Filsoofi, Raheleh T.

Iran’s long history of pottery making goes back ten thousand years, and it is as diverse as
the country’s geography and ethnic composition. Clay as a material connects contemporary
Iranian society to its ancient roots, and it permeates daily life in terms of the economy,
technology and even gender roles. This presentation focuses on the lives of three women potters
in northern and western Iran, one in the village of Jirdeh Central Gillan province, another in the
village of khomar Mahaleh East Gillan, and the third outside of the City of Marand West
Azerbaijan province. Each woman represents a particular genre of handmade pottery from
functional to sculptural work, and she establishes a unique identity in terms of production,
commercial distribution and her personal relationship to the social and geographic environment.
A selection of interviews, photographs and video clips taken during the summer of 2012
illustrate how these women work and thrive in their leadership, independence and creative
artistry. Key concepts include: 1 Land place, home, 2 Technique and work process, 3 Gender
roles, 4 Tradition and why their works are considered traditional, and 5 Authenticity and what
makes their works authentic. The solitude that separates and yet connects these women offers a
contrast to the nature of ceramics in the contemporary art world of Tehran and also opens a
dialog for gender and feminist issues that are relevant to study of art technology, design and the
roles of women in Iranian society today.

We each experience the world through the prism of our upbringing, our traditions
and the familiar sights and sounds embedded deep within our soul. Only Sound Remains
is an installation in which I explore and share those experiences through objects, sounds
and video. Ceramic vessels inspired by the traditions of my ancestors hide and shape
sounds that narrate simple and complex experiences, which are the stories of my life.
The sounds relate to the world that I came from and that still can be heard now. The
sounds are not clear until one gets close to the vessels and lifts the lid-- a bazaar, praying,
marching, an explosion, a woman telling a story, traditional Iranian music. The
installation is a metaphor for the way in which we experience the world. The vessels
represent a selection of personal and cultural experiences through sounds that may or
may not be fully understood.