Azizart Feb 2016

Feb 2016

Aziz Art N os ra t K Competition ar i Tomoko Imashiro photography m Artist i Shashin Kosha

P o e m

IRAN Lahijan ELENA KOURENKOVA

cinema

B ar b ar a H e p w o rt h

1.Barbara Hepworth 8. Competition 9. Nosrat Karimi 13. Tomoko Imashiro 16. Competition 17. Lahijan 26. ELENA KOURENKOVA

Director: Aziz Anzabi Editor and translator : Asra Yaghoubi Research: Zohreh Nazari

Arash poem By Siavash Kasrai Told or untold here are so many points The open sky The rosy sun The gardens of flowers The planes all wide and open The rise of flower from under the snow The soft dance of the fish in the crystal glass The smell of rainy soil in the highland The sleeping of the wheat farms in the moonlight To come, to go, to run To love To feel sorrow Or to dance when people are delighted

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Barbara Hepworth

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Dame Jocelyn Barbara Hepworth DBE (10 January 1903 – 20 May 1975) was an English artist and sculptor. Her work exemplifies Modernism and in particular modern sculpture. She was one of the few women artists to achieve international prominence.

Along with artists such as Ben Nicholson and Naum Gabo, Hepworth was a leading figure in the colony of artists who resided in St Ives during the Second World War.

It was there that she met her fellow student, Henry Moore.They became friends and established a friendly rivalry that lasted professionally for many years.

Hepworth was the first to sculpt the pierced figures that are characteristic of works by both.

They would lead in the path to modernism in sculpture.

Ever self-conscious as a woman in a man's world, she then won a county scholarship to the Royal College of Art (RCA) and studied there from 1921 until she was Early life awarded the diploma of the Royal Hepworth's Family of Man (1970), College of Art in 1924. bronze, Yorkshire Sculpture Park Jocelyn Barbara Hepworth was Early career born on 10 January 1903 in Following her studies at the RCA, Wakefield, West Riding Hepworth travelled to Florence, of Yorkshire, the eldest child of Italy, in 1924 on a West Riding Gertrude and Herbert Hepworth. Travel Scholarship. Hepworth was Her father was a civil engineer for also the runner-up for the Prix-dethe West Riding County Council, Rome, which the sculptor John who in 1921 became County Skeaping won.After travelling Surveyor. An upwardly mobile together through Siena and Rome, family, and a dominant father Hepworth married Skeaping on 13 determined her to exploit fully her May 1925 in Florence.In Italy, natural talents. She attended Wakefield Girls' High School, and won a scholarship to and studied at the Leeds School of Art from 1920.

Hepworth learned how to carve and edited by Nicholson, Naum marble from the master sculptor, Gabo, and Leslie Martin.

Giovanni Ardini.Hepworth and Hepworth married Nicholson on 17 Skeaping returned to London in November 1938 at Hampstead 1926, where they exhibited their Register Office in north London, works together from their flat. following his divorce from his wife Their son Paul was born in London Winifred.The couple had triplets in in 1929. Her early work was highly 1934, Rachel, Sarah, and Simon. interested in abstraction and art Rachel and Simon also became movements on the continent. In artists. The couple divorced in 1933, Hepworth travelled with 1951.

Ben Nicholson to France, where St Ives they visited the studios Hepworth, Nicholson and their of Jean Arp, Pablo Picasso, and children first visited Cornwall at the Constantin Brâncuşi. Hepworth outbreak of World War II in 1939. later became involved with the Hepworth lived in Trewyn Studios Paris-based art movement, in St Ives from 1949 until her death Abstraction-Création. in 1975.She said that "Finding In 1933, Hepworth co-founded the Trewyn Studio was sort of magic.

Unit One art movement with Here was a studio, a yard, and Nicholson and Paul Nash, the critic garden where I could work in open Herbert Read, and the architect air and space." St Ives had become Wells Coates. The movement a refuge for many artists during the sought to unite Surrealism and war. On 8 February 1949, Hepworth abstraction in British art. and Nicholson co-founded the Hepworth also helped raise Penwith Society of Arts at the awareness of continental artists Castle Inn; nineteen artists were amongst the British public. In 1937, founding members, including Peter she designed the layout for Circle: Lanyon and Bernard Leach.

