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Paula Slater, Fine Art Sculptor Public Art, Site Specific Sculpture Works In Progress Asian Bronze Gallery 07-987-2048 800-675-5067
Please also visit www.Monasdream.com to learn about the torture and execution of ten women of the peaceful Baha'i faith and the persecution of the Baha'i in Iran by the brutal Islamic Regime.
When Mona was 16 years old she was arrested for being of the Baha'i faith. Brave young Mona was then hanged when she refused to renounce her faith. Mona was called the "Angel of Iran" also. A feature film is being made of this tragic and heroic story. |
SSohrab "Freedom Warrior" Life size portrait bust of brave young 'Freedom Warrior' Sohrab Aarabi. Supervisor Ross Mirikamini and Paula unveiled the above portrait bronze and the portrait of Neda 'Angel of Freedom' in bronze on December 12th at San Francisco Public Library's lovely Koret Auditorium. The event took place at the "We Are All Iran: A Literary Reading to Mark the Six-Month Anniversary of the Iranian Elections, http://www.iranianamericanwriters.org/ in conjunction with www.United4Iran.org A Global Day of Arts and Culture for International Human Rights Day and Solidarity with the People of Iran. See Press Release: Sohrab Aarabi 'Freedom Warrior of Iran' will be Memorialized in Bronze
Neda "Angel of Freedom" Please scroll down to see this portrait bust in bronze. Nice article about the two Neda Portrait Bust written by Amil Imani: http://www.newmediajournal.us/staff/imani/2009/10072009.htm
Press Release: http://www.prlog.org/10335368-paula-slater-sculpts-second-portrait-bust-of-neda-angel-of-freedom.html
Update: Go 'Green in New York' above the "Pedal 4 Green" guys with the Neda Sculpture. On Sept 24th, Ahmadinejad visited New York City and delivered a speech at UN General Assembly. Thousands protested against his presence. I shipped the fine white plaster casting of the portrait of Neda "Angel of Freedom" to be unveiled at the protest. Ahmadinejad, along with Ali Khamenei (the Supreme leader), have arrested, tortured and killed hundreds of people and suppressed millions of others since the June 12th election fraud and coup.
Neda "Angel of Iran" Neda has become known as The Angel of Iran, The Angel of Freedom. I was so saddened by the senseless murder of this lovely young woman that I wanted to turn the pain I felt into art. So I sculpted this life size bust of Neda and when it is cast in bronze I will donate it and hope it can help to memorialize this Angel of Iran. The Iranian government banned Neda's family from even having a memorial for her. However, you will not be forgotten Neda. It is my prayer that countries around the world will hold memorial services for this Angel of Freedom. Click the following link for the recent Press Release: http://www.prlog.org/10286255-death-of-neda-the-angel-of-iran-inspires-celebrated-american-sculptor.html
Unveiling of the plaster casting of Neda's portrait bust (a bronze is presently being cast) at the United 4 Iran rally in San Francisco on July 25th, 2009. It was a powerful event with more 10,000 participating. Note: I started sculpting this portrait of Neda when the only picture of Neda that was absolutely verified to be a photograph of her was the one where she is wearing the scarf. Due to the many requests I've received asking that I sculpt a portrait of Neda in which she isn't wearing the hejab/scarf (that she and women in Iran are forced to wear by the Islamic Regime), I have sculpted a second portrait bust based on the lovely smiling photograph of Neda with her hair free and uncovered. In November I will be unveiling and donating this second bronze portrait at the Celebrating Iranian Women Conference in Washington D.C. Many brave souls are risking their lives daily in Iran in their fight for freedom: The official figure of 20 dead is widely disputed. An Iranian parliament committee says 300 died. The tally, complied with the help of human rights groups and campaigners, shows 800 dead, around 7500 still detained, just under 100 released and 1000 Iranians missing. The bodies of several young Martyrs have been turned over to their families in recent weeks, all showing signs of brutal savage beatings and other abuse while in custody.
What can you do to help? Put this information on your blogs, on your twitters, on your facebooks, on your websites, in your emails, talk about it with friends and colleagues, spread the word, participate in 'Free Iran' events, display Freedom for Iran bumper stickers and wristbands. Phone or email your public leaders, Congressmen, Senators to let them know you support Freedom in Iran. This is a raging river that cannot be stopped, but each one of us can help to speed its momentum.... Do it for Neda.
My facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Paula-B-Slater/122068936317 Tribute to Neda Soltani and others - Keep their memory alive by lighting a candle http://www.freedominiran.com/site/Welcome.html
"When a tyrant dies, his rule ends. When a martyr dies, her rule begins." by Bryan Joseph Costales
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Updated 12/26/2009 To the left is the life size bronze portrait bust of 19 year old martyr Sohrab Aarabi 'Freedom Warrior' to represent all the young male freedom fighters in Iran.
