MIX Festival x Coco && Breezy x Brooklyn Museum x Molly Crabapple x LES Girls Club x MTV International

Since the last update I’ve been running up & down the east coast making magic. Please remember you can always get up-t0-date info on my facebook page!

For those of you who missed it, here’s what’s happened

1. I performed in collaboration with Damien Luxe & Heather Acs in an hour long performace piece called “The Bearded Lady, The Bald, & The Blonde” at La Mama Galleria, curated by the brilliant Dept. of Transformation as a MIX festival offshoot! I was next to such talent, especially queer art legend Christy C. Road.
2. I had the chance to shoot futuristic design duo Coco & Breezy, with killer style & makeup team-Dori Jay & Hayden Dunham.  Here’s a photo from the set:
3. I was fancy & important with Kae Burke of House Of Yes, and helped her run a workshop at the Brooklyn Museum making 1920′s accessories!
4. The Molly Crabapple posters and CDs for  Let Bloom EP (the kickstarter-funded album w/ Natti Vogel & I) arrived! Now you won’t have long till they are in your hands. (I’ll post a link for those interested in buying either item, ASAP!) 
5. I guest-taught poetry at the Lower East Side Girls Club after-school program & convinced some young girls that it IS important to know what a metaphor is.
6. And last but not least, MTV International followed me and Lowbrow Society for the Arts around as possible subjects for a new documentary on Brooklyn Creatives!

That’s all for now! But so many more announcements are forthcoming. Stay tuned!

Fall: Chicago, NYC, The (virtual) World

Where haven’t I been this fall?

I just returned with from the Hand In Glove conference  in Chicago with my co-directors at Lowbrow Society for the Arts. We spent the whole weekend at art boot-camp, inspired by conversations with folks from organizations across america such as Creative Time, Southern Exposure, FEAST, The Soap Factory, and The Franklin Furnace. Future collaborations coming your way!

Meanwhile, I’ve begun to exist as an artist on facebook! If you want to keep up with where I am & what I’m creating, please, feel free to “like” me. I made multiple short films, and built a cinema booth before leaving Elsewhere. There’s a screenshot of one of them below, clicking it will take you to the film on my facebook page.

Finally, right now I’m at a cute organic cafe in New York, sitting with a room full of creative types and prepping to perform produce this incredible event on thursday with McSweeny’s writer Casey Plett.  More details can be found on the Lowbrow site.

Now I’m off to buy treats & tricks for the show, and watch the leaves turn golden.

September, so far: Artist-in-Residence at Elsewhere

Where am I now?

Last week I arrived in quaint Greensboro, NC to do a one-month Residency at Elsewhere Collaborative- a living museum set inside an old thrift shop. I’ll be here till October 15th, the night of their big fundraiser!
My project here is a bit of a secret- but meanwhile we are doing all sorts of events.

Here’s a few photos from last friday, where I played Dr. Heart Doctor- checking up on visitor’s hearts, and doling out metaphors and inspirational quotes as prescriptions.

Queer Art Honor Roll: Iran, Museum

I feel like it’s the end of the semester and I made the queer dean’s list. Why?

1. I’ve been nominated in the Fine Art category of the  Sepas Award, alongside the incredibly talented Tara Inanloo in London! The Sepas Award is organized in Toronto   and

“honours an Iranian individual or an organization whose work has needed an appreciation toward securing the full enjoyment of the culture and human rights of Iranian queer communities and motivate others to get involved and be proud.”

2.  A photo of my Head to the Hills exhibit from the first Pop Up Museum of Queer History is featured on the front page of their website. You should check it out, and if you’re in NYC- drop by their new show: Pop-up Soho.

Summer Update: Bitch Magazine, Artisphere, SF Bay Guardian, Interfaith

Where has the summer gone?

I have been all over the US, involved with many projects. Here’s a taste of what’s been happening:

SUMMER ISSUE OF BITCH MAGAZINE

I have 2 pieces in the most recent issue of  feminist pop-culture magazine Bitch! You can find my interview with Altercation, Big Freedia‘s backup dancer & a short snippet about magical artist Monica Canilao. Support the magazine and buy the issue directly from them.

ARTISPHERE

June 18th, I performed to a full house with Regie Cabico as part of Sulu DC‘s Gay and Fillipino Pride event at the awe-inspiring Artisphere in Rosslyn.

SF BAY GUARDIAN

May 19-21st, I was part of Lowbrow Society’s Great Expectations experience performance installation extravaganza, which was a San Francisco Bay Guardian pick of the week. If you missed the event, more photos can be found here.

INTERFAITH

As a queer Iranian artist with a secular Muslim background, I was invited by  a friend to attend an afternoon of speeches by the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, including a certain charismatic Eboo Patel from the Interfaith Youth Core.  Since many religious groups have a history of prejudice when it comes to LGBTQ folks- this conference was an opportunity to meet a few current leaders and question how they plan to create faith-based projects that are safe for all faiths (including humanist/spiritual), genders, and sexual identities.

New Event: Great Expectations Art Show

I’m moving away from San Francisco in June, but not before curating (on behalf of Lowbrow Society) and participating in this amazing event:

Great Expectations: The Opulence of Alone

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – On Thursday May 19^th and Friday May 20^th, from 7-10pm, The SchoolHouse, 1592 Market St, will be transformed from bare walls to Great Expectations, a lush art happening created by four boundary-bending queer artists inspired by the opulence of being alone.

Eid Mobarak! (Happy Persian New Year!) + Press

It was the first day of spring & Persian new years yesterday, and though quiet- I’m blossoming with projects + opportunity.

1. Just found out my portrait of Molly Crabapple ran in the web edition of the Austin Chronicle.

2. Fruit Fly Life posted the photos I took of their event on behalf of Lowbrow Society.

3. JUNE 3rd- That’s the date I’m performing at the National Queer Arts Festival with Regie Cabico! It’s real!

4. I’m working on a secret photo project & an art show- details to come ASAP.