An International Survey of Constructivist Art, a 300-page book that surveyed Constructivist artists and that was published in London

Hepworth was also a skilled draughtsman. After her daughter Sarah was hospitalized in 1944, she struck up a close friendship with the surgeon Norman Capener.At Capener's invitation, she was invited to view surgical procedures and, between 19471949, she produced nearly eighty drawings of operating rooms in chalk, ink, and pencil.Hepworth was fascinated by the similarities between surgeons and artists, stating: "There is, it seems to me, a close affinity between the work and approach of both physicians and surgeons, and painters and sculptors."

In 1950, works by Hepworth were exhibited in the British Pavilion at the XXV Venice Biennale alongside works by Matthew Smith and John Constable. The 1950 Biennale was the last time that contemporary British artists were exhibited alongside artists from the past.

During this period, Hepworth moved away from working only in stone or wood and began to work with bronze. Hepworth often used her garden in St Ives, which she designed with her friend the composer Priaulx Rainier, to view

her large-scale bronzes.

Death of son Paul Her eldest son, Paul, was killed on 13 February 1953 in a plane crash while serving with the Royal Air Force in Thailand. A memorial to him, Madonna and Child, is in the parish church of St Ives.

Exhausted in part from her son's death, Hepworth travelled to Greece with her good friend Margaret Gardiner in August 1954.They visited Athens, Delphi, and many of the Aegean Islands.

When Hepworth returned to St Ives from Greece in August 1954, she found that Gardiner had sent her a large shipment of Nigerian guarea hardwood. Although she received only a single tree trunk, Hepworth noted that the shipment from Nigeria to the Tilbury docks came in at 17 tons. Between 1954-1956 Hepworth sculpted six pieces out of guarea wood, many of which were inspired by her trip to Greece, such as "Corinthos" (1954) and "Curved Form (Delphi)" (1955).

Late career Birmingham (1960), Leeds (1961), The artist greatly increased her Exeter (1966), Oxford (1968), studio space when she purchased London (1970), and Manchester the Palais de Danse, a cinema and (1971).[10] She was appointed CBE dance studio, that was across the in 1958 and DBE in 1965.[10][44] In street from Trewyn in 1960. She 1973 she was elected an honorary used this new space to work on member of the American Academy large-scale commissions. of Arts and Letters.Following her Hepworth also experimented with death, her studio and home in St lithography in her late career. She Ives became the Barbara Hepworth produced two lithographic suites Museum, which came under with the Curwen Gallery and its control of the Tate in 1980.In 2011, director Stanley Jones, one in 1969 the Hepworth Wakefield opened in and one in 1971.The latter was Hepworth's hometown of entitled "The Aegean Suite" (1971) Wakefield, England. The Museum and was inspired by Hepworth's was designed by the famed trip to Greece in 1954 with architect David Chipperfield.In Margaret Gardiner. The artist also January 2015 it was announced produced a set of lithographs that Tate Britain was to stage the entitled "Opposing Forms" (1970) first big London show of with Marlborough Fine Art in Hepworth's work since 1968. It London.Barbara Hepworth died in would bring together more than 70 an accidental fire at her Trewyn of her works, including the major studios on 20 May 1975 at the age abstract carvings and bronzes for of 72. which she is best known. It would Recognition also include unseen photographs Hepworth was awarded the Grand from the Hepworth archive, held by Prix at the 1959 SÄ o Paolo Bienal. the Tate, including a selfShe also was awarded the Freedom photogram created in the 1930s of St Ives award in 1968 as an and experimental photographic acknowledgment of her significant collages. contributions to the town. She was awarded honorary degrees from

Camera USA™ 2016: National Photography Exhibition and Award Call for Entry - Deadline: March 16th, 2016 All photographers residing in the United States are invited to submit one photograph taken in the United States after January 1, 2012 for Camera USA™ 2016: National Photography Exhibition and Award. The photography exhibition will be installed in the Naples Art Association's Frederick O. Watson Gallery at The von Liebig Art Center from June 20 through August 5, 2016. The Naples Art Association is located in Naples, Florida in the heart of the 5th Avenue South shopping, dining and entertainment district.