Sohrab was a pro-democracy Freedom Fighter who disappeared on June 15 during 2009 presidential election protests. After nearly a month of searching by friends and relatives, they finally learned that Sohrab had been killed with "a gunshot wound to the heart". Sohrab Aarabi's death was grieved nationwide and influenced the protests similar to the killing of Neda. Sohrab's family was ordered not to have a memorial service for him, but crowds chanted in defiance of the police as they gathered for his funeral.
To the left is the second portrait bust of Neda--it is the face on the other side of the coin. The first sculpture was a historical portrait of Neda "Angel of Iran". It showed a strong and proud Neda whose spirit could not be broken by an oppressive dictatorship under which she lived and died. However, this second sculpture is of Neda "the Angel of Freedom" with her hair uncovered, and she is radiating the hope of her people for a free Iran. It is a more intimate portrait in which she was free to show her vulnerability and innocence.
Above we unveiled the plaster casting of Neda 'Angel of Freedom' sculpture at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco at the Omar Khayam Ballet. (This portrait sculpture is also being cast in bronze.)
Neda Agha-Soltan was a young Iranian woman who was shot in the heart by a government sniper while on her way to an Iranian election protest.
"She was a person full of joy," said her music teacher Hamid Panahi. "She was a beam of light." Neda was a philosophy student, an accomplished singer and was passionate about music and travel. She was also studying to be a tour guide and had traveled to Dubai, Turkey and Thailand. Neda was engaged to be married. Nedā is the Persian word for "voice", "calling" or "divine message".
I I want to express my deepest thank you to all those who have written to me and posted comments on facebook and internet message boards. Your outpouring of positive words about the portrait bust of Neda has been overwhelming (but in a good way). My thoughts and prayers continue to be with the Iranian people. Love and Light to you all, Paula
What can we do to help? To the left and below are scenes from peaceful but powerful Iranian protest marches. "This movement needs the awareness of people all over the world to succeed," an Iranian person writes to me. They started as a protest against the fraudulent election results. But they have evolved into the Iranian people wanting to overthrow their tyrannical dictatorship. The Iranian people want freedom and Democracy. "Don't underestimate the Iranian people. The protestors are no longer supporting former Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi; they are chanting "Death to the Dictator" [Khamenei]. They are opposing the Islamic Republic." 75% of the population in Iran is under the age of 30. From the scores of emails I have received, it is evident that these young people are intelligent, modern and educated. "Neda was martyred, we will never forget her. She and the other freedom martyrs (Sohrab, Taraneh, Ashkan, Kianoosh, Meddi, .........) made us stronger in our will." emails a young Iranian man in Tehran. They write that they love America and want the freedoms that we in free countries enjoy. They want separation of religion and government. These brave people are sacrificing their blood to claim a free Democratic future for themselves and their children. "With her life Neda told the world that Iran is not Ahmadinejad!" declares another email from Iran. Now that the Islamic Regime has clamped down on the right to assemble, these freedom fighters are risking their lives daily. In his email another person in Iran states, "Oh, yes, we will stand to the end, to get our freedom, for sure. I know my people, they don't give up, because they have nothing more to lose. No other choice actually." We in this free world, must ask ourselves, "What can we do to help?" "Neda died and gave life to a movement that will result in the freedom of a nation," exclaims an email from Iran. This is a pivotal point in history, I pray it does not escape us. This is not the time to be apathetic or uninformed. "It is so comforting for us to see other people care about our cause. It makes us stronger and makes us not give up," another emailer from Iran writes me. We as women need to stand in solidarity with the courageous Iranian women who are on the frontlines in the fight for human rights. "The next revolution in Iran will be for Democracy and freedom, made by our courageous Iranian women," proudly writes an Iranian man. The women in Iran are standing up, declaring freedom and Democracy not only for themselves but for their daughters--so that they will not be born into oppression, fear and torture.
An email from another Iranian in Tehran, "The Islamic system in Iran, has nothing to do with
our Iranian culture and history, it is a foreign and imported religion that
destroyed our country. However, we are determined to stop this and kick
this destructive force out of our country and bring freedom to our
nation, and join the global community, especially our American brothers
& sisters. In Iran, we love Israel and America and would love to have
a great cultural relationships with these nations." Writes an Iranian American living in the Bay Area, "I feel so helpless and all I can do is to help spread the word and protest on their behalf. It gives me so much hope and comfort knowing that the international community has shared in my pain and horror of the inhumane crimes that have been committed in Iran. WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP?
To the left is a photo of the second life size bronze portrait of Neda 'Angel of Freedom' just after if was given a glorious patina. In this portrait I tried to capture Neda's love of life and the inner peaceful Light of her beautiful soul. She will live on in our hearts forever....
To the left is a photograph of the historical first life size bronze portrait of Neda 'Angel of Iran' taken just after it was given an exquisite glowing patina. "You have sculpted a proud Persian Lioness whose spirit could not be broken," as one gentleman wrote to me after seeing the bronze.
Neda as spirit, as the angel, "with the maidens at the Palace of Fine Arts who will mourn for her loss forever." Photograph by Raymond Van Tassel. |
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