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United Nations Press Conference Webcast
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August 1, 2007 New York City, NY — A unique exhibition of paintings on Iranian subjects by an American painter is on at the United Nations. Laurie Blum is an American artist who has painted extensively about the cultural icons of Iran. She has read most of the works of Persian poets like Sheikh Saadi, Mohammad Shiraaz Hafez and Jalaluddin Rumi.

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Shiraz, City of Paradise and Dialogue Among Civilizations originating in Iran from former President Khatami

I am an American artist who has painted in Iran and has found a close connection between my work and the Dialogue Among Civilizations.

In my youth I envisioned beautiful magical birds and avidly frequented and lost myself in the woods and flower gardens of my childhood dwellings. I was also quite entranced with fairy tales, which I feel have also a secret language of an inner world unique to each Culture in the World. Later I attended the High School of Art and Design in New York City, Philadelphia College of Art and the New York Studio School Of Painting, Drawing and Sculpture started by Hans Hoffman.

"Shiraz: City of Paradise" and "The Real Dialogue Among Civilizations" An Art Exhibit by Laurie Blum Sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Iran to the United Nations Invitation

This is a collection of paintings I did at Hafez’s Tomb, The Garden of Paradise, Sa’adi’s Tomb, and other sites in and around Shiraz, Iran, painted on the second trip between February, 2004 - May 2004 and five new paintings from my third trip, October 2004 - January, 2005. At the end of the third trip, The Cultural Institute of Shiraz arranged for me to have a show of my paintings at Hafez’s Tomb. It was a spur of the moment show.

by Parisa and Amir Sabooki

Hafez is the most famous poet of Iran and perhaps, of the world. He lived in the 14th century. The meaning of Hafez is: one who memorizes the Koran, and so Hafez was the pen name of Mohammad Shirazi. There are more than 6,000 verses in the Divan of Hafez. He composed lyric poems about the Lover of God and God, the Beloved. This Book of Hafez has a celebrated place in every household in Iran, and the people consult it for all-important matters. A proverb in Iran says: “Hafez is in the blood of the Iranian People.” It shows how close Hafez is to us.

Extracts of the radiant, intoxicating fragrance of love emitted from the Garden of Paradise and Tomb Shrines of Hafez & Sa’adi in Shiraz, Iran

National Arts Club Reception photos at Flickr.com