Dec 01 2008
How To Portray Iran
Colorado-based artist Tom Loughlin has put together an interesting exhibit in an effort to generate sympathy for the Iranian people. He has constructed a building that resembles Iranian architecture, an eight-sided building that brings together the past and the present of Iran. The artist’s exhibit has been filmed and can be watched on youtube.* We are shown people’s reaction to the exhibit and the energy and sympathy generated by the images of Iranians floating inside the building.
As an Iranian, I consider the two sides of the coin when it comes to outsiders portraying Iran. On the one hand, it is nice to see that Americans are so welcoming of other cultural views and that they try to understand and identify with Iranians despite the big cultural and political differences. Yet, it is dangerous to present such a unified Iran. Iranians are currently struggling with the Iranian regime because their own rights of expression and rights to freedom are being undermined. Showing that Iran is a place where the government and the people are entirely in tune can lead to future misunderstandings about Iran’s culture.
* Pictures of You: Images of Iran
