Fantastic Fish, March 2025, California Center for the Arts Museum
Young artists in grades K–12 were invited to participate in the “Fantastic Fish” art contest, a wonderful opportunity to showcase their creativity and have their artwork featured at the California Center for the Arts Museum during our Nowruz celebration on March 15, 2025. Presented by Persian Place and the Museum of California Center for the Arts in collaboration with Little Persian, the exhibition explored the theme “Fantastic Fish.” From goldfish and koi to tropical or imaginary fish, students were encouraged to let their creativity swim free using any art medium, including drawing, painting, or mixed media. In total, 200 highly creative artworks were showcased at the museum, reflecting the imagination and talent of young artists from across the community.
Cups to Connections: Global Gestures of Hospitality, March 30th – Aug 11th, 2024, Mingei International Museum
Please visit this exhibition at the Mingei International Museum and see Persian Place items there. Cups to Connections: Global Gestures of Hospitality embraces the art of hospitality and how the act of sharing a drink has the extraordinary power to bring people together, fostering a deep sense of community and belonging. Highlighting a wide range of global traditions, the objects in Cups to Connections tell the stories of heritage and craft from across time and cultures.
Hospitality is the bridge that forges connections – each custom unique, yet the act of inviting others to join for a beverage, a universal language. This exhibition is on view from March 30th to August 11th, 2024.
Epic Expressions: Shahnameh by Seven Female Artists, February 1st, 2024 – June 24th , 2024, Mingei International Museum
The unique objects displayed in the niche at Mingei International Museum reflected the creative expressions of seven international female artists selected by Persian Place from February 1, 2024, to June 24, 2024. Seven international female artists were invited to create works inspired by the Shahnameh, a 10th- and 11th-century epic poem by Persian poet Abul Qasem Ferdowsi. The Shahnameh narrates the heroic tales of Persian kings and also acknowledged the pivotal role of Iranian women as influential nurturers and warriors in their communities. The showcased artists included Shirin Aghdaie, Sasha Furlan, Melissa Meier, Yasaman Mostajeran, Marty Ornish, Sara Soleimani Qashqai, and Soroor Sharifi.
Shirin Aghdaie is a Tehran University graduate who skillfully captures the Shahnameh’s essence through mirror work, a characteristic material in Persian decorative arts.
Sasha Furlan, a Croatian immigrant, explores Persian miniature art, embodying the spirit of Shahnameh in her paintings as well as reflecting on the evolving role of painting in contemporary life.
Santa Monica-based Brazilian artist Melissa Meier is known for her 3D installations using found objects, and has created a pair of beautiful but strong rose bud shoes for the installation.
Yasaman Mostajeran, a Newport Beach psychotherapist, elegantly revitalizes the Shahnameh’s verses through therapeutic art, especially through calligraphic forms.
Marty Ornish is a San Diego textile artist, and she addresses political and feminist issues with discarded materials, drawing inspiration for her displayed dress from Zoroastrian outfits in the late 18th century.
Iranian Pateh embroidery artist Sara Soleimani Qashqai intricately weaves Shahnameh tales and its women into curtains, infusing childhood stories and playfulness into her delicate stitching.
Soroor Sharifi, an Iranian jewelry designer, crafted a Phoenix-themed piece for this installation, which symbolizes resilience, rebirth, and women’s strength, reflecting her distinctive aesthetic and global influences.
Paint Your Rainbow, March 2023, Mingei International Museum
On March 27, 2023, Persian Place successfully presented the “Paint Your Rainbow” children’s art exhibition at the Mingei International Museum, showcasing 70 artworks from local schools by children ages 3–9. The exhibition theme, “Rainbow,” was created in loving memory of Kian, a talented nine-year-old boy who deeply loved drawing rainbows.
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