‘Perpetuation of Myth’ at The Art Museum of Los Gatos

Middle Eastern visual culture is still a mystery to most Western viewers, who expect to see overtly political statements or religious sentiments. Shattering these expectations, 'Perpetuation of Myth' showcases the work of four Iranian-American artists with roots in the Bay Area whose works contemplate history, poetry and the cross-cultural issues of identity.

Beyond a shared cultural heritage, these artists all employ a personal or cultural mythology as an integral thread that winds its way through their work and their lives, working beyond the assumptions that falsely perpetuate myths about their culture and themselves. Artists Seyed Alavi, Ala Ebtekar, Mitra Fabian and Nazanin Hedayat Munroe present works ranging in media from painting and drawing to mixed media sculpture and textile installation.

Seyed Alavi

Photo above: Seyed Alavi / Frames of Reference, Page 89 from the book Frames of Reference by Seyed Alavi, Color Photography, 12x36 in, 2007 / Courtesy of the Artist

Seyed Alavi / Frames of Reference, Page 88 from the book Frames of Reference by Seyed Alavi, Color Photography, 12x36 in, 2007 / Courtesy of the Artist

Seyed Alavi / Facades #2, Photo Collage, 24x36 in, 2013 / Courtesy of the Artist

Ala Ebtekar

Ala Ebtekar / Elemental, Mixed media installation, 2004 / Courtesy of The Art Museum of Los Gatos

Ala Ebtekar / Figure17, Archival pigment print on Hanemuhle papir, 2005 / Courtesy of The Art Museum of Los Gatos

Mitra Fabian

Mitra Fabian / Divergence, Pen on tracing paper, 36x64 in, 2011 / Courtesy of The Art Museum of Los Gatos

Mitra Fabian / Husk, Glass vials, glue, 8x10 in, 2012 / Courtesy of The Art Museum of Los Gatos

Nazanin Hedayat Munroe

Nazanin Hedayat Munroe / Prince and Dervish, hand painted silk, Interior panels, 2012-2013 / Courtesy of The Art Museum of Los Gatos

Nazanin Hedayat Munroe / Permanent Madness, Silk printed and hand sewn silk garments, performance stills, 2006 / Courtesy of The Art Museum of Los Gatos

The exhibition will feature an installation honoring the Persian New Year, coinciding with the spring equinox every year, and a children’s art area with Persian designs for coloring and display. A live music performance will take place at the opening reception on March 7th. The Museum will host a film screening and panel discussion on March 10th with the Jewish Community Center to foster intercultural understanding. The selected film is titled 'Arranged' and centers on the friendship between a Muslim woman and an Orthodox Jewish woman living in Brooklyn, working as teachers. The film will be screened at the Jewish Community Centers in Los Gatos.

Public programs at The Art Museum of Los Gatos during the exhibition include:

• March 7, 2013, 6:00-8:00pm Opening Reception

• March 9, 2013, 1:00-3:00pm Curatorial Lecture and Walk Through

• March 10, 2013, 12:00-3:00pm Film Screening at the Jewish Community Center (JCC), 14855 Oka Road, Los Gatos

• March 14, 2013, 6:00-8:00pm art:inFOCUS Lecture Series, “Islamic Art, an Introduction: Art, Architecture, Faiths and Legends” Johanna Movassat, PhD.

• March 24, 2013, 12:00-3:00pm, Family Art Day/Artist Demo Day with Mitra Fabian

The Museums of Los Gatos

The Museums of Los Gatos is a non-profit organization supported by memberships, sponsorships, donations and the Town of Los Gatos. The Museums’ mission is to harness the power of art and history to enrich life. It aims to inspire and engage the region with innovative educational cultural experiences.