A COLLECTION OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY WORKS BY ARTISTS OF ASIAN HERITAGE.
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نوبهار (Nobahar): A Sonic Portrait of Musician Imogen Mahdavi by Saam Farahmand
ARTIST FEATURE
An exclusive Baesianz release, this sonic portrait of London-based musician Imogen Mahdavi by the prolific director Saam Farahmand contributes to the renaissance in Persian aesthetics.
‘I came across Imogen’s music through a mutual friend and was completely struck by her voice. It had an unearthly quality that came from an unfamiliar but intimate place. We decided to create a unique performance together, where we would explore a new dimension in her voice and character. There is something in bringing an artist to their essence, unanchored to structure, that creates the most powerful kind of portrait for me.
First-generation Persian artists oscillate between revering our culture on a primary level and absorbing the subjective reverence of our culture from an external, aesthetic level. We don’t have a lineage of crossover artists who’ve successfully navigated this balance! Contemporaries like Paria Farzaneh, Sevda, Hushidar Mortezai, Mamali Shafahi and others are creating it day by day, right now.
Personally, in this and in my art, the language or format of expression fascinates me more than the expression itself. Everything I make is aware of its own language. This portrait is called نوبهار (nobahar) which means ‘Spring’, and which is also her given name (Imogen is her middle name). The idea of an end to Winter and new life had a personal overlap both for myself and Imogen that gave this a special soul.’ - Saam Farahmand
Cinematography by Ahmet Husseyin
Costume by Emily Rose Yiaxis
Director assistance by Tariq Daley
DIT by Chris Belcher
Edit by Tom Lindsay
Grade by Simona Cristea
Headpiece by Ali Pirzadeh
Gaffer Lighting by Sinclair Smith
Make up by Lan Nguyen Grealis
Set edits by Lorna Searl
Sound by Tom Lindsay
Special special thanks:
Chris Belcher
Claude Ruelle
Theo Koutroukides
Baesianz
Serkan
Curzon
Anders, Lorna and Noreen at Trim
Chris Chard at Coffee & TV
An exclusive Baesianz release, this sonic portrait of London-based musician Imogen Mahdavi by the prolific director Saam Farahmand contributes to the renaissance in Persian aesthetics.
‘I came across Imogen’s music through a mutual friend and was completely struck by her voice. It had an unearthly quality that came from an unfamiliar but intimate place. We decided to create a unique performance together, where we would explore a new dimension in her voice and character. There is something in bringing an artist to their essence, unanchored to structure, that creates the most powerful kind of portrait for me.
First-generation Persian artists oscillate between revering our culture on a primary level and absorbing the subjective reverence of our culture from an external, aesthetic level. We don’t have a lineage of crossover artists who’ve successfully navigated this balance! Contemporaries like Paria Farzaneh, Sevda, Hushidar Mortezai, Mamali Shafahi and others are creating it day by day, right now.
Personally, in this and in my art, the language or format of expression fascinates me more than the expression itself. Everything I make is aware of its own language. This portrait is called نوبهار (nobahar) which means ‘Spring’, and which is also her given name (Imogen is her middle name). The idea of an end to Winter and new life had a personal overlap both for myself and Imogen that gave this a special soul.’ - Saam Farahmand
Cinematography by Ahmet Husseyin
Costume by Emily Rose Yiaxis
Director assistance by Tariq Daley
DIT by Chris Belcher
Edit by Tom Lindsay
Grade by Simona Cristea
Headpiece by Ali Pirzadeh
Gaffer Lighting by Sinclair Smith
Make up by Lan Nguyen Grealis
Set edits by Lorna Searl
Sound by Tom Lindsay
Special special thanks:
Chris Belcher
Claude Ruelle
Theo Koutroukides
Baesianz
Serkan
Curzon
Anders, Lorna and Noreen at Trim
Chris Chard at Coffee & TV
@saamfarahmand / @imogen_mahdavi
Words by Saam Farahmand
Edited by Sarah Khan
Edited by Sarah Khan