Artist & Author
Solmaz Naraghi
Solmaz Naraghi is an Iranian interdisciplinary artist and writer whose practice spans writing, music, calligraphy and videography. She began studying the setar and Persian calligraphy as a teenager and, at the age of nineteen, became the youngest instructor at the Tehran Calligraphers Association. She went on to study Persian Language and Literature, while developing her creative practice within Iran’s literary and art scene through writing and solo and group exhibitions.
Her literary work sought to move beyond conventional written forms. Her experience in calligraphy led her towards concrete poetry, while music opened a path into performance poetry. Bringing these practices together, she later created a series of video poems exhibited in galleries. This marked the beginning of a continuing exploration of how language might acquire visual, embodied and performative forms.
Her work for children began with music. Her first children’s album-book, Tati-Tati, which she composed and performed herself, went through three printings within two years. The strong response from young audiences led her to create songs and musical stories that combined educational themes with different artistic languages. Rooted in the instruments and modes of Persian classical music, these works explored subjects ranging from common childhood fears and body and sexuality education to Nowruz, Yalda and the story of the four seasons.
Storytelling, songwriting, setar and vocal performance and late , animation and digital media gradually came together as parts of an interdisciplinary practice. This path led, among other projects, to Persian-language musical animated series for BBC Persian and the successful children’s podcast Hachin Vachin for Radio Farda, for which Naraghi worked across writing, directing, presenting and production.
She also created the first Persian-language children’s song about private parts and bodily boundaries. The song became the starting point for a three-part musical series on sexuality education for children aged three to six, produced for BBC Persian Television.
She is now based in London, where she has continued her studies in Creative Digital Media and is developing Ajimagic Studio, an interdisciplinary studio that transforms stories, poetry, music and collective dreams into narrative environments: physical spaces that audiences can enter, where imagination and imagery become tangible experiences.
Solmaz Naraghi
Author and Interdisciplinary Artist
Birthday: 1978
Educational Background:
BA in Persian Language and Literature, Allāmeh Tabātabā’i, 1997-2002
Authorship:
Books:
- Mirzādeh Eshqi, a monograph on Mirzādeh Eshghi, (Iranian poet and journalist lived in the era of Persian Constitutional Revolution) Sāles Pub., 2009
- Shākh-e Nabāt (a Collection of Visual Poetry), Dibāyeh Pub., 2014
Articles:
With Literary Themes:
-The Evolution of Poetry (A Study on the New Methods of Literary Creation), Ketāb-e Hafte-ye Khabar Journal, May 2017
– From Page to Scene: About the Revival of Oral Traditions in Persian Poetry), Tasvirnāmeh Journal, No. 3, Summer 2015
– Eyd-e Khun (Bloody New Year), Etemād-e Melli Newspaper, 2009
– Resurrection Opera, the Passion Play of Iranian Ancient kings: About the First Iranian Opera, Composed by Mirzādeh Eshqi), Bārān Magazine, Sweden, 2006
– Discovering the Despotism Pattern on the basis of Gender Pattern: An Analysis of “Se Tāblo maryam”(three Paintings of Mary)by Mirzadeh Eshghi), Haftād-o-Haft Magazine, No. 1, 2006
– Thoughtless Republic: The Iranian Constitutionalism Book, Supervised by Naser Takmil Homayun, 2nd Volume, Bāzshenāsi-ye Eslām va Irān Pub., 2005
Women and the art:
– To Revive out of One’s Ash like a Phoenix: A Review of Shahla Moazzezi’s Paintings), Zanān-e Emruz Journal, No. 15, February 2016
– The Unsettling Experience of Contemplation: (A Review of Pante’ā Rahmani’s Paintings), Zanān-e Emruz Magazine, First Year, No. 10, March 2015
