Beauty confronts violence: Iranian artist Parastou Forouhar
“There’s no such thing as an innocent bystander anywhere on earth,” Iranian artist Parastou Forouhar says, explaining why she uses art to challenge others to join her in acts of political provocation. From Deutsche Welle, Germany’s international broadcaster.
Video intro:
Her parents were opposition politicians who were murdered in Tehran in 1998. Since then,their daughter Parastou Forouhar has used both judicial and artistic means to fight for an investigation into their murder.Her struggle has put Forouhar,an installation artist living in Germany,under increasing pressure. She is met by Iran’s secret police each time she visits her parents’ graves. Forouhar talks with ARTS.21 about recent developments in Iran,the power of the opposition movement and the future of the Islamic state.
Love flowers? Museums? Italy?
Monet, Waterlilies
If you love flowers, and Italy, and you’re so inclined, you might want to plan a trip to a small museum in a small town in Emilia-Romagna that is mounting quite a big show. From ANSA.IT (“Floral magic over centuries of art” Jan 22, 2010):
The San Domenico Museum in Forli is staging an entire show devoted to depictions of blossoms and blooms, including paintings by a host of masters from the 1500s to the early 20th century.
Work by Rembrandt, Vincent van Gogh, Caravaggio, Claude Monet, Paul Cezanne, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Giovanni Boldini and Giuseppe De Nittis will be among those featured. ”This exhibition charts the history of still life paintings, specifically a history starring flowers,” explained curator Antonio Paolucci.
The San Domenico exhibition titled “Fiori. Natura e simbolo dal Seicento a Van Gogh” opened last Sunday and will continue through June 10th. The guiding idea for the exhibit is to feature works by great painters who occasionally chose to paint flowers, rather than the “niche artist” who specialized in floral works only, according to the ANSA.IT article.
As it happens, we’re going to be in the general area of Forli this weekend, so we may just drop by. If so, watch this space for more to come on the exhibition.
In Venice. “The Ethics of Dust”
Fascinating.
The Ethics of Dust: Doges Palace, Venice, 2009 by Jorge Otero-Pailos
TateShots: Paul Harrison and John Wood
Each month, TateShots posts some videos online focusing on modern and contemporary art exhibitions at The Tate in London. Last month, artists Paul Harrison and John Wood were featured talking about the ideas behind some of their works. The duo are described by TateShots as “an art-world equivalent to Laurel and Hardy.” 
