
21h
ZOORKHANEH Mostafa Shabkhanperformance
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SATURDAY 1st
19h
/oo/ she her او Nazanin Mehraein performance
19:30h
Parmiss Rahmani music
20:30h
Possibilities Shirin Farshbaf performance
21h
The Window Mostafa Shabkhan shortfilm
School Behzad Gholami shortfilm
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SUNDAY 2nd
19h
PASSING THROUGH TIME Ahoo Maher performance
19:30h
No one knows Nazanin Mehraein shortfilm
Forbiden lines Lagha Ghavam & Maryam Farahi shortfilm
Farewell Masoumeh Jalalieh shortfilm
20h Bita Bell poems
20:30h
Room Mostafa Shabkhan performance
21h
Avin Ahmadi & Toranj Mashayekhi music
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ALL DAYS 18h – 22h
Durational Performance:
INSIDE OUT Hananeh Heydari
Poignant Kimiya Rastgou Moghadam
A house occurs Golara Ghofrani
Installations:
HEDJLEH Ahoo Maher
A Journey Through Maternity and Mortality Nazanin Mehraein
Entwined Kimiya Rastgou Moghadam
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ABOUT COOK, EAT and CLEAN
Gezeigt werden Performances, Installationen, Musik und Filmbeiträge. So ist unter anderen der international auftretende Tänzer und Choreograf Mostafa Shabkhan mit zwei Performances vertreten.
Die Musikerin Toranj Mashayekhi zeigt gemeinsam mit Masoumeh Jalalieh eine Live-Sound-Performance mit Küchengegenständen. Die Performance-Künstlerin Yalda Pakzad kommt eigens aus Rom angereist, da sich ihre Performances hauptsächlich um die Idee von Kochen drehen – und damit perfekt in das Konzept von “COOK, EAT, and CLEAN” passen.
Die Installation der in Österreich lebenden Künstlerin Ahoo Maher’s installation ist ein symbolisches Monument, das die Betrachter*innen mit ihrem eigenen gebrochenen Spiegelbild konfrontiert, und Teil einer Ausstellung sein wird.
Der Performer und Choreograf Sina Saberi mit Wohnsitz in Hamburg wird zwei Episoden seiner Trilogie vorstellen: den Prozess seiner neuen Kreation, die in einigen Tagen im Kampnagel Premiere haben wird.
Der Filmemacher, Schauspieler und Choreograf Alireza Keymanesh hat für seine experimentellen Tanzfilme „Flatland“ und „My Lovely Home“ mehrere Preise auf verschiedenen Festivals gewonnen. Beide Filme werden im Salon “COOK, EAT, and CLEAN” zu sehen sein.
Darüber hinaus gibt es weitere Beiträge von Nazanin Mehraein, Shirin Farshbaf, Kimiya Rastgou Moghadam, Hannaneh Heydari,Golara Ghofrani, Ava Jalali, Behzad Gholami, Roya Keshavarz, Lagha Ghavam und Maryam Farahi, Tanin Torabi, Nima Noury, Avin Ahmadi sowie Parmiss Rahmani.
EN
Iranian artist Masoumeh Jalalieh, alongside 20 other artists from Iran, invites the public to the „COOK, EAT, and CLEAN“ salon at eindorf from 29 May to 2 June. The salon at eindorf is characterised by the fact that the audience can experience the performances in an intimate and direct atmosphere.
Performances, installations, music and film contributions will be shown. Among others, the international dancer and choreographer Mostafa Shabkhan is represented with two performances.
Together with Masoumeh Jalalieh, musician Toranj Mashayekhi will present a live sound performance with kitchen utensils. Performance artist Yalda Pakzad has travelled all the way from Rome, as her performances mainly revolve around the idea of cooking – and therefore fit perfectly into the concept of „COOK, EAT, and CLEAN“.
Austrian-based artist Ahoo Maher’s installation is a symbolic monument that confronts viewers with their own broken reflection and will be part of an exhibition.
Hamburg-based performer and choreographer Sina Saberi will present two episodes of his trilogy: the process of his new creation, which will premiere at Kampnagel in a few days.
The filmmaker, actor and choreographer Alireza Keymanesh has won several prizes at various festivals for his experimental dance films „Flatland“ and „My Lovely Home“. Both films will be shown in the „COOK, EAT, and CLEAN“ salon.
There will also be further contributions from Nazanin Mehraein, Shirin Farshbaf, Kimiya Rastgou Moghadam, Hannaneh Heydari, Golara Ghofrani, Ava Jalali, Behzad Gholami, Roya Keshavarz, Lagha Ghavam and Maryam Farahi, Tanin Torabi, Nima Noury, Avin Ahmadi and Parmiss Rahmani.
