Art > Architecture & Design > BEYOND PERSIA BY DARIUS KADIVAR
Tribute to Persian Culture and Monuments Flourish Worldwide
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I recently came across a website named Beyond Persia from which I borrowed the title to this article. I found it interesting to notice that one of the missions of this cultural group is to explore and promote the organic fusion of Eastern and Western art and culture among Iranian Diaspora. Founded by Lale' Welsh Shahparaki a British born to an English mother and Persian Father. Being myself a product of a mixed marriage : A Iranian Father and a French Lithuanian Mother and born in the US ( How more cosmopolitan could I get ? ) my own roots are quite scattered on three continents and probably more if I have to dig into my genealogy. After all we are all part of one big and yet small planet. Any way, I kind of liked the title of this association and started wondering how true this was in regard to our geographical and cultural presence worldwide. True we have dozens of cultural clubs worldwide and often many strive towards the same goals but with different means. Some are lucky to be wealthy enough to organize some spectacular and rich events, others are penniless but just as eager to share with others some of the beautiful aspects of Persian culture with their host country.
If only all these cultural centers could cooperate with one another rather than waste energy competing one another whenever this is the case …
It is not vain to hope so because the energy and enthusiasm that would be put together could be more constructive and communicative with far reaching impacts in bridging Persian Culture and Arts with the rest of the world.
In anycase I was just telling myself that Sure we all have heard or visited the Louvre Museum in France, the British Museum in London or the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, where Persian Archeological artifacts can be seen and admired. However I was wondering if beyond these priceless museum artifacts if one could find some original presence of Persian Cultural presence elsewhere than in dusty museums ? A look through the World Wide Web and personal trips allowed me to compile some of this presence which I wanted to share with you readers.
Rather than commenting on them myself I suggest you to look through these photos and articles mentioned below.
So Enjoy and …
VIVE LA PERSE!
Zendeh Bad Iran!
LONG LIVE PERSIA!
And the Rest of our Beautiful, Fragile and Lonely Planet!
Recommended Readings:
The Villa Danesh in Monte Carlo subject of two photo essays and interesting articles:
Villa Danesh By Manoutchehr Eskandari-Qajar (iranian.com)
Tabriz in Monaco by Farhad Diba (Iranian.com)
Dark Emerald : Agatha Christie in Shiraz by Cyrus KADIVAR (Iranian.com)
High Spirits : Shiraz wine: from Persia to Australia by Cyrus KADIVAR (Iranian.com)
Great Omar : Khayyam's debt to Edward Fitzgerald by Cyrus KADIVAR (Iranian.com)
Khayyam and Popcorn : Persian poet in the eyes of Hollywood by Darius KADIVAR (Iranian.com)
Ancestor in Paris : Nose to nose with an Immortal Guard in Asterix Park by Darius KADIVAR (Iranian.com)
CHAMPAGNE SAFARI: Hollywood Goddess' short-lived Honeymoon with the Persian Prince by Darius KADIVAR
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The Other Persepolis: Dariush Hotel on Kish Island
Photo 1: The Illa Association In Geneva ( Switzerland) is initiating the idea of creating a Persian Garden for the city of Geneva under the patronage of Mojgan Endjavi-Barbé who is promoting Persian Arts and Artists in Switzerland.
Photo 2: The Villa Danesh is a Qajar Style mansion that was built at the turn of the century by a Qajar Prince in Monte Carlo. It still stands Proudly to this day.
Photo 3: Australia is known amongst other things for it’s Shiraz Wines in tribute to the Great Persian City of Roses and epicurian Poets.
Photo 4: The French Carnot family is known for some of the great men of its lineage : all of whom had Sadi as first name in tribute to the Persian Poet Sa ‘adi. Amongst them the Father of modern day Thermodynamics and a French President.
Photo 5: A street in Paris is named after Iran’s capital Tehran. It was in tribute to the WWII Conference held in Tehran in 1943 that decided the Allies Victory in Europe.
Photo 6: Eastern Europe has kept ties with Persian Civilization in a strange way as this modern hotel (Persepolis) in Bucharest Rumania testifies.
Photo 7: Mitra or Mithra was a Persian divinity adopted by Roman Legions and a symbol of the God of War. Statues and paintings of this divinity can be found throughout Europe to this day, including in the catholic heart of Rome: The Vatican
Photo 8: In the 40’s and 50’s Armenian immigrant George Mardikian was a famed cook who introduced Persian and Armenian Cuisine in a chain of Restaurants including the famous named after Persian Poet Omar Khayyam in San Francisco.
Photo 9: Sculpture of Pesian Poet Abolqasem Ferdowsi, author Shahnameh (Book of Kings) at the Villa Borghese Rome
Photo 10: Prix D’Ispahan was created in 1873 and it is famed for the Horses of the Agha Khan Family who often sponsor the event. Persian Prince Aly Khan and spouse Rita Hayworth made this tournament very popular in the European Jet Set.
Photo 11: Cyrus the Great Monument at the Sydney Olympic Park, Australia.
Photo 12: Darioush Winery Napa Valley California one of the leading chateaux’s of the West Coast created by a native of Shiraz: Dariush Khaledi.
Photo 13: Luxury Dariush Hotel on the Artificial Island of Kish on the Persian Gulf.
Photo 14: Advertising for 'Persepolis', Marjane Satrapi's animated movie, in center of Paris. Photo by B Orz (iranian.com)
Photo 15: Some prominent Persian Cultural Associations Worldwide.
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