TEHRAN- Iranian composer and ney player Hamed Mokhtarani is collaborating with Professor Dariush Farhud, widely regarded as a pioneer of genetics in Iran, on a multidisciplinary artistic project inspired by the 15-volume “Cultural Iran” book collection.

The project seeks to translate the concepts and achievements presented in the extensive collection into a combination of orchestral music, calligraphy, and cinematic visual production.

The “Cultural Iran” book project was initiated in May 2007 under the direction and supervision of Farhud, with the participation of a group of researchers and collaborators. Over nearly two decades, the project has resulted in 15 volumes containing thousands of pages devoted to various aspects of Iran’s history, culture, art, civilization and literature.

Farhud, a prominent Iranian scientist and pioneer in the field of genetics, has devoted part of his cultural activities to compiling the collection. The central idea behind the project, according to its organizers, has been to make Iran’s historical and cultural heritage accessible to the general public regardless of their academic background or field of expertise.

The collection has therefore been developed with a comprehensive and research-based approach while seeking to remain accessible to a broad audience interested in Iranian culture.

As part of the new artistic collaboration, Mokhtarani has spent considerable time studying and researching the contents of all 15 volumes. He is now developing his personal interpretation of the intellectual and cultural world presented in “Cultural Iran” into an independent musical work.

The composition draws on orchestral and classical music and is being developed with a view to a symphonic performance. According to the project’s plan, the work is intended to be introduced as the official musical piece of “Cultural Iran.”

Rather than providing a direct musical narration of the books, the composition seeks to reflect concepts and ideas derived from the collection as a whole. The approach is intended to transform an extensive body of scholarly and cultural material into a nonverbal artistic language that can communicate with audiences beyond linguistic boundaries.

The project also includes a visual component. Mokhtarani is set to design and perform a calligraphy performance at a major historical site in Iran. During the performance, the English word “CULTURE” will be rendered through calligraphy alongside selected Persian poetry and literary texts related to Iranian culture.

The calligraphy performance and the musical composition will be brought together in a professionally produced film, employing a cinematic approach to visual storytelling.

The final stage of the collaboration is planned to include the unveiling of the musical work, calligraphic artwork and multimedia film at a special ceremony held in conjunction with the presentation of the “Cultural Iran” book collection.

Following the unveiling, the works are scheduled to be prepared for dissemination through Iranian and international media and other platforms.

The project brings together Farhud’s long-running research and cultural initiative with Mokhtarani’s contemporary multimedia approach to music and visual art. Through the combination of orchestral music, Persian calligraphy, and cinematic production, the collaborators aim to present themes drawn from Iran’s cultural heritage in an artistic format capable of reaching audiences inside and outside the country.

Photo: Professor Dariush Farhud (L) and Iranian composer Hamed Mokhtarani in an undated photo 

SAB/