Iranian composer and instrumentalist 'Hamid Mokhtarani' is collaborating with Professor Darius Farhood, a recognized pioneer in Iranian genetics, on an interdisciplinary artistic project. This project is based on the 15-volume book collection 'Cultural Iran.'
The goal of the project is to transform the concepts and achievements presented in the extensive collection into a combination of orchestral music, calligraphy, and cinematic visual production.
The 'Cultural Iran' project was launched in May 2007 under Farhood's guidance and supervision, with the participation of a group of researchers and co-authors. Over nearly two decades, it has resulted in 15 volumes containing thousands of pages dedicated to various aspects of Iranian history, culture, art, civilization, and literature.
Farhood, a distinguished Iranian scientist and innovator in genetics, dedicated part of his cultural work to compiling this collection. According to the organizers, the main idea of the project was to make Iran's historical and cultural heritage accessible to the general public, regardless of their academic background or specialization.
Thus, the collection was developed using a comprehensive and scientifically grounded approach while maintaining accessibility for a broad audience interested in Iranian culture.
As part of this new creative collaboration, Mokhtarani spent significant time studying and researching the contents of all 15 volumes. He is currently developing his own interpretation of the intellectual and cultural world presented in 'Cultural Iran' in the form of an original musical piece.
The composition is based on orchestral and classical music and is being prepared for symphonic performance. According to the project plan, this work is intended to be presented as an official musical piece of 'Cultural Iran.' Instead of a direct musical narrative about the books, the composition aims to reflect the concepts and ideas drawn from the entire collection. This approach is designed to transform the vast body of scientific and cultural material into a non-verbal artistic language capable of communicating with audiences beyond linguistic barriers.
The project also includes a visual component. Mokhtarani plans to hold a calligraphy performance at a major historical site in Iran. During this performance, the English word 'CULTURE' will be rendered calligraphically alongside selected Persian poetry and literary texts related to Iranian culture.
The calligraphy performance and the musical composition will be combined into a professionally shot film, utilizing a cinematic approach to visual storytelling. The final stage of the collaboration involves the presentation of the musical work, the calligraphic masterpiece, and the multimedia film at a special ceremony coinciding with the release of the 'Cultural Iran' book. Following the presentation, the works are scheduled for distribution through Iranian and international media and other platforms.
This project merges Farhood's long-standing scientific and cultural initiatives with Mokhtarani's contemporary multimedia approach to music and visual arts. Through the combination of orchestral music, Persian calligraphy, and cinematic production, the co-authors aim to present themes derived from Iran's cultural heritage in an artistic format capable of reaching audiences both domestically and internationally.