For thousands of years Persians have celebrated the night of Yalda, the Winter
Solstice, with poetry, divination and the sharing of symbolic fruits.
On December 21, 2012, artist is residence at the Meridian Gallery, Fariba
Bogzaran will host an evening of mystical poetry, rituals, Persian classical
singing and music. The audience will participate reciting Rumi in his original
language, Farsi, and share in divination practices and dream incubation.

The Persian term for this night is Shab-e-Yalda, an ancient word from Syriac
meaning birth. The tradition is as old as the Mithra religion, which pre-dated
Zoroastrianism. Rituals of introspection, poetry and music celebrated the Eve of
Yalda. This winter solstice, join us to create a communal poetic space to pass
through the darkest night and celebrate the light of new beginnings.

Participating Artists:

6:00 Fariba Bogzaran, Introduction and Egyptian hand drum

6:30 Kim Rosen, mystical poetry

7:30 Doug von Koss, ecstatic and sacred songs

followed by Group recitation of Rumi in Farsi

8:30 Taghi Amjadi, Classical Persian vocalist singing Hafez, Amir Hossein Nojan,
Setar (family of Lute), Naser Sheikhzadegan, Oud (Barbat),
9:30 Audience Divination with Hafez poetry and dream incubation

Fariba Bogzaran is a scholar and artist who has an interdisciplinary approach to the practice of art. She uses her inspiration from lucid dreaming and her in-depth training in percussion and shamanic studies to incorporate into her creative process. Her formal training is in painting, printmaking, and installation. With the surrealist painter Gordon Onslow Ford, she founded the Lucid Art Foundation, which focuses on art as vehicle in exploring consciousness. 

http://www.bogzaran.com/