About two years ago (at age 25) I woke up in the middle of the night (it felt like I was being pulled up from the center of my chest) and I opened my journal next to me…drew this image…then went back to sleep. It was like I had to purge it…really strange. I’m an Iranian-American born and raised here with Iranian parents. Later I interpreted the awkward heart as myself, existing in the grey…the overlap…neither here nor there.
Submitted by Bita.
Being Iranian and growing up with pomegranates (انار ), during Fall, the pomegranate season, I stock some at home. My fall and winter won’t pass without them. Attached picture shows my current inventory :)
Submitted by Ashkan.
What do I look at when I am at my desk?
Jerry Garcia
Traditional mosaic pen holder
Alexander Ovechkin - Hockey Player
Skyline of Perspolis
Cheech
Jim Palmer - Baseball Player
Submitted by Ashkan. Thanks Ash!
I keep a few items on my mantle that speak to what is important to me. Music, sports, my hometown and of course my Iranian heritage.
Bust of Beethoven
Clock with Zoroastrian Symbols
1991 Washington Redskins Championship badge
Sculpture with relief from Perspolis
Bust of Mozart
Submitted by Roxanna. Visit her website here.
“Nowrooz table mixed with Easter stuff”
idigthereforeiam asked: Your thesis is going to be awesome! It inspires me to pursue my idea when I am a senior (I am currently a sophomore). I'm an anthro major, and I was thinking about writing my thesis on the Iranian community in west LA
Thank you for the kind words! Your possible thesis topic sounds very interesting. Good luck in the future!
Submitted by Yasaman. Thank you Yasaman!
“In this picture is the Termeh (special hand woven table cloth) that belonged to my great grandma and I got it as part of my dowry and since my immigration I use it for Persian New Year. The box is hand crafted and it’s always on my desk to keep small items. My beloved poetry books. Khatamkari picture frames that adorn my old photos. Mortar and pestle, for grinding saffron and khatamkari saffron box”
Submitted by Melody.
Piano
Ipod
Pomegranate
Postcard
Persian art on my wall
Submitted by Cyrus
I usually spend most my time with these objects
A laptop
My Facebook
My Email
My Voice and video communication software to chat with my friends and family
A cup of hot Iranian tea
And a few dates
Submitted by Farzad
Here is my object portrait. Items included…
Gormeh Sabzi - Iranian dish that remains me of my mom/family
Tweezer- eyebrows shape the whole face
Barbie- american standards of beauty
Ornate Patterned Box- we always seemed to have this around the house
Faravahar Necklace- Zoroastrian symbol of protection
Incredible Friends- that are different then me and allowed to live their lives more freely
Volleyball T-Shirt- played competitive sports for many years and encouraged to be aggressive
Design Book- what i hope is my future
Books about Iran and Iranian People- I don’t know enough about the country I was born in so I hope to get some of that knowledge from books and other’s experiences
Persian sugar holder. Makes the tea drinking experience more Persian :)
Submitted by Zad
It’s a 2 x 2 cloth with Persian New Years items etched into it.
Submitted by Zad
Here is a submission from another one of my brilliant classmates. Thanks Steven!
Through this task I found out that I have very little cultural connection with my ancestry. Rather, I am attached to the things and places closest to me and most important in my development as a person; the things I use most in my life and allow me to be who I am. Places like my hometown (Atlanta) where I went to school (the University of Virginia) and my interests (design and sports) mean much more to me than a distant cultural connection. That’s why the following things define me as a person:
Computer (with Atlanta Braves homepage up)
Watch
Wallet (with GA ID, Pratt ID, and J.Crew card),
Sunglasses
University of Virginia band
Mouse
Level (for the architecture in me)
iPod
Phone
Copious notebooks with copious pens
Eclipse gum
Bert’s Bee’s
Flash drive
My keys
Design books (you can never have too many)
Water bottle
Beer
Whiskey
In completing this exercise, I learned that even though I try to be non-materialistic, there are certain objects that drive my everyday life far more than others. They in turn allow me to define myself by facilitating my passions and interests. Individually they may seem unimportant, but collectively they represent a microcosm of me.
I am Shiva Alipour and a graduate student at Pratt Institute working on my Masters in Communication Design. Thanks for taking the time to look at and hopefully participate in this project. I was born in Shiraz, Iran and move to the United States with my family around the age of 5, making me a first-generation Iranian-American.
Dualism is part of my thesis project exploring the identity of Iranian-Americans through the use of object portraiture. The idea is to better understand the Iranian-American demographic through the objects that we keep around and associate as part of our identity.
What to do...
1. Gather a few (it could be one or thirty) objects that you keep around the house (or office, car, etc.). The objects should collectively show whatever you feel is or is part of your Iranian-American identity.
2. Once you have gathered these items, take a photo.
3. Submit your photo using the submit button on the right of the page.
4. Please also include in your submission a list or description of what the items are.