Image credits:
Masoumeh Jalalieh / Foto by Klaartje Lambrechts
Alireza Keymanesh
Yalda Pakzad / Foto by Camillo Pasquarelli
Kimiya Rastgou Moghadam
Lagha Ghavam / Foto by Moshen Pouryosefian
Mostafa Shabkhan / Foto by Ezzat Ismail Ezzat
Nazanin Mehraein
Roya Keshavarz
Shirin Farshbaf / Foto by Arne_Hauge
Sina Saberi
Ahoo Maher (painting + installation)
“COOK, EAT, and CLEAN“
ist eine regelmäßige Veranstaltungsreihe im eindorf – Raum für Kunst in Bewegung. eindorf präsentiert damit ein vielfältiges Programm, das Performances, Filmvorführungen, Ausstellungen, Vorträge, Workshops und Diskussionen unter einem bestimmten Thema vereint, alles in einer intimen Salon-Atmosphäre. Gemeinsam mit den eingeladenen Künstler*innen wird ein mehrtägiges Programm gestaltet, das Kunst unter anderem auch mit praktischen Aktivitäten wie Kochen, Essen und Putzen verbindet. Das Ziel ist es, eine offene Plattform zu schaffen, in der die Grenzen zwischen Künstler*innen und Publikum verschwimmen, um Raum für offenen Austausch und Begegnungen zu schaffen.
Der “COOK, EAT, and CLEAN“ Salon wurde von Daniel Zimmermann und Oleg Soulimenko 2019 initiiert. Der dritte Salon ist zum Thema “Mindfullness” für diesen Herbst geplant.
EN
“COOK, EAT, and CLEAN“
is a regular series of events at eindorf – Raum für Kunst in Bewegung. eindorf presents a diverse programme that combines performances, film screenings, exhibitions, lectures, workshops and discussions under a specific theme, all in an intimate salon atmosphere. Together with the invited artists, a multi-day programme is designed that combines art with practical activities such as cooking, eating and cleaning. The aim is to create an open platform in which the boundaries between artists and the public become blurred in order to create space for open exchange and encounters.
The „COOK, EAT, and CLEAN“ salon was initiated by Daniel Zimmermann and Oleg Soulimenko in 2019. The third salon is planned for this autumn on the topic of „Mindfullness“.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Artist: Yalda Pakzad
Yalda Pakzad Afshar is a performance artist and pastry maker who was born in Tehran, Iran,
in 1984. She currently lives in Rome and works between Rome and Tehran. She graduated
with a degree in music from Tehran University. She began her artistic journey with puppet
performance and theater music and has over ten years of experience in contemporary dance
and performances, which started in the underground network in Iran. She is an independent
artist, particularly focused on site-specific performances in recent years. Her latest projects
are based on themes of home, hospitality, connection, and the phenomena of intimacy. She
was chosen by the Impulstanz Vienna Festival of Contemporary Dance in 2017 and has had
performances in Iran, Bucharest, Vienna, Zagreb, and Rome.
“Even if we are here”
Performance(45 min)
Through the leaves of the olive tree in the burning sun or in the white reflection of the snow, from somewhere so quiet and calm or somewhere on the fire, with all the distances we have built and broken and rebuilt in our history. Even if We are here. Even if we are drawn in this vast hole, to the bottom of the tongue to the bottom of the throat to the bottom of the screaming point to the bottom of the silence. To the end of being compressed, crushed, compressed, and pointed. How can it be coincided?
Coincide/spread.
منطبق شدن/پخش شدن
تقسیم کرده/تقسیم شده
Even if we are here
How do we resist?
Even if we are here.
Even if we
We
We
…
…
…
How can this gathering of our body, Hosting of our breath, and feeling of home be our resistance? we are investigating the authenticity of our intimate presence.
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Artist: Ahoo Maher
Ahoo Maher comes from a family of artists in Iran and has lived in Austria since 2008.
Between 2009 and 2011, she studied music education at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna.
Vienna to study music education. In 2017, she completed her studies in Contextual Painting under the guidance of Ashley Scheirl at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. She has participated in several solo exhibitions in Austria and Iran as well as numerous international group exhibitions. As co-founder of the association “ANN für Kunst, Culture and Solidarity“, she is actively involved. The focus of her artistic work is on depicting the realities of life from the perspective of women. which she depicts using various media such as drawing, painting, installations, and performances. She works as a freelance artist, performer, and curator in Vienna.
HEDJLEH (DENKMAL)
Sculpture/Installation
In Iran there are two objects which share the name “Hedjleh”. One is the wedding bed that the bride and groom spend their first night in, and the other one is a memorial to the un-experienced joy of young men who have passed away before having the chance to marry. In this installation, I have taken elements from both original objects and combined and reinterpreted them in order to create my own Hedjleh.
