IRVINE, Calif.—An art exhibit was held at the city’s Great Park on Nov. 5, where original works of art including oil paintings and images relating to the uprising in Iran were displayed for public viewing. The exhibit is just one of many organized events in the nation to seek support for the people of Iran in their fight against the country’s regime.
Event organizer and Acting President of the Iranian American Democrat Party of California Sudi Farokhnia told The Epoch Times the exhibit was to gain awareness of the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on Sept. 16, who died after three days in Iranian police custody. She was allegedly detained for a dress code violation in Tehran, by the so-called Islamic “morality police.”
After using deadly force and mass arrests to squash the just protests of the Iranian people—led by Iranian women and youth—Iranian authorities have doubled down on violence by using the death penalty and other harsh sentences to silence anti-state demonstrations.
Human rights organizations have indicated that more than 300 Iranians have been killed in the government’s brutal crackdown—though that number is likely higher—along with more than 14,000 arrests.
Some of those arrested have already been charged with crimes that carry the risk of capital punishment, including “waging war against God,” according to the Iranian Parliament. Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, Iran’s Judiciary Chief, indicated that he agreed with the statement from parliamentarians and that protesters could be executed. In so doing, the Iranian establishment appears to be priming itself for greater brutality under the guise of legality.
Farokhnia said the current uprising isn’t a first for Iran, but it is different than others in the past. She said today, Iranians are coming together, differences aside, asking for one thing.
“[Don’t] ignore the voices of the people of Iran. Don’t make any deals with the Iranian regime, and let the Iranian people chart their own course,” Farokhnia said.
A design for a mural was displayed for the first time at the exhibit, created by Shirin Daggooghi, an independent painter and graphic designer in Southern California, depicting the chronology of the so-called anti-compulsory movement against the hijab.
On the far left of the design is a woman standing on a metal utility box, waving a stick with a white scarf symbolizing peace. She is known as “the girl from Revolution Street” so named after she was jailed in December 2017 during protests in Tehran, the capital of Iran.
In the middle of the mural’s design is Mahsa Amini holding an olive branch, again symbolizing peace. Behind her are 16-year-old Sarina Esmailzadeh and 17-year-old Nika Shakarami, who were the first two women under 18 to allegedly die at the hands of the regime, for protesting and not wearing their headscarves, following Mahsa Amini’s death.
Organizers said they hope to find a wall or the side of a building in Orange County to paint the mural.
Another piece shown at the exhibit, painted by art curator Hanieh Bagher, depicted a nude woman with a real rope tied around her torso and arms.
“I was inspired 10 years ago for this one, when I noticed in the world sex trafficking is prevalent,” Bagher told The Epoch Times.
A large piece composed of 2,500 silk roses was also on display, also depicting Shakarami. The work was created by Hiwa Pashaei, an LA-based Kurdish Iranian-American Artist.
Farokhnia said she has helped organize and combine several other events in Orange County. Previously, she said, there wasn’t a lot of unity as protests were simultaneously in various locations, which she said divided the effort.
To help consolidate the efforts, she found other organizers and used social media to connect the various parties organizing protests in Southern California. SoCal.
“In the beginning, you would see, especially in LA, three events called in three different corners of the city almost at the same time,” Farokhnia said. “If we are trying to get traction, we need to bring large crowds together.”
The largest of the combined protests was in Los Angeles, with around 30,000 people in attendance from San Diego, Orange, and LA counties.
“There’s a lot of team building, a lot of sisterhood and brotherhood that is being built. We are all just focused that our number one job is to amplify the voices of the people in Iran,” Farokhnia said.
“We’re trying to do more global actions now. It’s more impactful,” she said.
Farokhnia said she and others have also tried to bring their concerns to light including holding a welcome rally during President Joe Biden’s speech on Oct. 4 at MiraCosta College in Oceanside.
“While he kept going around, he kept seeing that we were trying hard to get his attention,” she said.
According to Farokhnia, the president responded and said, “Don’t worry, we’re going to free Iran. They [Iranian people] are going to free themselves pretty soon.”
White House officials later clarified Biden’s statement did not represent a change in the administration’s position.
“He was expressing, again, our solidarity with them,” said John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council, according to media reports.
“The president’s been pretty clear about this. … We’re going to continue to look for ways to hold the regime accountable for the way that they’re treating their own people,” Kirby said.
Despite Biden’s remarks, Kirby said that the US is not aware of any signs of a regime change in Iran.
Protests will continue and events, exhibits, or any means of raising awareness will appear soon, according to the protest organizers in Southern California.
