Please briefly introduce us to the Dayhim Art Society. What does it mean to you personally to be a part of DAS?

Roxana Manouchehri: Dayhim Art Society is a vibrant hub that empowers artists, galleries, and art enthusiasts to connect, collaborate, and push the boundaries for all artistic expression. Our curated exhibitions bring your work to a diverse audience, from seasoned collectors to curious newcomers. DAS-curated spaces provide the perfect backdrop for talented artists works to shine.

I have been working with DAS since June 2024 to promote and help DAS artistic projects and individual artists there to get international recognition by publications, applying for open calls, exhibitions, residencies and more.

As DAS functions as a new museum concept based on art to present history, the exhibition "Entertainment in Public" focuses on the history of an object. Through this art project, the audience is confronted with an embodied experience of the guillotine in France within a narrative installation. Please walk us through the immersive experience visitors will have, and give an example of one or two rooms.

Roxana Manouchehri: The exhibition contains 12 rooms which the audience start walking through the rooms one by one. Each room has an interactive approach for the audience to experiment and feel.

The “Entertainment in Public” is a labyrinth-like installation featuring various halls and rooms in about 2000 square meters ground. Upon entering, there is a room called ‘the Idea Room’ where the audience is introduced to the guillotine as a historical execution device through video and documents, which show a glimpse of the research conducted for this project. After touring the labyrinth, the audience will return to this introductory area. The corridors gradually become narrower and the walls grow taller, eventually leading to the final corridor ’40 meters long, 70 centimeters wide, with walls reaching a height of 4 meters.

For example the final two rooms are:

Space number eleven: Those who will stand out
In room eleven, dedicated to Sophie Scholl and Johann Reichhart, there is a bodybuilding machine equipped with mechanical weights resembling a guillotine. When an audience member pushes down the weight, a window opens, revealing a mirror in which they see themselves. Simultaneously, in the corridor behind the mirror, other audience members would see the face of the person who is pushing the weight.

Space number twelve: The Fall of Guillotine
This room is attributed to Robert Badinter and Hamida Djandoubi, the last person to be guillotined in France in 1977, who famously requested cigarettes before his execution and delayed smoking them to save a few minutes before death. In this room, there is a jackpot machine that dispenses cigarettes as a reward by chance to anyone who tries it.

"The medium is the message" is a phrase coined by Canadian communication theorist Marshall McLuhan. By displaying certain objects, artists make them the medium to deliver the message. What emotions do you wish the DAS exhibitions to evoke in visitors (e.g. solidarity, resilience)?

Roxana Manouchehri: The «Entertainment in Public» project was initiated with a fundamental question in mind: Why, over two centuries ago, did Joseph Guillotin advocate for the use of a beheading device to minimize the agony and distress of condemned individuals, ultimately expediting the execution process?

Guillotin’s concern changed the future. He couldn’t abolish the death penalty, but he imagined a future in which the annihilation of the body is not a spectacle.

The dominant narrative of history often exerts hegemony over other hidden or forgotten narratives. We might never be able to fully comprehend the entire reality of what actually occurred during a certain time.

Metaphorically speaking, our approach is akin to performing surgery on small units of history with available archives to expose what lies beneath the surface. The audience uncovers the raw and unpolished sides of history that are usually absent in the dominant narrative.

Fear, sorrow, solidarity, resilience and even playfulness are what the audience might experience walking through the labyrinth of the installation.

In your role as Head of International Programs, please tell us about your plans to show DAS exhibitions worldwide.

Roxana Manouchehri: I live in Dublin Ireland, since 2009. Through my regular visits to Iran, I am quite aware of what is happening inside Iranian artists community. I consider that due to current political situation of Iran, it’s not easy to promote and exhibit Iranian art projects which have been produced inside Iran.

I believe by taking small and steady steps we can achieve international attention gradually. I highly believe in Dayhim Art Sociey’s professionality and authenticity. Publishing articles and exhibiting DAS individual artists globally are what I am trying to do.

We should never forget that art is a pioneer platform to present true Iranian culture considering current political conflicts.

There's a global decline in looking beyond borders. What is your call to action to stop this frightening trend?

Roxana Manouchehri: As I mentioned, I thoroughly believe in art’s power to change some conservative perspectives. It is not easy for a curator and art advisor to promote art projects from inside Iran. If people in cultural sectors do not face challenges and difficulties, overcoming the frightening conservative trends is not possible.

Tell us about the DAS Art Residency program and workshops, and your overall approach to creating a safe space to foster the arts.

Roxana Manouchehri: The distinct advantage of Art residencies in Dayhim Art Society over other artistic institutions lies in its unique accommodation facilities, financial support, specialized workshops (woodworking, metalwork, ceramics, printmaking, etc.), and expansive exhibition spaces capable of hosting multiple exhibitions and even Art Fairs.

There are regular open calls on DAS website and the advisory team will select talented artists from any disciplines for all ages and races exclusively.

Lastly, how can we follow and support the DAS Foundation and the "Entertainment in Public" exhibition?

Roxana Manouchehri: DAS works with professional team of art advisors curators, technicians and artists. There are open calls for residencies, education camps, workshops and master classes, exhibitions and more.

You can visit DAS website and Instagram. “Entertainment in Public“ has its own unique Instagram page and website including articles, interviews and images of the installation/exhibition.

Here are the links: dayhimartsociety.com and entertainmentinpublic.com

Thank you!

#PRontheGO