In this case, the Hedjleh is an object or monument that is erected in a public space in memory of young, deceased men who had not yet had their wedding night. I began by examining the Hedjleh form and its correspond-ing symbolism. As there is no written material to be found,
I decided to conduct my own interviews with local people in various parts of the country in order to reflect the diverse re-gional uses and practices relating to Hedjleh in Iran. Through research, I found out about a ceremony that takes place every year in central Iran – a giant piece of wood in the form of a cedar tree is processed through the city, commemorating the death of the third Shia Imam Hussein. For my installation it was important to combine the different elements of these two quite distinct Hedjleh monuments. By adopting the mosaic-mirrored appearance of the mourn-ing Hedjleh, I am forcing the viewer to confront their own broken reflection and ultimately, their own transience. From the wedding Hedjleh I retained the decorative elements; the two-part form representing the female sexual organ, which stands for birth and life or the next world. The light inside is green – a sacred color in Islam symbolizing spring, freedom, and silence.
PASSING THROUGH TIME
Sharing of Diary through storytelling (15min)
Ahoo started working on this series in the form of a “visual diary” in November 2012 after her frustration with keeping a “written” diary. “I’ve never been good at writing, but have always wanted to keep a diary, as a documentation of my life. I started with writing, but that did
not satisfy my need… so I tried to use a different way…I always did sketches and doodles, so I used these very things…” In the beginning, Ahoo did sketches and collages as diary entries in a notebook for herself, but after presenting some of them at her university, she started a
visual blog on Tumblr, “Ahoo’s Diary”. Her earlier works were influenced by news pieces and what was happening around her, but the entries became more personal over time. Her recent works which are mostly self-portraits have been inspired by the recent trend in sharing selfies
in social media. The current works have been selected from over 300 diary entries. The works were all created using material that was readily available, using the
simplest techniques. The audience can browse through Ahoo’s diary, create narratives in their minds, and look through the window of the artist’s life.
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Artist: Kimiya Rastgou Moghadam
Kimiya Rastgou Moghadam, also known as Kimiya RM, is an Iranian artist based in Vienna, currently pursuing a Bachelor of Trans Art at the University of Applied Arts of Vienna. Born in 1996, she specializes in visualizing deep emotions, working across mediums including video, animation, photography, and performance. With a fascination for the intricacies of human emotion, Kimiya RM is dedicated to exploring these themes from unique perspectives. Her work serves as a window into the rich and complex emotional landscapes that define the human experience. She has exhibited her works in Iran, the US, and Austria. With a commitment to pushing artistic boundaries, Kimiya RM continues to experiment with different mediums and techniques, always seeking new ways to articulate and express the depths of feeling. Through her art, she aims to provoke thought, evoke empathy, and forge meaningful connections with audiences.“
Entwined
Performative Installation
Entwined is a mesmerizing recorded performance that delves into the complexities of relationships. Watch as partners journey together, symbolized by delicate candle wax drips, each drop representing shared moments and memories. As the wax accumulates, so does the weight of commitment, binding them in love’s embrace. In this experimental video, I have captured the raw emotions of love’s beauty and pain. ‚Entwined‘ is a visual exploration of human connection, prompting viewers to ponder the depths of their own relationships.
Poignant
Durational Performance
Poignant is a live performance where emotions engulf you entirely. When poignant feelings arise, they demand your attention, blocking out the outside world and urging you to be still and listen. They fill your vision and envelop your senses.
Surrounded by a gentle, soothing sound akin to a quiet stream, you find comfort in its embrace. As the sound becomes clearer, it prompts deep reflection, like a calming melody with each emotion playing its part. Relax, allow yourself to feel, and embrace this serene moment.
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Artist: Golara Ghofrani
Golara Ghofrani is a Performance artist born in 1998 in Mashhad, Iran. Holding a Bachelor of Puppetry Theater from the Art University of Tehran (2023). With a primary focus on Performance, Golara extends her artistic reach through mediums such as videos, puppets, Photos, and installations. Golara lives and works in Wien, Austria.
A house occurs
Durational Performance installation
Is the house simply an illusion caused by a defective memory and wishful thinking? The idea that the (past) is superior and easier than the (now) is always with me. If I could go back, would things be as I keep in mind? In reality, we’ve probably all imagined a house for ourselves in the past, where we could seek sanctuary in many different situations. A residence that is not based on reality. But with this performance, I want to leave this home and explore the world outside of it. In this performance, a miniature house is created of papier-mâché, and the audience can see inside through the windows and follow my narration of the house using the (Pepper’s ghost) approach.
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Artist: Shirin Farshbaf
Shirin Farshbaf is a dance/performance artist from Iran, currently living in Austria, with over a decade of performance and creation experience. Her performative works reflect the state of society and transform the body through different possibilities of movement. She is interested in interdisciplinary art and the coming together of visual, physical, and sonic experiments in a collaborative environment. The core of her conceptual works is always the body in correlation/connection with different materials or situations. She is currently studying Master of Art Education (Dance) program at MUK University of Vienna.
Possibilities
Performance (20 min)
Starting from the poem Possibilities by Wisława Szymborska as a departure point, Shirin Farshbaf will delayer and contextualize the meaning as appropriate to our life experiences and relevant to the contemporary world.
This process will question our preferences and choices by generating impulses for movement improvisations to channel the concepts and challenge them through personal narrative and physical expression.
