“In Iran They Call Me English and in England They Ask Me Where I’m From”: Navigating Identity and Belonging in Bea Dero’s Bound by Two Homes

What does it mean to belong to two places, yet fully to neither? For many growing up in the diaspora, this sense of in-betweenness—a constant balancing act between identities, languages and cultures—is part of everyday life. “In Iran they call me English and in England they ask me where I’m from,” says British-Iranian artist Bea…

2025-04-16ByAryana Davani

Music

How rage is reshaping Persian rap

What has long set Persian rap apart from other popular music scenes in Iran is not merely its sound or lyrical boldness, but a deeper, more ambitious undercurrent—a shared desire among its artists, producers, fans, and even digital platforms to be part of something far larger than themselves. This is a community with one eye…

2025-04-14ByHossein Filizadeh

Fashion

AGA BIBI—Today this, tomorrow that

AGA BIBI is a fashion brand driven by the vision of Mehrnoush Shahhosseini—an architect, designer, storyteller and the creative team lead behind AGA BIBI. Born in 1973 in Tehran, she grew up as the youngest of a five-member family, with two older brothers. Her father was a university professor of literature and her mother was…

2025-03-25ByAryana Davani

Art

Through the curious world of her viral videos, Ella Lotfi seeks to break barriers and redefine movement.

Ella Lotfi’s instagram lately begs a lot of questions. In one video, she’s at the gym using a chest press with her legs, and in another, she climbs a staircase in a manner that can only be described as being akin to an upside-down spider, while 2 other guys fall down the same staircase like…

2025-03-20ByCyrus Jarvis

Culture

Lost but Not Forgotten: Reviving Iran’s Flavors

I had the opportunity to speak with Shahrzad Shokouhivand, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu pastry school, founder of L'Atelier de Shahrzad and Femme Chic Patisserie, the first Iranian to receive the esteemed L’Ordre du Mérite Agricole. As a visionary pastry chef and entrepreneur, she has been instrumental in reviving Iran’s forgotten flavors and bringing…

2025-03-20ByParisa Mohsen

Music

Rehearsal: Golsa and the Music of the Streets

The interview with Golsa started in a way that was as unique as the artist herself. I could hear the unmistakable sounds of bustling Iranian high streets in the background as we finally connected. It’s a cold day, she’s probably walking an uphill pathway as she keeps breathing between every few words or so. And then,…

2025-03-20BySeper Mardani

Culture

Nowruz family portraits from pre-70s

Before Instagram grids and family group chats, there were portraits like these. Taken during Norooz in Iran, sometime before the 1970s, this series of family photographs tells a quiet story of closeness, tradition, and joy. One family, many relatives, countless memories—captured in the soft tones of aging film. The photos feel familiar even if you’ve…

2025-03-20ByTPM Staff

Music

Rehearsal: Churooks Syncopated Stories from Tehran

Amazing boys, I started my chat with them by asking them about some of their recent on-repeat songs that they are listening to. In the middle of our conversation, Bardia said that his recent on-repeat song was Starship Syncopation by Cory Wong. Spot on! That’s it. That’s exactly where I wanted to begin this conversation.…

2025-03-20BySeper Mardani

Music

D0T: Four Artists. One Vision. No Genre.

Some stories unfold gradually, shaped by time and experience. Others erupt into existence with the energy of something inevitable—like a spark catching fire. Dot is one of those stories. The collective vision of four distinct artists—Ali, Nima, Sina, and Arsham—has crystallized into a music label that dares to push the boundaries of Iranian sound. Ali Gandomi,…

2025-03-20ByHossein Filizadeh

Culture

Michael and Hushi: A Timeless Fashion Archive That Continues to Inspire

Michael and Hushi was a fashion label founded in 1997 by Iranian-American Hushidar Mortezaie, known as Hushi, and Michael Sears. The duo brought together their unique talents, with Hushi drawing inspiration from his Iranian heritage to create graphics and cuts, while Michael focused on craftsmanship and pattern-making. Although the brand is no longer active, its…

2025-02-21ByAryana Davani

عضویت در خبرنامه

عضویت در خبرنامه