TMoCA to show documentaries on Farah Ossouli, Gizella Varga-Sinai, Farzaneh Asadi

August 16, 2025 - 21:58

TEHRAN – The cinematheque of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMoCA) will screen three short documentaries about Iranian women artists on Sunday.

“Between Shadow and Light” and “Gizella” both directed by Khosrow Sinai, as well as “A Story Etched in Stone” by Maryam Navabinezhad are the documentaries selected for the program that starts on 4 p.m. at the museum cinematheque, Honaronline reported.

The screening program is part of the “In Women's Words” exhibition, which is underway at the TMoCA. Every Sunday, the program shows documentaries focused on women, society, and art.

Produced in 2002, “Between Shadow and Light” is about the thought, style, and works of painter Farah Ossouli, whose style blends traditional Persian painting with modern touches. 

The 25-minute documentary revolves around the work of an artist who invents symbolic characters and stories in order to express her views about life. 

Depicting her characters in expertly composed and beautifully colored paintings, which blend a traditional Persian painting style with a modern touch, Ossouli's art has been exhibited internationally and is deservedly award-winning. Here, it is given a new dimension through pantomime and poetic narrative. As the film follows Ossouli creating a new work, dramatic performance pieces bring her characters to life in a surreal blend of fly-on-the-wall observation and symbolic imagery.

Born in Zanjan, Farah Ossouli, 72, is a graphic design graduate from the Faculty of Fine Arts, the University of Tehran. She is known for her modern interpretation of Persian miniature. Often her work draws on issues related to women's lives, Persian poetry, and classical Western art.

During over three decades of career as an artist, she has achieved a unique fusion of techniques, materials, themes, and storytelling, which has evolved into her personal style. She has been a pioneer in introducing contemporary themes and ideas into miniature painting.

She founded Dena, a female art collective that organized over 30 exhibitions between 2001 and 2007. She is a member of the Society of Iranian Painters. She has held domestic and international exhibitions in West Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, and Asia.

Her paintings are part of collections in museums across continents, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Ludwig Museum in Koblenz, Germany, Tropen Museum in Amsterdam, and the Devi Art Foundation in New Delhi.

The 20-minute documentary “Gizella” (2000) explores the work of Gizella Varga-Sinai, 81, an Iran-based Hungarian artist. Featuring English language narration, this film explores her life in two countries, while showcasing some of the artist's greatest works.

Gizella was born in Częstochowa, Hungary, moved to Austria, and studied at the Vienna School of Decorative Arts, where she received a B.A. in art teaching. There, she met Khosrow Sinai, an Iranian filmmaker, and married him. In 1967, she came to Iran with her husband and settled in Tehran. A year after that, Gizella's first solo exhibition was in Tehran's Modern Art Gallery. 

In 1978, she won the “Mirror in the Mirror” exhibition prize. Gizella taught at Tehran's contemporary studio between 1981 and 1987, then taught art in the schools of the German Embassy for 25 years. 

Gizella became a member of the Dena art group in 2001. A group of Iranian female artists (including Farah Ossouli, Faridah Lashai, Maryam Shirinlou, Shahla Habibi, Rana Farnoud, etc.) who, in their 6-year career, have had exhibitions in different countries such as Poland, Switzerland, Hungary, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Iran. The most important of these feats occurred in the United Nations building in Geneva, the European Parliament building in Brussels, and the Ludwig Museum in Koblenz. 

She has showcased her works in 19 solo exhibitions across Austria, Finland, Hungary, Georgia, and Iran, as well as in over 120 group exhibitions in countries including China, the United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, the U.S., Finland, Portugal, France, Norway, and India.

Beyond her artistic practice, she has made significant contributions as a teacher and organizer of educational events at institutions like Moaser Studio in Tehran and schools associated with the German Embassy in Iran. Additionally, she has led numerous private workshops, both in Iran and internationally.

Varga-Sinai consistently aims to create a dialogue between the past and the present, illustrating how myths and legends continue to resonate within contemporary culture. Her art reflects this interplay, bridging traditional narratives with modern expressions.

One of her most significant works, “Blind Dolls,” created in the late 1970s, draws inspiration from the poetry of Omar Khayyam and captures the atmosphere of that era. Another noteworthy collection, “Echoes of Silence,” exhibited in 1986, was influenced by the reliefs of Persepolis, combining them with contemporary elements, offering a fresh interpretation of Iran's rich heritage.

Born in Mashhad, Farzaneh Asadi, 62, is a sculptor who holds an honorary doctorate from the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Guidance and holds the title of Most Powerful Woman from Lebanon. She is a member of the founding board and board of directors of the Iranian Sculptors Association.

Asadi graduated from high school in Mashhad and then went on to study graphic arts and illustration at the Faculty of Fine Arts, the University of Tehran.

She has participated in numerous exhibitions inside Iran and abroad, such as France, Ukraine, Japan, and Greece. Many of her sculptures have been installed in city squares and auditoriums.

To understand Asadi’s greatness as a sculptor, look no further than her many top art honors, honorary doctorates, and international exhibitions. But beyond the accolades lies a life shaped by strength and resilience. Married young and now a mother of three, she carved her creative path against all odds—breathing emotion and meaning into heavy stone. Her work is deeply personal; each sculpture reflects a part of her inner world, full of clarity, depth, and untold stories. She reminds us that excuses hold no weight when true passion leads the way.

Launched on July 23, the “In Women’s Words” exhibition is dedicated to showcasing 121 works by modern Iranian women artists.

Curated by Afsaneh Kamran, Toka Maleki, and Sajjad Baghban Maher, the exhibition displays works by artists such as Monir Farmanfarmaian, Behjat Sadr, Parvaneh Etemadi, Farideh Lashai, and Leyly Matin Daftari, among others.

SS/SAB
 

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