Metaphor
Performance (20 min)
Emotional reality is unparalleled in any experience. Every experience is subject to repetition. Every repetition has an underlying change and whether consciously or unconsciously we bring that change out. The focus would be on these fleeting yet consolidating moments. Repetitive movement and minute change.
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Artist: Mostafa Shabkhan
Mostafa Shabkhan is an Iranian dancer, choreographer, and actor, with expertise in theatrical teaching spanning acting, dancing, and directing. He received training in Tehran under the tutelage of various Iranian and international instructors, and he has participated in numerous movement and choreography courses and residencies across Europe and the Middle East.
Starting his career as a theater actor in his hometown of Kashan in 1995, Mostafa relocated to Tehran in 2006 to delve into physical theater and contemporary dance techniques. Since 2009, he has been actively involved in teaching within this realm, alongside his work as a mentor in devising games and performances for children. In 2014, Mostafa co-founded “MaHa Dance Projects”, an independent performing arts collective.
Awards and Nominations:
– Nominated for Best Male Actor for “Othello” in the international critic section of the Fajr Theatre Festival in 2010.
– Received a Special Mention for “RELUCTANT” at “Il Teatro Nudo” di Teresa Pomodoro, judged by Eugenio Barba et al, Milan, in 2018.
– Nominated for Best Male Performer for “I Put A Spell On You” at the Fajr International Theater Festival in 2019.
– Nominated for Best Choreography for “named” at the Fajr International Theater Festival in 2019.
Mostafa is deeply passionate about researching indigenous culture, architecture, rituals, occupations, Iranian social life, and their influence on the body and movement. Currently, he has been leading several workshops, research, and projects in his dance studio for four years.
Room
Performance (20 min)
Each person has a room that is a safe and tranquil place for them, a place that seems to reflect
their solitude and serenity. This room can represent a real home or even an album of memories
for each individual. It’s a space where one can distance themselves from the perspectives of
others and the everyday stresses, and connect with their inner selves.
ZOORKHANEH
Performance (30 min)
Literally translated as “House of Strength”, ZOORKHANEH is a traditional, all-men gymnasium where PAHLEVANS (athletes/heroes) do ancient sports in their unified tight pants called TONOKEH. There is a sunken 1m-deep circular (or octagonal) pit in the center of the ZOORKHANEH called GAUD where the activities happen. There are tools used for weight training and calisthenics, such as wooden clubs (MIL), bow-shaped iron weights (KABBADEH), metal shields (SANG), push-up plates (TAKHTEH SHENA), and the bell (ZANG). Its history goes back to 132 BC and has its roots in ancient Iranian myths where warriors and heroism are often expressed. This performance is inspired by movements and gestures that are pivotal in the ZOORKHANEH as well as whispers and chants in the dagger dance of TORKAMAN SAHRA; a dance just for men which moves in a circle. I explore how these notions affect me as a contemporary mover.
On the other hand, based on life experiences and concerns, I’ve come to the idea that these rooms can be seen as points of the most hidden realities and personal desires. In this project, I aim to create a virtual and engaging room with the help of participants, reflecting their choices and decisions in different environments within this room. Through this project, individuals are sufficiently free to define themselves in this hypothetical environment and make their decisions. They can also, like a window, look into the rooms of Others. This idea, which has been of interest to me from the past until now, continues to evolve and change, taking on different forms and shapes according to the needs and circumstances of individuals.
The Window
Kurzfilm(5:31 min)
“A wind was blowing And I was placed in a sketch And I appeared in the pitch darkness of my room. For whom was I appearing?” Sohrab Sepehri
The initial idea for This video originated from seeing a few photos taken by Mani (the project’s filmmaker and photographer), who spoke to me about the space of those photos and their stories. It was decided that I would visit the location, do some exploration there, and take some shots, and then it was planned that one day I would dance there based on my personal feelings about the space, while Mani would film. Then I handed the rushes over to an editor who, based on their interpretation, I wasn’t satisfied with the initial edit. I then told another person, but again it didn’t meet my expectations. Until it reached Anoushirvan and his friend, and the work was edited and sound-designed by him, leading to this output. In fact, this project was a collaboration for me with three people and maybe with three different perspectives that sometimes converged and sometimes diverged. It includes the space of that ruined house, my dancing, and our conversations and images together.
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Artist: Hannaneh Heydari
Is an Image-based artist, curious about different facilities of visual media and ways of presenting it. She studied “graphic design” at the Art University of Tehran and currently studying “Applied photography and time-based media” in Angewandte, Vienna.
“INSIDE OUT”
Durational Performance
How would it be if our appearance changed daily with the changes in our inner state?
In this photo-performance project, she sits with her make-up products in a room and asks each audience to answer a few questions about their day. She will try to make their face appearance close to their inner feeling, up! There will be portraits before and after this process and this photo-series starts and will be completed during the show.