Exhibition and Award A maximum of 50 photographs will be included in the Camera USA™ 2016 exhibition. One photographer will be nominated for the $5,000 National Photography Award. The award nominee will be notified by telephone or email on May 18, 2016. In order to qualify for the award, the nominee must hand deliver his or her exhibit-ready photograph to the von Liebig Art Center by 2 pm on May 16, 2016 or ship the photograph to ARTMove LLC in Naples, Florida by May 9, 2016 and attend the June 17, 2016 preview reception for the Camera USA™ exhibition at the von Liebig Art Center in Naples, Florida.

An award nominee residing in Florida will receive a $300 travel stipend and two nights hotel accommodations in Naples, Florida. An award nominee residing outside the State of Florida will receive domestic round-trip economy class airfare for one and two nights hotel accommodations in Naples, Florida.

Eligibility Eligibility Photographers residing in any of the fifty States in the United States of America are eligible to enter one photograph taken in the United States after January 1, 2012 and not previously exhibited at The von Liebig Art Center.

Accepted photographs must remain on display for the duration of the Camera USA™ 2016 exhibition.

Entry Fee Entries will be accepted online until March 16, 2016. The non-refundable entry fee is $32 (for current and new Naples Art Association members the entry fee is $27) and is payable online by credit card within three days of starting your application and before the March 16, 2016 entry deadline.

For More Information: http://www.juriedartservices.com/index.php?content=event_info&event_id=10 26

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Nosrat Karimi born 1925 is an award winning Iranian actor, director, make-up artist, University professor, scriptwriter and sculptor. His career spans 6 decades. He is best known for his role as Agha Joon in My Uncle Napoleon and The Carriage Driver.

Career After finishing elementary school, Karimi attended the German Polytechnic Institute. He then registered at the only drama school existing at that time in Tehran. There from 1938 to 1941 he studied dramatic art, the art of make-up and stage design.

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In 1940, Karimi worked as actor, In 1965, he was engaged by The make-up artist, and as stage Ministry of Art and Culture to run designer in various and extend the state workshop for Tehran theaters. At the beginning animated cartoons. A little later, of 1953, Karimi travelled to Europe Karimi began his activity as in order to complete his art professor at The Faculty of Fine Arts degrees. In Rome, where he spent at Tehran University, as well as at the first months of his stay, he The Academy of the Dramatic Arts, became acquainted with famous where he taught different art styles Italian film directors Luchino for more than twenty years.

Visconti and Vittorio De Sica. The At the same period, Karimi neo-realistic films of De Sica produced two TV series: "Mr. ("The Bicycle Thief", "Miracle in Plaintiff", a puppet show and "The Milan "... ) made an impression on Marriage", a twenty-part family him.After approximately six series about married life. Through months, Karimi traveled to Vienna these popular series, Karimi and finally to Prague. There he became known to a wide section of studied film direction and TV society of Iran.In 1969, Karimi production, specializing in puppet began shooting the film The Thief and animation movies. His most and the Policeman - a Persian important teacher adaptation of the story of cops and at The Academy of Arts in Prague robbers. However, after having was Karl Zeman, the famous Czech finished the film for the most part, animation artist. After Prague, he he gave up the direction due to returned to Rome and stayed there interference from the producer. In for three years. He worked as the same year, the British director assistant director for Vittorio De Terence Young shot some scenes of Sica, performed on the stage, the film Poppy is also a Flower in appeared in musicals and dubbed a Iran. He engaged Karimi as make-up number of Italian movies for artist for his lead Yul Bryner and distribution in Iran. other actors.

