Kites of Transformation Iran: Woman, Life, Freedom

24 June 2024 - 15:30

Kites are the ultimate symbol of freedom. About 25 years ago artist Rienke Enghardt started to use kites in the global Hope Box (HBX) art campaigns. Their kites have been active all over the world from Gaza City to Havana and from Hanoi to Johannesburg to continue to strengthen and spread the message of freedom. 

As one of the artists of the Rosa Luxemburg exhibition, Rienke portrayed three young Iranian women of the Women, Life, Freedom movement on a kite: Armita Geravand, Nika Shakarami and Sarina Esmailzadeh. 

Happening and conversation

This kite and the stories it represents are the basis for a happening at the IISG. The gathering will start with a short introduction on Kites of Transformation by Rienke Enghardt followed by a talk on the situation in Iran by Marzieh Heydarian (Collection development IISG). A central question will then be shared with the group - what is freedom? - and each participant will give their personal perspective on the question. The other participants sit alongside the kite and can listen and draw in the meantime. With each subsequent participant, the group moves up one place and continues to doodle on the other participant's drawing. At the end of the personal examples, the group chooses the one that appeals most to the imagination. This will result in a shared and unique definition of the subject, and a collective work of art of the group, that will be part of the exhibition. 

As people need to feel safe and free to say what they want, there is a limited number of participants (10 in total) who can take part. Would you like to join? Please send an email to event@iisg.nl. We will let you know if there are still places available. 

Practical

Date:
24 June

Time: 15:30. The gathering lasts about 90 minutes. 

Place: IISG, Cruquiusweg 31, Amsterdam

Entrance: Free admission, but please send an email to communicatie@iisg.nl if you want to join. 

Kites of Transformation Iran