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Artist: Toranj Mashayekhi
Toranj Mashayekhi, born in Tehran in 1995, is a musician based in Vienna. Her musical journey encompasses performing as a solo pianist, engaging in chamber music, conducting choirs, and teaching. She is currently pursuing a master’s program in Piano Pedagogy at mdw and studying Musicology at Vienna University. Her studies also encompass a focus on Choir and Ensemble Conducting, Contemporary Piano Music, and Improvisation. This diverse range of expertise has led her to perform in various music scenes, spanning from church music to contemporary music festivals and competitions, including „Wien Modern,“ the „Mauricio Kagel Composition Competition,“ and „Wiener Tage der zeitgenössischen Klaviermusik.“While maintaining a connection to the classical scene, she’s actively seeking ways to break free from traditional forms of performance. This might involve experimenting with unconventional concert formats, incorporating multimedia elements, or exploring alternative venues for music presentations. “I try to create live performances that go beyond traditional music concerts, incorporating elements of visual art, contemporary dance, poetry, and audience interaction. Performance art allows me to create dynamic and engaging experiences that challenge conventional notions of music performance.”
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Artist: Masoumeh Jalalieh
Is a choreographer and dancer from Iran and has been living and working in Vienna for some time. She has developed several stage pieces of her own in Iran and Europe, such as B-or der, Time Paranoia, Decline, and Bish az pish, which have been presented at venues such as Sophiensaele Berlin, Stuk Leuven, Kaaistudios and Les Brigittines Brussels, Pasinger Fabrik Munich and Möe Vienna.
She has collaborated with various choreographers and artists such as Georg Blaschke, Daniel Zimmermann, Hooman Sharifi, Bára Sigfúsdóttir, Emma W. Howes, Justin F. Kennedy, Markus Kupferblum, Klaartje Lambrechts, Tanin Torabi. She has also given dance workshops on minimal movement at Impulstanz, Tanzquartier Wien, and Artgarage and has received various scholarships such as Startstipendium für darstellende Kunst Wien, Danceweb, Maqamat, etc. She developed the performance „Composition I“ with Daniel Zimmermann for the opening of Heimo Zobernik’s white space. Also, she founded Carpet of Time, an association for promoting contemporary performance, dance, film, and art forms, based in Vienna.
She is currently part of the research group „When the Moon Kisses the Sun“ by Robert Stejin, collaborating with Marie Nüzel on a dance piece “Radical and Gentle”, collaborating with Toranj Mashayekhi on a music performance “Mit einem Sieb Wasser schöpfen” and also researching for her new project “Carpet of Time” which will be premiered in 2025.
Mit einem Sieb Wasser schöpfen! آب در هاون کوبیدن
Performance
This is a collaboration between Toranj Mashayekhi and Masoumeh Jalalieh.
It is a live sound performance based on kitchen objects.
We are constantly surrounded by different tools and objects and their functionality, what if we take the objectivity from these objects and let them live their subjectivity?
In this way, we create an experience of objects that narrate their objectivity by placing them in different situations, constellations, and compositions. The objects symbolize different metaphors as they coexist next to the other objects, the sound, the people, the space, the performer, and the musician as they revisit and reidentify them through different encounters.
In this performance, we invite the audience to listen differently to the sounds and look at the performance from a non-subjective aspect, it is an invitation to the audience to revisit their history and sense of nostalgia through the experience of sound and image.
The performance starts in a non-conformal way, and constant spontaneous compositions, and ends with a flowery bitter-sweet drink and a sound carpet of the entire performance.
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Artist: Sina Saberi
Sina Saberi is a performer, choreographer, and cultural manager from Tehran, based in Hamburg. His practice and research are inspired by his cultural background and revolve around the idea of dance as an alternate state of being. Where can the personal and the public connect and ultimately arrive to a point of togetherness? This is reflected in his trilogy Prelude, Damnoosh & Narges which he has been sharing internationally since 2016. Sina has been actively involved within the Iranian dance community since 2014 and is the founder of Kahkeshan Dance; an indeterminate space for choreographic creations and dance outreach.
Damnoosh In Memoriam
Performance
This is an introspective talk on the second part of my 2016 trilogy. The starting point of this performance was the Iranian dramatic storytelling, Naqqali in which the performer recounts stories in verse, prose, gestures, and movement. Seven plants would join forces from seven corners of Iran and infuse into an elixir of togetherness. The piece traveled through 10 different cities around the world between 2017 and 2020, the last one being a cancelled performance, planned for March 2020 in Lisbon. Over 4 years later, I have made a decision not to perform Damnoosh anymore and in this talk, I will take you through the memory of the piece, share my reasons for the said decision and spill some tea. This is not a mourning.
Nargess in progress
Performance
Basis for being نرگس is the title of the final chapter of my 2016 trilogy which started with Prelude,
progressed with Damnoosh, and which recently actualized as Narges. This piece is inspired by a research process that began in 2014, and after one decade, took its present form.
