Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
Community Impact I am seeking ways to make the public components of this project <br />accessible to as wide an audience as possible. Programs for the exhibition <br />will be adjusted accordingly closer to the opening date. I will engage local <br />arts organizations & education professionals in Orange County to reach <br />citizens & students. Over the course of my past few exhibitions, I have <br />forged relationships with faculty at University of North Carolina, Duke <br />University, Elon University, & Durham Technical Community College. These <br />connections have been pivotal in facilitating talks & panel discussions, both <br />virtually & in person. I have also worked closely with the Iranian Cultural <br />Society of North Carolina (ICSNC), an organization which has helped me <br />bridge cultural gaps. Arts can be a catalyst for creating dialogue & sharing <br />cultural experiences, & the input of these educational institutions allows me <br />to reach a much larger cross-section of my community. As this opens up <br />possibilities for some broad-spectrum & far-reaching ideas, I have planned <br />multiple events in & around my project. All of these are public, & free of <br />charge. <br />1. Exhibition opening on March 1, 2024, & included in Chapel Hill's Second <br />Friday ArtW alk, March 8, 2024. <br />2. Artist reception at Lapin Bleu, on March 19, 2024. <br />3. An art talk at Lapin Bleu, in conjunction with Community Arts & Culture, <br />the town government's arts office, TBA March 2024. This will be a walk- <br />through to showcase the work, discuss the various people/locales captured <br />in the images, & an opportunity for participants to inquire about any of my <br />experiences. <br />4. A potential art talk at the OCAC, in the spring of 2024. This will be a <br />visual journey to the region I am exploring for the exhibition. <br />5. A lecture, in the spring of 2024 as part of the DTCC Humanities <br />Department Speaker Series, open to the entire student body. This will be <br />comprised of a speaking portion of approximately 60-70 minutes, after <br />which the floor is open for questions via a moderator. I will be focusing on <br />the customs, cuisine, & culture of Kurdish villages, virtually untouched by <br />change. Facilitated by Professor Steven Kerrigan, it will be followed by a <br />Q&A session. <br />6. A lecture, facilitated by ICSNC & the Graduate Student Association of <br />Iranians at Duke, as part of the Duke University Emamian Lectureship <br />Series, open to the general public. This will be both an in-person & virtual <br />event. <br />I believe imparting a bit of the beauty of an oft-misunderstood country with <br />the general public, & highlighting the distinctive people & places of a <br />timeless land, enriches our community as a whole. <br />DocuSign Envelope ID: 02859F63-3D23-4F41-8A2A-72A471A6BA01