In 1964, after eleven years in Europe, Karimi went back to Iran.

From 1971 to 1973, Nosrat Karimi made three feature films: The Carriage Driver, The Solution and A Bed for Three where he not only acted as director, but also wrote the film scripts and played the title roles.

The Carriage Driver was a great success and went down well with the critics . This movie was chosen as the Iranian contribution for international film festivals.

However, film authorities banned it from being shown abroad. Only years later could the film be performed in European cinemas.

The internationally acclaimed Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami, honoured with The Golden Palm of Cannes 1997 and numerous other international motion picture awards, praised the film as an important work of the Iranian Cinema.

Karimi’s fame and great success resulted in attractive offers from many producers. Thus in the 1970s he played in a number of commercial films that were directed by others. He also played a

supporting role in a JapaneseIranian co-production. In 1975, the director and actor made his fourth and last movie The Miserable One. Again, he wrote the screenplay. The film, a satire about the mounting tensions in the 1970s in Tehran, went down well and received notable reviews.

In 1976, Karimi played one of the to perform a puppet piece again – main characters of the TV series My The Uninvited Visitor. Then, he Uncle Napoleon. This is regarded as made the animated cartoon the most successful series ever run Playmate. In 1996/97, he produced on Iranian television. A year later, for a private channel the puppet the artist produced the TV series show Unruly, a TV series that has Khosro Mirsa II. This 16-part series been re-run repeatedly at the was a grotesque comedy about an request of the spectators. His other aristocratic family descended from works in the post-revolutionary era the Qajar dynasty. He then wrote include the production and another film script and was direction of a series of short TV preparing his next movie, but for films about pollution control and the time being film production was health care, as well as books about stopped during the Iranian theatre and cinema. Nosrat Karimi Revolution. currently lives with his wife Parvin Teymouri in the north of Tehran.

After the Revolution After the Iranian Revolution Karimi was banned, for a long period, from working as a filmmaker or actor. during that time, he rediscovered his former interest for making sculptures. He made many mimicsculptures which were shown in numerous national and international exhibitions. In addition, Karimi wrote a number of screenplays for movie and TV productions; a few of them were commercialized under the name of others and others have not been realized until this day.

Not until 1987, was Karimi allowed

Tomoko Imashiro photography Artist

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About Shashin Kosha Tadashi Yanagisawa founded effort to preserve and share the Shashin Kosha in 1950. Leaving Fuji masterpieces of early Japanese Film Company, Yanagisawa set up photography from the Taisho and his own professional lab Showa Eras (1912 until 1945). We specializing in black & white prints continue searching for unknown for new Fuji products, as well as masters of Japanese photography exhibition prints for Japanese for these finely printed calendars. photographers. Located in Kanda (a Shashin Kosha opened a new sixcentral Tokyo business district), story company headquarters in Shashin Kosha incorporated a large Kanda in 1989, bringing our entire shooting studio and photo lab into services together under one roof. its headquarters building.

That year we published a beautiful Shashin Kosha made big news with limited edition book of early its huge groundbreaking color Japanese photography from the prints (20m X 30m) created for the calendar series, also entitled “A Osaka Expo in 1970. Shashin Kosha Collection of Photographs,” in received a special award for its celebration of our 40th anniversary. achievements and contributions to In 1990 Takuji Yanagisawa became photography in 1976 from the the second company president of Japan Photographers Society (JPS). Shashin Kosha. He continues the To this day, we are the only photo traditions begun by his father, and lab to ever receive the prestigious brings a deep appreciation of JPS award. photography and art, as well as Since 1980, Shashin Kosha, in international understanding to cooperation with JPS, the Tokyo Shashin Kosha. The company Metropolitan Photo Museum, the expanded in 1993, establishing a Yokohama Museum, and the service center for Shashin Kosha Kawasaki City Museum, has labs in Tokyo’s famous Ginza produced a special annual calendar, district. The Ginza location also “A Collection of Photographs.” This includes our ArtGraph Photo calendar project is an ongoing Gallery and ArtGraph Photo School.

