Xook k'iin Almanac
Spore hosts
Save the Date
The Tale of the (Fe)Male Sun
Book Launch and Listening Session
17. June 2026
19.00-21.00
19.00-21.00
Save the Date
For free
all ages welcome
in English
The Arab Image Foundation photographic archive in Beirut houses collections of hand-colored Iranian photographs from the 1960s, 70s and 90s. When artist Afrang Nordlöf Malekian digitized and documented these images, he noted that people’s faces were meticulously retouched in a manner similar to his contemporary Iranian passport picture. The process had yielded smooth and saturated images with shades of magenta, blue, and red. In collaboration with art historian Nour Helou, whose Lebanese passport photograph had been subjected to the same type of editing, Nordlöf Malekian initiated an exploration of Southwest Asian and North African beauty standards.
Portrait of the Iranian singer and actress Googoosh from the filming of Bim va omid (Hope and Fear) (1960)In the book The Tale of the (Fe)Male Sun, Afrang Nordlöf Malekian and Nour Helou narrate a story of the rise and fall of hierarchical beauty standards in Southwest Asia and North Africa through mythologies, anecdotes, history, Qajar paintings, handcolored photographs, with cassette and vinyl covers. What rises from the pages is the story of how a little star in the cosmos transformed into an almighty sun, both female and male. In their light, nonbinary gender expressions in painting, music, and dance flourished, nurtured by the desire of royals and artists. But over time, the gendertranscending sun came to be eclipsed by a new, faceless sun. Now in the shadows, but not forgotten, the (fe)male sun occasionally sneaks out from behind the faceless sun – like in this book – reminding us of their former glory. All in the hope that one day, we will greet this sun again, like an old friend shining by our side.
The book launch features a conversation between Afrang Nordlöf Malekian and Nour Helou moderated by dance scholar Elaheh Hatami followed by a listening session of readings, interspersed with Iranian and Arabic music from albums in the publication, with artists such as Giti, Leila Forouhar and Fairuz. The readers include Zahra Moein and Jelena Jovičić.
During the evening, the book will be available for purchase at a special price!
