Gowanus Art Fair, Voice of America x Love, InshAllah book tour

2012 is turning out to be a busy year!

-First things first, this Saturday night in Brooklyn I’m a featured video artist at the Gowanus Art Fair thrown by  Collective BK with Lowbrow Society‘s own Gwynn Galitzer. It promises to be an unmissable night of one-act plays, local bands, visual art, burlesque, and endless surprises held at the 12,000-square-foot steel mill turned artists space, Gowanus Ballroom.

[film still from "Somewhere Elsewhere" 2011

-Second, despite multiple brushes with Voice of America Iran (I made a visit to spit-fire comedy & politics show Parazit’s live taping  & have cameo in the Mapriya Art segment)- I haven’t ever been a main subject of a piece. That is, till today! Wonderful vegan filmmaker Arash  interviewed me as part of a piece about the Love, InshAllah anthology. We drank fresh veggie juice, talked about queerness & Islam, and chatted about my story “The First Time.”

-Which leads me to….Love, InshAllah book release events on the east coast are being announced. Current dates: Harvard University (MA)/ Feb. 13th + Bluestockings Bookstore (NY)/Feb 16th. I’ll update with more info ASAP!

-Lastly, if you want a daily dose of art- I’m still updating my Tumblr with photos all the time. Happy browsing!

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.

Speaking at INFORUM at the Commonwealth Club

Reza Aslan: Bridging the Middle East and America Through Culture

Reza Aslan, Author, No God But God, How to Win a Cosmic War, and Tablet and Pen; Contributing Editor, The Daily Beast
Wajahat Ali, Playwright, “The Domestic Crusaders;” Journalist; Attorney; Creator, Goatmilk: An Intellectual Playground Blog
Zoe Ferraris, Author, Finding Nouf and City of Veils
Najva Sol, Photographer; Poet; Co-founder, the Lowbrow Society for the Arts
In conversation with Laura Sydell, Arts Correspondent, National Public Radio – Moderator

Last chance to see Unveiled

‘UNVEILED – Women & Power In The Middle East’

 

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – November 5 , 2010 – Femina Potens presents ‘UNVEILED Women & Power In The Middle East’ visual art exhibit exploring the themes of identity,  politics, violence,

sexuality and feminism within eastern culture.