Since 1995, Shashin Kosha has added digital services to its hi-quality black & white and color work. We pride ourselves on meeting every challenge of modern photography for our clients. Shashin Kosha’s company policy remains unchanged: to offer the best quality photo services, staying on top of technical innovations, while deepening our understanding of the wonderful creative culture of photography.

Competition ARTERIMINI 2016 - OPEN CALL ARTERIMINI 15 to 18 April 2016, Exhibition Centre of Rimini - Italy Ufofabrik seeking four artists to be exhibited for the 2016 edition.

First edition of ArteRimini, exhibition of modern and contemporary art, dedicated to all forms of artistic expression, from the beginning of the '900 to the latest contemporary currents.

The event of 2016 will be held 15 to 18 April, at the Rimini Expo Centre.

In the new spaces of the fair in Rimini, we get to work for the first edition of ArteRimini, in an area rich in stimuli on the contemporary, art and culture; a location that not only collects the basin of Romagna, but also the etroterra, the Marche region, the city of Bologna: areas rich in culture, traditions and interests.

For the direct participation is required a ethics fee.

Participation is limited to all emerging artists with a resume and a professional-level production.

To submit your work to send a short biography and five photographs of recent artworks: prixrimini@gmail.com LABORA PRIZE RIMINI iscrizione entro 18 febbraio/register by 18 february 2016 prixrimini@gmail.com 16

Lahijan

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Lahijan is a Caspian sea resort in and the capital of Lahijan County, Gilan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 71,871, in 21,518 families.

The resort Lahijan has both traditional and modern architecture. The town, which has an Iranian-European urban structure, lies on the northern slope of the Alborz mountains. Its culture and climatic favorable condition have made Lahijan a major tourist hub in northern Iran.

The city is basically founded on the sediments remaining from big rivers in Gilan, including the SefidRud (White River). Historically, the city was the major business center and of course the capital of East Gilan during the time of special rulers. Lahijan has also been a tourism hub of the Islamic world during different eras in Iran's history.

Etymology The word "Lahijan" is originated from the economic stance the city had during its historical periods.

"LÄ hijÄ n" is formed by two words: Lah, means silk and "Jan or Gan" means a place where something is done. Therefore, by compounding

these two parts, the word "Lahijan or lahigan" was made, which means "a place to obtain silk fiber".

Professor Bahram Farah'vashi who is an Iranian expert in ancient languages says that in the Middle Persian Language; Lah refers to silk, and in Decisive Argument; Lah means the red silk. Therefore, Lahygan (today, Lahijan) is an area where silk is obtained.

Lahijan and languages Lahijan at night In Gilan there are two major Iranian language groups, namely Gilaki and Taleshi, and pockets of two other groups, Tati and Kurdish. The nonIranian languages include Azeri and some speakers of Gypsy (Romany, of Indic origin).

Gilaki is spoken by possibly three million people as a first or second language, and has had a budding literature and fledgling prose publications, including newspapers.

The five Iranian languages in Gilan Kalardasht serve as a transition belong to the north-western between Gilaki and Mazandarani. branch of Iranian. Gilaki, The differences in forms and which has two main dialect types, vocabulary lead to a low mutual eastern and western, with the intelligibility with either Gilaki or Safid-rud Riveras the general Mazandarani, and so these dialects border, is a member of the Caspian should probably be considered a subgroup. Tati and Taleshi (Talyshi) third separate language group of together make up the larger the Caspian area. dialect chains which together make Since the time depth between up the larger Tatic family (not to be south-western Iranian and northconfused western Iranian is greater than that with Tat-Persian spoken in pockets of, for example, English and north of the Baku area).

