E4: The Past is Present, The Present is Past

EP4: The Past is Present, The Present is Past 

Episode Description 

Time & Again explores Iran’s rich and deep culture through the lens of the LACMA exhibition In the Fields of Empty Days: The Intersection of Past and Present in Iranian Art.  The series is hosted by actor/comedian Maz Jobrani with LACMA curator Linda Komaroff.

It seems fitting to close this series with reference to some of the works of art that inspired this podcast. In this episode we consider how Iranian artists use the past as a metaphor for the present day.  Here Maz and Linda discuss how the Shahnama appears throughout the exhibition In the Fields of Empty Days: The Intersection of Past and Present in Iranian Art and how Iranian artists draw upon this historic text as a way to make sense of the present.  

More information on the topics discussed in this episode:

• The Ending of the Shahnameh by Mehdi Akhavana-e Sales
• Modern Persian poetry
• 1953 coup d'etat of Mosaddegh  

To view the artworks discussed in this episode:  

• The Book of Kings series by Shirin Neshat
• Rostam II series by Siamak Filizadeh
• Untitled artwork by Nicky Nodjoumiwith images from a 19th century lithograph version of the Shahnama
• Buy the In the Fields of Empty Days exhibition catalogue at the LACMA Store

 Contributors

• Maz Jobrani
• Linda Komaroff
• Siamak Filizadeh
• Nicky Nodjoumi
• Shirin Neshat

Music

• Theme music by Axiom of Choice

Production

Produced for LACMA by SOUND MADE PUBLIC.

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