Join us Saturday, June 3 from 2-4pm for "Remembering Fereydoun Farrokhzad", a music, poetry, and community event in remembrance and celebration of queer Iranian activist, poet, and entertainer Fereydoun Farrokhzad, who was brutally murdered in Germany in 1992. This event is free and open to the public.
San Francisco-based guitarist and singer Mohammad Talani will be accompanied by San Jose-based musician Narges Jajarmi on accordion, performing some of the most popular Fereydoun Farrokhzad songs. Members from the Iranian community will read selections from Fereydoun Farrokhzad's poetry collection "Another Season."
This program is presented in collaboration with Yerba Buena Center for the Arts as part of the public programming for YBCA’s ongoing exhibition طراوت | TARAVAT, which highlights the voices, struggles, and personal stories of artists in the Bay Area who are carrying the torch of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement and LGBTQIA2S+ rights globally.
About Fereydoun Farrokhzad (1938-1992)
Fereydoun Farrokhzad was an Iranian singer, actor, poet, TV and radio host, writer, humanitarian, and iconic opposition political figure who advocated for an open society that accepted all people. He is best known for his variety TV show Mikhak-e Noghrei (The Silver Carnation), which introduced many artists who became famous such as Ebi, Leila Forouhar, Shohreh, and Sattar. He was the brother of the acclaimed Persian poets Forough Farrokhzad and Pooran Farrokhzad. Farrokhzad was forced into exile after the Islamic Revolution in 1979, and relocated to Germany. He continued producing opposition radio programs and books. In his numerous shows worldwide, and most notably at the Royal Albert Hall in London, he criticized Khomeini. He received death threats for his vocal opposition. Sadly, Farrokhzad was the victim of an unsolved murder on August 7, 1992, widely believed to be the work of the Islamic Republic Government of Iran. Farrokhzad remains a significant Iranian cultural icon whose popular music and television programs continue to be circulated through various media platforms. Fereydoun Farrokhzad has been honored by San Francisco's Rainbow Honor Walk through installation of a plaque in the Castro District, remembering him as a world LGBTQIA2S+ pioneer.
About our artists
Mohammad Talani is a San Francisco-based musician and artist who has both performed independently and collaborated extensively with various bands and musicians, including Marcus Shelby, Eendoo, Kiosk, Ali Azimi, and Shahrzad Sepanlou, among others, in roles of songwriter, producer, and guitarist. As digital media director, he toured the globe for three years with Feathers of Fire, an award-winning cinematic shadow play. He has directed and edited television shows, documentaries, and promotional videos. Mohammad Talani's new album will be released in 2023.
Narges Jajarmi is a San Jose-based musician and artist who has performed extensively in concerts and plays. Jajarmi is a member of Diaspora Arts Connection's house band, performing annually at Let Her Sing: A Celebration of Female Voices at the Blue Shield Theater of California at YBCA.
Artwork by Keyvan Shovir