Swedish within the Germanic Among these, the two Tati pockets languages, Gilaki and Persian differ in Gilan, Kalasi and Kabataʾī, have on almost all grammar points. Time their closest relatives in Upper depth within western Iranian, Tarom in Zanjan province. however, is not an absolute Taleshi is a dialect chain of three measure of distance, since northmain types, southern, central, and western Iranian and south¬western northern; and southern Taleshi is Iranian have coexisted within the closer in type and mutual same cultural zone for millennia, comprehension to some forms of during which Persian has Tati than it is to central or northern consistently been by far culturally Taleshi. Rudbari may originally dominant. All Caspian languages have been a subgroup of Tatic that contain many lexical items (e.g., has largely adapted structurally to dan- “to know,” xast “to want,” Gilaki.There are many subdialects guft- “to say,” tanest “can”) and of Gilaki, and, progressing to the certain grammatical features (the east, it gradually blends into loss of the conjugation of transitive Mazandarani (Tabarestan). The verbs and the use of ra) that most intermediate dialects of the area likely show quite early influence of between Tonokabon and Persian.

More recently, however, due to geo system. both the economic importance of Gilan includes the north-western the Caspian and the Gilān’s end of the Alborz chain and the proximity to Tehran, Gilaki has western part of the Caspian been under¬going a massive, lowlands of Persia. The indelible Persian imprint: heavy mountainous belt is cut through by influx of vocabulary (e.g., Pers. the deep transversal valley of the pəsər, duxtər, damad, negah kudən Sefid-Rud between Manjil and have replaced the native rey, kor, Eemamzadeh Hashem near Rasht, zama, fəndərəstən), significant the capital of Gilan Province. To the syntactic interference (e.g., eżāfa), northwest, the Talesh highlands changes in vowel pronunciation, stretch a continuous watershed and even morpheme borrowings. separating Gilan and Azerbaijan.

One thus gets the erroneous impression that Gilaki is merely a Except at their northern end, where dialect of Persian. Yet it is a mixed the Heyran pass at the top of the language, and is becoming even Āstārāčāy valley does not exceed more mixed. Virtual one-to-one 1600 m, they are over 2,000 metres correspondences between Gilaki (6,600 ft) high, with three spots and Persian are commonplace, over 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) and often unavoidable: Gil. including the Baqrow Daḡ, the Ajam “they were busy providing and Daḡ, and the Shah Moʿallem or making dinner.”

Masouleh Daḡ.

Zahed Gilani's Shrine Lahijan enjoys a climate known as "moderate Caspian". This weather pattern emerged from the influence of the currents of both the Alborz Mountain slopes and the Caspian Sea. But before knowing about this weather pattern, we should discuss the model of climate system and of course Gilan's spacial

Their eastern and north-eastern and the Fumanat plain in the west. side is deeply carved by parallel The former has been entirely built streams flowing down towards the by the Safid-rud, a river with a high Caspian, resulting in a combdischarge and a high alluvial shaped pattern. The western Alborz content. The higher part is made itself, to the east of the Safid-rud out of coarse ancient alluvial valley, is wider and more intricate, material, whereas in the lower part, with three parallel (WNW-ESE) north of Astaneh-e Ashrafiyyeh, the ranges; the southernmost and river often changed its course lowest one is represented in Gilan through thin silty and clayey by the Asman-sara Kuh in the material; it has thus abandoned its Ammarlu district; the medium one former northeastward course, is the most continuous, from the which flowed into the sea at the Kuh-e-Dalfak to the Keram Kuh, prominent angle of the plain near whereas the transversal valley of Dastak, and presently flows Polrud clearly divides the northern northwards and builds a smaller range into Kuh-e-Natesh and Kuh-e- living delta jutting out into the Somam or Somamus, the highest Caspian between Zibakenar and spot of Gilan. All these mountains Bandar kiashahr. have a very complicated geological The Fumanat plain to the west structure and tectonic history intermingles marine alluvial which connects them to the deposits and former sandy beachstructural complex of central Persia. lines with abundant alluvial Though all those mountains cover a deposits from the numerous rivers greater area than the plains, these draining the southern part of Talesh are the most specific feature of the highlands. They do not reach province, and locally, the word directly the sea, but converge into Gilan often refers to the plain areas the lagoon of Anzali with a single or particularly to the central plain. outlet to the Caspian through the This large parallelogram of dune-covered sandy coastline. The lowlands is heterogeneous and can lagoon is constantly getting smaller be divided into two main parts: the and shallower under the effect of delta of the Safid-rud in the east silting