Taking the context of the Iranian house party [Mehmooni], the audience observes a journey of self-exploration through moving images of a past that is no longer personal or present. The piece was developed between 2017 and 2020 and was supposed to premiere in early 2021 in Hamburg. However, destiny had different plans and due to a 3-year interruption, it finally premiered 2 weeks ago at Kampnagel.
In this lecture performance, I share how a solo piece turned into an artistic process joined by 8 other artists and how the halt became a determining factor in its conception. One of these artists and my collaborator/friend, Bita Bell will be joining me for this conversation.
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Artist: Ava Jalali
Ava Jalali is a multidisciplinary artist. her roots deeply intertwined with the world of performing art. Her creative journey is a captivating exploration, primarily centered around the intricacies of the human body and the dynamics of social existence. In her quest, she delves deep into the connections between these two realms, constantly challenging established norms and perceptions.
At the core of Ava’s artistic ethos lies an unwavering commitment to inquiry. Her relentless questioning is fueled by an insatiable curiosity, propelling her to dissect her surroundings with precision. Through her work, she endeavors to carve out space for profound metamorphosis, particularly within the realms of politics and society. Ava’s artistic stance serves as a beacon for transformative change, inspiring reflection and sparking dialogue on the intricacies of the human experience.
Ice-cream: Something Suitable for Closure:
Kurzfilm(1:59 min)
In September 2019, Iranian news media reported a ban on women eating funnel ice cream in public places, possibly due to the perceived eroticism of licking ice cream. Although officials quickly denied the news, it sparked something within me. For a while, I found it difficult to eat ice cream in public, which led me to question why my mind could believe such a rumor and how this belief could affect my existence in society. In this project, twenty girls wearing approved Islamic attire (dark-colored manteau and wimple) each hold a funnel ice cream without licking it. We see the ice cream melting in their hands. We chose a segment of the public domain for our performance, strategically positioned beside the City Theatre, firmly under the control of the Islamic Republic. This project served as a deliberate initiative to reclaim both the commandeered executive and public space.
Licking
Kurzfilm(1:55 min)
Licking was conceived after the “Ice-Cream” project. A question inspired this video: What phenomenon emerges from prohibiting and not doing something inherently erotic? What effect might an inverse approach have on this phenomenon? I hypothesized that openly and repeatedly engaging in the forbidden act could break existing taboos. This work was my attempt to assert a more prominent presence in a society that denies women as inherently erotic beings.
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Artist: Lagha Ghavam
Lagha Ghavam, an interdisciplinary artist from Tehran, Iran, is known for her work as an actress, performer, dance artist, and experimental filmmaker. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Directing and a diploma in Graphic Design and has continuously refined her craft through workshops with renowned masters.
Lagha has directed and choreographed several projects, including award-winning dance films like “Crawling” and “Inhale,” and has been recognized for her directorial and performance skills. She also has collaborated with Sahar Jaberian on choreographing a dance video for the fashion collection “FYAB.”
Additionally, she founded and mentors an underground workshop focusing on contemporary dance techniques.
She has been awarded prestigious international scholarships to programs such as the DanceWeb Programme and the CND in Paris. Lagha’s dedication to artistic exchange was recognized when she was selected as a winner of the shortlisted Artists for the Iran-Greece Exchange Program of Kooshk Art Residency & Duncan Dance Research Center.
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Artist: Maryam Farahi
Maryam Farahi, born in 1997 in Tehran, Iran, is a multidisciplinary artist with a diverse range of talents. She studied graphics at the Tehran Fine Art School and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in painting from the Islamic Azad University of Arts. Maryam is also a skilled dancer, specializing in hip-hop and classical ballet. She has directed, choreographed, and performed in various dance productions, including the award-winning dance film „Crawling.“ Maryam is the founder of the „Reclaim The Movement“ group, where she leads workshops on contemporary dance techniques. In 2023, she collaborated with dancer Sahar Jabrian on the „FYAB“ project. Maryam Farahi continues to push boundaries and inspire others through her artistry.
Forbidden Lines
Kurzfilm(09:21 min)
A collaboration of Lagha Ghavam & Maryam Farahi
In this dance film, we invite viewers to immerse themselves in an otherworldly experience. Our goal is to create a dreamlike space by carefully blending characterizations, filming techniques, costume design, stage elements, and sound design. The essence of this duet dance is the transformation of sensuality and femininity into a whimsical spectacle within our surreal world. A deliberate contrast between the aesthetics of the space and the characterizations creates a sense of suspension and confusion. This cinematic piece invites viewers to enter a realm where women seek liberation from their tangible reality, embracing their authentic bodies within this poetic piece of dance.
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Artist: Nazanin Mehraein
Nazanin Mehraein b.1989 is a multidisciplinary artist based in Vienna coming from Tehran.