– Folk Music and Femininity, Zanān-e Emruz Magazine, First Year, No. 6, November 2014
– Bony Fairies in the Costume of Kobani Women (A Criticism of H&M Function in Modelling Kobani Guerrillas), Sedā Weekly, No. 9, October 2014
-A coexistence with Death: (A Review of Fariba Rahnavard’s Paintings), Zanān-e Emruz Magazine, July & August 2018
-The Magic of Writing in the Feminine Ornaments and Language of Mystery, Zanān-e Emruz Magazine, No.1, First Year, June 2014
– Hamdoukhtehā: (An Introduction to the Exhibition of Women’s Fabric-Paintings), Pardis-e Mellat Gallery, June 2012
– The Illustrator of Words’ Absence (A Review of Mansureh Hosseini’s Calligraphic Paintings), Honar-e Fardā Magazine, No. 8, 2012
– Translating “Feminist Aesthetics” entry (into Persian), from Stanford Encyclopedia, Zanān Magazine, Nos. 147, 148, 149, Summer 2007
– The Silent History (Introducing the International Museum of Women in San Fransisco); E’temād-e Melli Newspaper, April 24, 2006
– Reflection of Feminine Experience (A Study on Music from the Viewpoint of Gender), Zanān Magazine, No. 136, September 2006
– Translating “Gender, History and Post-structuralism” (into Persian), from Women Studies, by June Hannam, The Cultural Heritage News Agency Site, 2003
-The Masculine Ideal of Beauty in the Faces of the Royal Harem’s Women, (Interview with Beate Petersen), Tasvirnāmeh Journal, No. 3, Summer 2015
– I Knew I Had to Deal with Passion, (Interview with the painter Pante’ā Rahmani) E’temād-e Melli Newspaper, November 12, 2014
– I Wish I Could Publish My Lullabies in Iran (Interview with the singer Sima Bina), Zanān-e Emruz Magazine, No. 6, November 2014
-I’ve Been Left with the Melancholy of Those Accidents, (Interview with Azadeh Akhlghi), Zanān-e Emruz Magazine, No. 1, Spring 2014
Calligraphy and Visual Arts:
– Marginalia on the Importance of a Name: An Introduction to the Solo Exhibition of Mohammad Ahsa’i in Bum Gallery, 201
– Body Embodiment in Persian-Islamic Calligraphy, Tazraw Quarterly, No. 4, November 2017
– Cartouche Prototype and the Spatial Formalization of Writing, Ketāb-khāneh Magazine, No. 1, May 2016
– Alefbāl-e Fārsi; A Review of Bird Motif’s representations in the Contemporary Calligraphic Painting, Ketāb-khāneh Magazine, No. 0, March 2016
-On the Virtue of Deviationism: The Aesthetics of Imperfection in Persian-Islamic Calligraphy Tradition, Tasvirnāmeh Journal, No. 2, Winter 2014
– Calligraphic Painting; Reconstruction or Demolition(A Criticism of the Criticism of Al-e Ahmad for the 5th Biennial of Painting), Tasvirnāmeh Journal, No. 1, Spring 2014
-The Other Half: On the Aesthetic Crisis of Calligraphic Painting, Alef Magazine, No. 86, November & December 2011
– An Introduction to the Catalogue of “khatnegaareha” Exhibition: Recognizing the Calligraphy and Calligraphic Components in the Modern Iranian Art, Pardis-e Mellat Gallery, January 2012
– Abstract Orbiting Tradition in Divine Words, Sedaghat Jabbari’s Art Book, Total Art Gallery, Dubai, 2006
– Narration for a Documentary Film about an Iranian-Japanese Calligraphy Workshop in Imam-Ali Museum, Tehran, 2008
– A Wrong Picture in the Eyes: A Review of Nosratollah Moslemian’s Paintings, E’temād-e Melli Newspaper, December 3, 2008
– A House Subjugated to Dream; (A review on The first winner of Tehran International sculpture symposium by Ali Jabbar Hossein), Haft Magazine, Fifth Year, No. 42, December 2007
– Abbas Kiarostami, Cannes Film Festival and Globalization, A Persian Translation of a chapter of Cannes: Inside The World’s Premier Film Festival, Corless, Kieron & Chris Drake, Film Magazine, No. 367, September 2007
– A Man Composed of the Nature (About the Sculptures of Nasser Hushmand Vaziri), Sharq Newspaper, May 7, 2006
-Ancient civilizations and the symbolic mirrors ; A Persian translation of a chapter from the book Mirrors in Mind by Richard Gregory, The Cultural Heritage News Agency, 2005
-The 700-Year-Old Sultan; an inseparable part of the history: About the Soltāniyeh Dome), Information Site of Urban Engineering and Architecture, November 20, 2005
