Beautiful Photos Of Everyday Life In 19th And 20th Century Iran
The Persian New Year (Nowruz) arrives this month with equinox. I have fond memories of picnics along the side of a stream in an orchard in the countryside. We left the stuffy homes in cities to take the plates of carefully sprouted grains to give as offerings to the running waters, an ancient observance. I remember jumping over a fire while asking it to take my winter paleness and give me its warmth, yet another ancient ritual. The meal of fish and the honey soaked sweets of the holiday are still vivid in my memory as are the Haft Sin table and the excited faces of the children receiving their Nowruz gifts.
In the midst of all of this turmoil is a people of ancient heritage and from whom the modern world has recieved many gifts of science, math, art, and music throughout history. For all of the personal issues that caused me to leave, I still carry with me a longing to see the land again and to enjoy the sights and smells of the bazaar, to walk ancient streets and to sit on a pallet in the mountains, sipping a glass of sweet hot tea with a bowl of pungent bean stew in the crisp air of spring. So glad the Smithsonian preserved a record of the season.
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http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2015/03/06/390938032/beautiful-photos-of-everyday-life-in-20th-century-iran?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=thirteenseven&utm_term=artsculture&utm_content=20150306
Since 1979, tens of thousands of Iranians have lived in exile in the United States. The Iranian Revolution forced large numbers of the population out of the country, and many have never returned. As Persian New Year, referred to by Iranians as Nowruz, approaches, many look back on old photos and remember an Iran they used to know. The holiday happens annually on the spring equinox and symbolizes a rebirth in Persian culture. Iranians in the U.S. now experience new lifestyles and culture that make Nowruz's themes of rebirth more real than they had imagined.
The Freer and Sackler Galleries of the Smithsonian are giving Iranian-Americans in exile access to a rich history that they left decades ago. The gallery is home to hundreds of photographs by Antoin Sevruguin, a late 19th and early 20th century Iranian photographer. It is one of the most prominent collections of Iranian works in North America. Some of the photos will also be on display during the Freer and Sackler's Nowruz celebration. The entire collection is also viewable online.
"[Nowruz] is something that I grew up with in Iran," said Massumeh Farhad, chief curator at the galleries and an Iranian-American. "I think [the event] is a wonderful way to celebrate the beginning of a new year. You realize how important it is to have something to look forward to and to celebrate the idea of renewal."
In every home, the haftseen table is decorated with seven items – since seven is considered a lucky number. Each item begins with the letter sin (s) in Persian, and each item is a symbol of spring and renewal. In addition to giving Iranian-Americans a space to connect with their past, the event also benefits the Freer and Sackler Galleries' research.
http://www.asia.si.edu/iran-in-photographs/
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