On the contrary, the streams of popular in Iran. As a result, the northern Talesh and eastern Gilan, demand for tea grew, and more tea even the more abundant Polrud, do needed to be imported to match not bring alluvium enough to Iran's consumption.Iran failed in counterbalance the action of a their first attempt to cultivate tea in coastal current going eastward, their own country in 1882 with and thus could not build more than seeds from India. In 1899 Prince a narrow ribbon of lowlands, only a Mohammad Mirza known as few kilometers wide between "Kashef Al Saltaneh" who was born Astara and Safid-rud and to the in Lahijan, imported Indian tea and east of Qasemabad started its cultivation in Lahijan. [disambiguation needed], and Kashef, who was the first mayor of some 10 km wide at the mouth of Tehran and an Iranian ambassador the Polrud around kelachay. to India under British rule, knew Tea that the British would not allow This section does not cite any him to learn about the secrets of sources. Please help improve this tea production, as it was their section by adding citations to biggest business in India at the reliable sources. Unsourced time. So being fluent in French, the material may be challenged and prince pretended to be a French removed. (August 2012)The history laborer and started to work in the of tea culture in Iran started at the tea plantations and factories to end of the 15th century. Before learn how to produce tea. that coffee was the main beverage Ultimately his plan was to take back in Iran. However, most of the coffee some samples of this tea to Iran to producing countries were located cultivate. He was successful in this far from Iran, making shipping very endeavor only because of his difficult. With a major tea diplomatic immunity which producing country, China, located stopped the British from searching on a nearby trading path, "the silk his secretly stashed sample. At the road", and the shipping of tea was time, Kashef brought 3000 saplings much easier. That was a main into his country from the Northern reason why tea became much part of India, Kangra.

He started the cultivation in the area of tea cultivation in Iran. One region Gilan, south of the Caspian of the most notable families Sea. The climate there was well involved in the tea industry was the suited for tea cultivation, and the Fallahkhair family, owning hectares tea industry quickly expanded in of tea farms controlling a vast Gilan and Mazanderan region. majority of the industry's export.

Kashef’s mausoleum in Lahijan is But today the country's tea industry now part of the is deep in trouble and the verdant "Iran's National Tea Museum". gardens that once sustained Iran's National Tea Museum. millions of farmers and their In 1934 the first modern style tea workers are used only for grazing factory was built. Now there are up sheep and other personal to 107 tea factories and a total of purposes. Despite having one of 32,000 hectare of tea farms. the world's most avid tea drinking Most of the farms are located the populations, the Iranian tea hillsides of Iran like the farms in economy is reeling from an influx of Darjeeling. These farms produce foreign imports and smugglers who, an orthodox style of black tea. local traders complain, often have The color of Iranian tea is red and close family ties to powerful figures taste is fairly light, and it is in the Islamic government. The delicious without adding any milk consequences are plain to see. In or sugar. The total production of Lahijan, the historic capital of Iran's black tea in 2009 was tea industry, land that was once a approximately 60’000 tons. lush vista of tea bushes is now Tea in Lahijan occupied by houses and flats, built A statue in Lahijan by tea factory owners who have Historically, Lahijan is the moved into the building trade in first town in Iran to have tea response to their industry's decline. plantations. With its mild weather, Several of the town's tea mills are soil quality and fresh spring water, derelict.

Lahijan stands to have the largest

Others are at a stand-still or operating at half capacity. Some 40% of the half-million tea farmers in tea-rich Gilan province have gone out of business, because the factories are no longer buying their crops.

Hundreds of thousands of pickers have been forced out of work.

ELENA KOURENKOVA Born in Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad), Russia, in 1966.

