Fereshteh's beauty salon I

Studio Biarritz/ Nastaran Razawi Khorasani/ Davy Pieters |

During their travels in Iran in 2019, Nastaran Razawi Khorasani and Davy Pieters reflected on the women who grew up under the country’s Islamic dictatorship, and were confronted with the immense impact that (un)freedom has on their daily lives and outlook on life. Both women and artists in Iran face immense amounts of censorship and restrictions to their self-expression. Acknowledging their privilege and responsibility, the duo set out to offer a voice and platform to those who are left unheard.

Location Zuiderpark/Het Uitzicht

Running time Doorlopend

Genre Verdieping

Their film Fereshteh’s Beauty Salon / سالن فرشتھ was inspired by conversations with various Iranian women, based both in Iran and in the Netherlands, on the role that freedom plays in their daily lives. Set in a beauty salon—one of the few safe spaces for women to express themselves in an oppressive society—the film shares stories of ‘small resistance’ by women from Iran. Their experiences and accounts speak to the women’s resistance, power and determination, as well as their humour and lightness, and demonstrate how a build-up of small-scale action has had a massive impact on their individual and collective freedom.

Nastaran Razawi Khorasani (1987, Babol/Iran) and Davy Pieters (1988, Heemstede/Netherlands) make up the artist duo KOBE. The pair formed a close collaboration during their time at the Toneelacademie Maastricht, institute of performative arts. KOBE’s interdisciplinary work is characterised by a distinct visual style that takes current events and personal fascinations as its starting point. Their performances use glorification and criticism to scrutinise contemporary pop culture, with previous work presented at BAR Rotterdam, Roodkapje, Mysteryland, TENT Rotterdam and more.

This project is part of the European programme apap – FEMINIST FUTURES, in the frame of Feminist Futures Festival.
A project co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.