ABBAS KIAROSTAMI EXHIBITION OPENING
Abbas Kiarostami: The Roads of Abbas Kiarostami
Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art
November 22 – December 9
The photography exhibition by Abbas Kiarostami, the great Iranian director and honoured guest of the 45th Thessaloniki Film Festival, opened on Monday, November 22nd. The exhibition titled “The Roads of Abbas Kiarostami” will be on display at the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art until December 9th. The exhibition traverses a period of artistic creativity nearly identical to Kiarostami’s career as a director. Covering the period from 1978 to this day, the exhibition is comprised of two series of photographs: “The Roads” and “Untitled”. The common theme of the two series is nature. Trees, hills, roads and shadows of indefinable landscapes of the Iranian countryside.
The Director of the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art, Xanthippi Hoipel, mentioned that the Thessaloniki Film Festival has been bringing the audience closer to Greek as well as international cinema for years now. She also said that the Festival, which is known for its quality and superb organization, provides Greeks with the opportunity to get up close with the artists, the actors and especially the directors. Mrs. Hoipel noted that this year’s honoured guest, Abbas Kiarostami, is well known for his short films as well as his feature film 1997. “We are very happy to have him with us because his work is so wonderful. He has left us breathless”, she said.
Michel Demopoulos, the Director of the Festival, mentioned that besides Kiarostami’s work as a director he is also a well-known photographer. “Cinema is an art that converses with the other arts. Sometimes this dialogue is humble and sometimes arrogant. Cinema, though, is always contesting for cultural reign. Abbas Kiarostami is living proof of this ongoing dialogue”, said Mr. Demopoulos. Abbas Kiarostami thanked the Thessaloniki Film Festival for distinguishing him in Greece and throughout Europe and spoke about Mr. Demopoulos as a friend of Iranian cinema. “Before my trip to Thessaloniki it had started to snow in Iran. Next time I’ll have some new photos for you”, he said teasingly.