Graduated from an Architectural institute in 1989 and moved to Moscow, where worked as an architect until the beginning of Gorbachev’s Perestroika, then worked as an interior designer.

Moved to Glasgow, UK, in 1996.

Self-taught, although studied arts as part of degree as an architect.

Exhibited at the Royal Glasgow Institute, Paisley Art Institute and Aspect Prize Annual exhibitions.

Was represented by established galleries at the Art Fairs in London, Battersea, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Chelsea, Birmingham, Aberdeen, Ireland etc; and have works in private and corporate collections throughout the UK, Australia, USA, Greece, Germany, Spain, Sweden and Russia. There were a number of articles in local and national press concerning my work and images had appeared in the TV Channel 4's Grand Design. Works exhibited in established galleries throughout the UK. ARTIST’S STATEMENT Growing up under the authoritarian Soviet regime, when ordinary Russians had to wear that

drab look of obedience and selfsuppression, I had always wanted to escape from that total uniformity and find the way to express my vision of life in a different way, reflecting happier, funnier side of everyday life. My subjects are loosely based on own experiences and observation of life-and are therefore recognisable, which often provokes a smile or a laugh (much desired effect). I try to reflect everyday events in a different, lighter way; my subjects (although at times seemingly emotionally isolated, even when they are clustered in groups) are not lacking emotions, they only express them in their own way. They are content and happy, yet do not take themselves too seriously, they just go about their business as if no-one is looking. Their self-sufficiency is their freedom… Sometimes my characters might look quite realistic and recognisable, but their grotesque figures make them look ironic-we see one thing but they tell us another. Like many things in life-things are not always the way they seem 26

In other words, I try to reflect life as we Gallery, Kirkudbright Frameworks see it but don't always notice. I want to Gallery, Troon Macmillans Cancer Relief provoke a comment, a reaction, an Charity Exhibition, Glasgow and emotion. I want to make you smile.

Edinburgh Hancel Foundation Art Russians are guided by their emotions, Auctions Retail Trust Charity Exhibition, not by common sense, and this has an Glasgow Marie Curie Cancer Relief effect on all my work (whether I am Charity Auction The Preshal Trust paying myself a compliment here, I am Charity Auction Children's First Charity not sure)... Selected galleries and Auction University of Glasgow CHAS and exhibitions: Royal Glasgow Institute of Cancer research Charity Exhibition and Fine Art RGI Kelly gallery Paisley Art Auction Auction Sale in Aid of Yorkhill Institute and Aspect Prize Home and Childrens' Hospital Tolquhon gallery, by Interiors Exhibitions, SECC Glasgow Tarves, Aberdeenshire Castle Gallery, Scottish Contemporary Art Auction, Inverness Frames Gallery, Artesan McTears' Auctioneers Affordable Art Gallery, Perth, and Perth Festival Central Fairs London, Battersea, Glasgow (GAF), House of Artists, Moscow, Russia Tracey Chelsea, Birmingham, Aberdeen First McNee Fine Art, Glasgow The Queens Contemporary Art Fairs Edinburgh Road Gallery, Aberdeen e-gallery, Karen Tailor Contemporary Fine Art, Bearsden, Spring Art Fair, Sweden Twickenham, London Colomb Art Gallery, Marylebone, London Enid Lawson Gallery, London Off The Wall Gallery, Cardiff Regent Gallery, Somerset, Weston-super-Mare Rowan Gallery, Drymen, Loch Lomond and Helensburh Christo's Gallery, Glasgow Arteries Gallery, Glasgow The Annan Gallery, Glasgow, West End McGregor Fine Art, Glasgow Scotlandart.com, Edinburgh and Glasgow Hanover Fine Art, Edinburgh Westminster Gallery, London The Jerdan Gallery, Crail Tartan Gallery, Edinburgh Alpha art, Edinburgh Daisy Frame Gallery, Biggar Fotheringham Gallery, Bridge of Allan Devorgilla Gallery, Dumfries The storm Studies Gallery, Moffat High Street

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