She comes from a Theater background and she is mainly a theater director and dramaturgist; besides she works on storytelling in different ways from Theater (main medium), painting to video, video mapping, sound, sculpture, and installation. She works usually on autobiographical stories related to the present place both historically and politically. Currently, she primarily concentrates on sharing personal stories related to women and immigration and expressing personal reflections through video performances.
a Journey Through Maternity and Mortality
Print
This work is a graphic pattern Lino-print in the form of a collage with the artist’s head, which speaks about the amount of pain a person can go through when they feel they are giving birth to a void.
No One Knows
Audio / visual installation(15:08 min)
is an audio/ visual installation, Krinzinger Projekte Vienna AT 2020
No One Knows is a project that contains 17 paintings that were painted 3 months
before COVID began. The work has been mapped in 17 white light slides which were projected on these 17 paintings. The work is a documentary diary storytelling of how factual news and situations involved the artist in the past months before Corona.
/oo/ she her او
Performance (18:07 min)
18 minutes live performance and video installation on the mirror floor/wall.
/oo/ is a video that was mapped (67 layers), performed, and recorded in the corner of a wall, where it was also played. It is an episodic film that works with an autobiographical, archival story about physical/social death. Poetry lines related to OO performance.
“MIRA/o”
Kurzfilm(12:26 min)
is an experimental video project from a microtheater that explores the concept of unstable states, particularly subjectively experienced and unpredictable situations. The work aims to establish a connection with the present moment, which is in constant flux.
“Mira/Miro” is a montage of poems, images, short stories, and quotes that focuses on the concept of time, specifically the sensation of time passing and the subjective experience of waiting and expectation. It captures a period of time that we perceive as stretched and follows its own temporality.
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Artist: Alireza Keymanesh
Born in Iran, Alireza Keymanesh is an international artist adventuring in the ocean of art as a filmmaker, actor, and choreographer. Alireza earned his BA in acting from Tehran University of Arts in 2009 before carrying out a year-long practical dance theater research at ArtEZ University of Arts in the Netherlands in 2013. Currently he is in the second year of his MFA in Film at York University in Toronto, Canada, where he has been focusing on interweaving some aspects of
experimental art, dance, and theater into narrative cinema. Alireza’s work has been screened at various festivals around the world and he has received several awards both as a filmmaker and actor. In addition to that, he introduced and developed the Ideokinesis method (one of the oldest body-mind techniques in the Western world) in Iran by holding numerous workshops, and lectures and translating the Ideokinesis book written by André Bernard, Wolfgang Steinmuller, and Ursula Stricker.
FLATLAND
Kurzfilm( 14:34 min)
(2017) is a multi-award-winning experimental dance film co-directed by Alireza Keymanesh and Amir Pousti, produced by 33Projects, with a score composed by Peter Pirhosseinloo and featuring a hundred female dancers. Inspired by the eponymous 1884 novel by Edwin A. Abbott, the film delves into various dimensions of the universe and humanity’s incapability to perceive beyond the limits of its perception, exploring such fundamental concepts as birth and collective living.
Poetically bringing geometric shapes to life through dance, FLATLAND is a 14-minute, one-shot, drone-captured, bird’s-eye view of a rooftop in Tehran. The dancers fade away, transforming into a multitude of atomized bodies melting into the urban environment, blurring the boundaries between the human body and its surroundings. This minimalistic dance film is designed to be projected on large screens, on walls around the city as well as in cinema theaters and galleries, offering an immersive and captivating experience for the audience.
My lovely home
Kurzfilm (13:48 min)
An exhausted human being, striving to find a home, heads toward nowhere.
The film is inspired by Gilles Deleuze’s essay “The Exhausted.”
Do humans truly own the home they live in? What and where is “home”? Does s/he own any
place at all or is s/he essentially usurpers? What is humankind struggling for?
Each human being has his/her own burden, weighing her down: “his inner conflict with being,”
“the pressure of her past life,” “his emotional complex,” “the historical trauma of humankind” and
so on. The burden has exhausted humankind, but s/he is still moving. This exhausted existence
is still brave enough to move, toward it, the human is moving, despite his exhaustion, striving to
find a home, heads nowhere.
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Artist: Tanin Torabi
Tanin Torabi is a multi-award-winning filmmaker and choreographer acclaimed for her innovative single-take short dance films in Tehran, described by critics as ‚pushing the boundaries of screendance.‘ In 2021, Dance Magazine recognized her as one of the ‚9 Screendance Artists You Should Know.‘
Throughout her years of career, Tanin has showcased her films at over 150 film festivals and academic institutions globally, while also conducting workshops and serving on jury panels for prestigious festivals such as Cannes Dance Film Festival and Dance Camera West. Among her recent accolades is the esteemed Cinedans grand prize for her 2023 film ‚Until…‘, alongside a 7-month bursary from Institut Francais to conduct choreographic research at Cite Internationale des Arts residency in Paris. As a choreographer and performer, she has collaborated with numerous dance artists, most notably with NYC-based choreographer Yoshiko Chuma since 2021 in international shows. Tanin’s upcoming projects include a choreographic collaboration with visual artist Nathalie Joffre for Nuit Blanche 2024 in Paris, and a collaborative fellowship at Villa Arson University in Nice, France. Coming from a Sociology background, Tanin holds an MA in Contemporary Dance from the University of Limerick in Ireland.
