On April 8, 2016, IA&A was honored to host a panel discussion with Barbara Slavin, Acting Director of the Future of Iran Initiative at the Atlantic Council, and Sara Namjoo, an Iranian illustrator and animator, at IA&A’s Hillyer Art Space.
Art in Context: Iran wove the arts and foreign policy sectors together to discuss concrete experiences of life in Iran and societal evolution over recent decades. Through descriptions of Iran pre-Revolution and post-Revolution, Slavin and Namjoo emphasized the contrast between the grayness of a post-revolution childhood and the rich colors and designs in Tehran. In addition to comments on their personal experiences, the panelists dismantled myths about Iranian society and culture, particularly in regards to women, who currently enjoy a variety of career opportunities and influential positions. The discussion also touched on the Iran Nuclear Deal, which recently lifted decades of oil and financial sanctions. The panelists spoke to the importance of the deal, which was intended to re-open Iran to the global economy and allow new channels of international collaboration. In particular, panelists considered how increased collaboration through the arts can offer non-political means of establishing bonds between nations.
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A project of IA&A’s Cultural Exchange Programs, the International Partnership Initiative champions international work between American arts institutions and their counterparts abroad by creating a forum for discussion and discovery among leaders in the artistic, academic, diplomatic, and policy communities. The Initiative’s research and programming facilitates cross-cultural understanding and builds stronger ties through global partnerships in the arts.