– The Structure of Narrative in Modern Museum Architecture, Information Site of Urban Engineering and Architecture, October 2005
Documentary Authorship and Directorship:
– Against Oblivion: A Review of Davud Zandian’s Paintings, produced by Irānshahr Gallery, 2019
– “Hu”; A Review of the Exhibition of Calligraphic Paintings by Hamidreza Ghelichkhani), Farmānfarmā Gallery, 2019
– Zāyecheh: A Short Documentary about a Work of Hossein Zendehrudi, produced by Tehran Auction, 2019
– Ān (That): A Short Documentary about a Work of Mohammad Ahsa’i, produced by Tehran Auction, 2018
– Jān-e Jahān (The Soul of Universe): A Short Documentary about a Work of Monir Farmanfarmayan, produced by Tehran Auction, 2018
– Raj (Row), A Short Documentary about a Work of Hossein Zendehrudi, Pi+Ruz+Ji, produced by Tehran Auction, 2018
– Heh, A Short Documentary about a Painting of Hossein Zendehrudi, Heh Havvaz or Hansden, produced by Mehran Haghighi (Homa Film), 2018
Occupations:
Teaching:
- Children’s creativity workshop, Farhangān-e Qarib Bookshop, 2019
- Creative writing to children with Down syndrome, Khorshid Association, 2012-2014
- Calligraphy, Tehran Society of Calligraphers, 2003-2007
- Art, Farzānegān Middle School, Tehran, 2000-2001
Journalism:
- A member of the Editorial Board, Tasvirnāmeh Quarterly, 2014-2015
- Freelance journalist and reporter for the newspapers Sharq, E’temād, Kārgozārān, E’temād-e Melli, Yās-e Naw
- Reporter in the Cultural Heritage New Agency (CHN), 2002-2005
- Collaboration with the Forum of Young Journalists, 1996
- Secretary of the children and teenagers’ page, Āfarinesh Newspaper, 1996
Art Management:
- Curator of the Group Exhibition “Between Window and Watching”, for Forugh Farrokhzad, Āriā Gallery, April 2008
- In charge of Emruz Gallery, 2007
- In charge of the secretariat of the 1st Tehran International Sculpture Symposium, 2006
Exhibitions:
- Alefbāl, Solo Exhibition of Calligraphic Paintings, Farmānfarmā Gallery, December 2017 – January 2018
- Between Lines, Common Exhibition with Sajedeh Sharifi (Calligraphy and Photography), Farmānfarmā Gallery, December 2017 – January 2018
- Alefbāl and Between Lines , Bayān Gallery, Isfahan, February 2018
- Fālnamā, Solo Exhibition of Visual Poetry, Fereshteh Book City Gallery, July 2015
- The Little Conceptual Art, Group Exhibition, Tarrāhān-e Āzād (Freelance Designers) Gallery, 2007
- Deeper Depression, Group Exhibition of Typography, Tehran Gallery, 2006
- Picturing Meaning, Solo Exhibition of Calligraphic Paintings, Iranian Artists’ Forum, October 2004
Music and Performance Poetry:
- Performing music and poetry, Festival of The Magic of Spring Swallows, April 2019, Paris
- Sarketāb, performance poetry, Dā Theater, May 2018
- Feelings of the Fish after Swallowing Jonah, poetic performance, Negar Gallery, April 2017
- Virtual Female, Poetic performance, Sur Café, on the occasion of March 8th, February 2016
- Sarketāb, performance poetry, Denā Gallery, July 2015
- Ghamar-ol-Moluk Vaziri, audio poetry , February 2010
- Aql-e Sorkh (The Red Intellect), A conversation with Yahya ibn Habash Suhrawardi, with Ruzbeh Mehr, performance poetry, Iranian Artists’ Forum, June 2009
- Singing for the closing credits of of Naser-ad-Din Shah and His 84 Wives Film, a film directed by Beate Petersen,2011
- Singing for the closing credits of Shirin, a film directed by Abbas Kiarostami,2008
- Tati Tati, Maternal Songs Album, (coming soon)
Video Poetry
-Jonah (video poetry), Famanfarma art gallery, 2018
-Kale Joush(Mobile video poetry) published at Alefma Website,2018
-Gemini Sunset (Mobile video poetry), Baharestan Movie Theatres, 2018
International Events participation:
- Music and dance festival of “The Magic of Spring Swallows”, April 2019, Paris, with a musical performance
- The Biennial of Iranian Studies, 2016, with a lecture titled “The Revolution and the Defloration”, Vienna University
- Waste Land Audiator (Poetry Festival) Bergen, Norway,2012, with Shakhe Nabāt collection,