Filmmakers Afsar Sonia Shafie and Martin Frei returned to Zurich from Tehran a few days ago and are showing new, current images and videos from Iran. Afsar Sonia Shafie, born in Tehran, has been living in Switzerland for many years. Her photographic view of her homeland is also the view of someone who has left. Afsar Sonia Shafie and Martin Frei show photographs with often absurd and funny moments. A loving yet detached and at the same time intimate view of contemporary Iran.
The exhibition takes its title from the video “Sodagary/Trade”, 2003. The video documents an art performance in Tehran’s bazaar. A woman (Afsar Sonia Shafie) wears a traditional black chador, but one inscribed with a verse from a famous Persian poem by Nezami Ganjavi. Passers-by react strongly to this unusual, provocative expression of female individuality.
Khosro asked: “what kind of art are they pursuing in your city?”
Farhad answered: “they sell their life to gain sadness!”
Nezami Ganjavi