In plain sight
Kurzfilm(10:33 min)
In plain sight is the result of months of exploring urban movements on a boulevard in Tehran, Iran. In a society where many questions and restrictions exist around the concept of ‘movement’, three performers try to define their limits of dance. They interact with their surroundings and thus become an integral part of the flow of the city. They accompany each other to find the power of collective movement. The journey is the destination.
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Artist: Roya Keshavarz
As an Iranian artist who immigrated to Belgium in 2020, my work explores the intersections of body, disabilities, and social structures. Initially trained in sculpture, I later delved into video and installation art, expanding my artistic repertoire. Seeking further depth in storytelling, I pursued an education in film studies in the UK, with a particular focus on experimental documentaries. Through my art, I aim to challenge perceptions, provoke thought, and evoke emotions, offering unique perspectives on complex societal issues.
Khalvat
Kurzfilm (06:38 min)
‘’This film is a result of a research project exploring the concept of personal space within the context of Iranian society.’’ In this project, I have worked on three main concepts in public art; Personal Space, Combining Energies, and Movement. These three concepts merge when we are talking about public environments. I have been living in Tehran for more than 25 years and I have witnessed a big difference between the concept of personal space in this city compared to the foreign cities I visited and the definitions I was given in academic courses. This misunderstanding about personal space in Tehran deeply affects society as well as family relationships. The main cause for this mistaken approach to personal space is tightly related to the cultural features of the Middle East. Problems about privacy and personal space are very common inside the smallest structure of society, the family. Family has a central place in Iranian culture and being at the core of society has a direct impact on the way people use or learn to use public spaces. In particular, there is no or is not enough respect for other’s personal space in this lively city of approximately 13 million inhabitants. In this project I tried to analyze and film the reactions and moods of pedestrians when their personal space is invaded, ordinary people passing or working in this public place when confronted with dancers in this crowded space in a creative and unexpected way. How will the crowd receive this energy given by the dancers, how will they share the space?
“KHALVAT” is a development of Rapoport’s definition of the environment to me, which suggests a framework for understanding the nature of the environment and its components. “According to this framework, environment is a set of relationships between objects with objects, objects with humans, and humans with humans. Based on this, the environment has three components: natural environment, human-made environment, and human-interaction environment.” (1982. The meaning of the built environment). The last model was the base of the project which is directly related to combining people’s energies; Human-Interaction environment.
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Artist: Behzad Gholami
Behzad Gholami is an Iranian actor, dancer, dance designer, and independent director. Over the past two decades, he has created various works in physical theater, dance theater, Butoh, and contemporary dance. He has also directed and produced a significant number of video art and films focusing on body, movement, and dance. He has conducted numerous workshops and sessions both within and outside of Iran in the fields of physical acting and dance. Due to censorship and unfavorable conditions in his home country, Behzad Gholami has been living in Canada for two years, where he continues his activities.
School
Film (20 min)
If you were asked to describe your school-time fears at the same age you are now, which memory would evoke the most anger in you? „School Film“ depicts the pain, suffering, fear, and anxiety experienced by bodies in childhood at the hands of the educational staff at school.
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Artist (musician): Nima Noury
Nima Noury was born in Tehran in 1983. He holds a PhD in Neuroscience. Alongside his scientific career, he has continuously pursued his profound passion for music by studying classical Persian music and specializing in playing the tar. His first solo album, Suz-o-Godâz (Longing), was released in 2024. In addition to his solo performances, he primarily collaborates with Hamburger Ratsmusik, where they strive to merge Baroque music with Middle Eastern music from the 17th and 18th centuries.
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Artist (musician): Parmiss Rahmani
Born in 1995 in Tehran, parmis Rahmani began playing the violin as a child, later expanding her musical repertoire to include the Gheychak, a traditional Persian fiddle. She pursued her passion for Iranian music at the Tehran University of Art, specializing in this unique instrument. Throughout her career, parmis has collaborated with various ensembles and orchestras, contributing to numerous music albums. In 2019, she founded a music institute in Tehran, dedicated to nurturing the next generation of musicians.
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Artist (musician): Avin Ahmadi
born on a winter day of 2004 in Tehran, is an Oud player, vocalist, and composer based in Vienna.
Avin expresses her deepest emotions, thoughts, and experiences through her creative process; inviting listeners on a profound and transformative journey through the power of her music.
Her musical journey began at a young age with a true passion for the Oud. Guided by esteemed masters and studying Traditional music at Tehran’s music conservatory, she continued her musical path and expanded her skills on the Oud.
She has graced renowned venues in Tehran and in Europe as a soloist and as various ensembles and orchestra members.
Currently, studying music in Vienna, she explores the realms of jazz and fusion music; constantly learning, exploring, playing with melodies, poems, rhythms, and deepening her understanding of music“