Iran: New Voices
Untitled Series: bedun e onvan 1
(untitled 1)

Shahab Fotouhi
Born 1980, Yazd, Iran, Shahab Fotouhi lives and works in Tehran. He works with video and photography. In his video works the subjects present moments of suspension, merging the playful and serious; examples of free exchanges of arguments and counter-arguments hopefully with no terminal synthesis. In his photographic works he captures unrelated moments taken in Tehran, found objects, interior design and people's portraits as sculptural forms, merging the uncanny of the everyday wit that of the staged composition.

Avish Khebrehzadeh
Born 1969, Tehran, Iran, she studied at the Azad University, Tehran, Accademia Di Belle Arti Di Roma Pittura, Rome and University of the District of Columbia, Washington. She draws simple figures with pencil on brown paper that she sometimes stains with olive oil. Her drawings and animations offer poignant, symbolic narratives and allude to emotions and ideas without spelling them out. In 2003 she won the Prize for Young Italian Art at the 50th Venice Biennale.

Vali Mahlouji
Born in Tehran, Vali Mahlouji came to London as a result of the outbreak of the Islamic Revolution in Iran to study archaeology and linguistics at the University of London, specialising in ancient Iranian art and antiquities as well as studying Old and Middle Persian for an MPhil in Iranian Philology. He subsequently established his own art gallery before also training in Fine Art and Theatre Design. As a designer his recent projects in theatre and film range from Maeterlinck's The Blind to Dvorak's Rusalka for amongst others the ICA, Riverside Studios, Arcola Theatre and Grange Park Opera, as well as short films for the BBC and UK Film Council. Vali has also worked extensively as a translator in collaboration with the Barbican, NFT, BFI, V&A and Channel 4. His translations and publications include Koohestani's Amid the Clouds (Royal Court), Samini's Eleventh Minute (BBC) and as a co-contributor on Islamic Affairs and Arts & Education for The Guardian.