Cultural Connection
The Mission
Cultural Connection strengthens the global community. The Persian culture has reason to be proud of the global influence of their ancient history. Their heritage includes an appreciation of nature, poetry, and art which lives on as exemplified by the observance of traditional celebrations such as Nowruz, the timeless words of Rumi which have been translated into nearly every language and the global adoration of the rose, first cultivated in Persia’s province of Faristan around since 810 BC. Additionally, artifacts of ancient Persia including the architecture of Persepolis, the progressive humanitarianism captured on the Cyrus Cylinder and historically significant pottery, jewelry and artworks are housed in such prestigious museums as the Louvre, the British Museum and Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The YAS Foundation provides a cultural connection to the ancient Persian civilization of more than 8,000 years of by partnering with various institutions including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The mission of this significant initiative is to reach out and share the Persian cultural heritage and achievements through publicly accessible events featuring Persia’s traditional celebrations, music and arts.
Nowruz, a Glorious Celebration of the
Persian New Year
Cultural connection is a key focus of The YAS Foundation which has played a leading role in several important cultural events, including funding the launch of a community program at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston that celebrates important International holidays. The program is designed to allow New Englanders to highlight special days and milestones in their culture and to attract to the museum audiences that otherwise may not have entered the museum.
The MFA community program was initiated and funded for 4 years with YAS Foundation sponsorship of a major event celebrating Nowruz, the Persian vernal equinox. In 2015, the foundation transferred management of the Nowruz celebration to the museum. The annual Nowruz event features dance and art as well as lectures on Persian culture and history, highlights include:
- Classical and modern dancers adorned in brightly colored rich silks, brocades and flowing long skirts,
- Traditional live music by talented, celebrated musicians,
- Traditional Haft Seen table arrangement featuring seven symbolic items, all starting with the Persian letter “S”,
- A performance interpretation of Shahnameh, the Persian Book of Kings,
- Persian Art viewing and creative activities,
- Notable speakers sharing Persian culture and history,
- And many more exhibits and activities!
There is also an interpretive performance around the networking of new generation.
The Art of Medhi Taheri
Continuing the Tradition of
Persian Miniatures
The Persian miniature is a richly detailed miniature painting which depicts religious or mythological themes. The art of miniature painting in Persia flourished from the 13th through the 16th centuries. These delicate, lush paintings are typically visually stunning, with a level of detail which can only be achieved with a very fine hand and an extremely small brush. This valuable Persian cultural tradition will be carried on to the foreseeable future thanks to the talent and dedication of several contemporary artists producing notable Persian miniatures.
Medhi Taheri is one of those artists who ensures this historically relevant, rich art form will not soon become a tradition lost.
Mr. Taheri was born in 1928 to a prominent artistic family in Tehran. From an early age he showed promise in emulating the Persian masters who were famous for their Miniature paintings. Being the grandson to the Artist-In-Residence to the royal family, his artistic destiny was inevitable.
For half a century, Mr. Taheri has been creating Miniature paintings and expressing himself through abstract impressionism and traditional styles. Through his miniatures he is promoting and preserving an ancient art form, while making it more relevant to a modern audience.With such an enthusiastic champion, eloquent spokesman and gifted artist the destiny of miniature painting is certainly secure.
Under the tutelage of the renowned artist Behzad, his talents flourished. He left his homeland to study the Western masters in Europe and then moved to the United States, where he received a degree in fine arts and teaching credentials from UC Berkeley.
For more than 5 decades, Mr. Taheri has been passionately perusing his unique blend of traditional Persian and western styles. With works prominently displayed in several important private collections worldwide, Mr. Taheri’s reputation speaks for itself.
