Word: britishized
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...With "Shah 'Abbas: The Remaking of Iran" the British Museum seeks to break down the perception of Iran as a hostile state on the fringe - politically and culturally - of the modern world. The exhibition, which runs until June 14, brings together an astonishing collection of Persian artifacts, many of which have never been seen together inside Iran, let alone outside the country. The show highlights the accomplishments of Shah 'Abbas, who ruled Persia from 1587 to 1629, ushering in a golden age for arts and culture, and opening the country to European trade. Says MacGregor: "He created a multi-faith...
...Given recent events, that's an understatement. On Feb. 3, one day after Iran launched its first domestically produced satellite, Britain's Foreign Office condemned the move, saying it raised "serious concerns about Iran's intentions." Two days later, the British Council, a body that promotes international cultural dialogue, suspended its operations in Tehran citing "intimidation" of its staff by Iranian officials. But the organizers of the Shah 'Abbas show were unperturbed. Curator Sheila Canby says the spirit of inquiry that museums share helps them transcend political tensions. "We've been told by Iranian and British officials that this...
...That may be true, but officials at the British Museum speak from a privileged position. They don't answer to the government and can freely pursue a cultural agenda with any country. For Iran's curators, politics underscores every exchange, and sending relics abroad requires authorization from some of Iran's most powerful bureaucrats. That makes the Shah 'Abbas show all the more significant. "Iranians feel they are misunderstood, misrepresented and sometimes rather snubbed by the West," says Michael Axworthy, director of the Centre for Persian and Iranian Studies at the University of Exeter. "There are few things the Iranians...
...Iran on show is a far cry from the clichéd picture of an angry, anti-U.S. Islamic state with a Holocaust-denying President. Under Shah 'Abbas, Iran became a center of diplomacy and trade. Glorious paintings from the early 17th century depict British envoys who traded gold and silver for silk rugs; other prints capture negotiations in which Iranians mingle with Uzbeks and Indians. Like his contemporary Elizabeth I, Shah 'Abbas waged war to defend his nation's territory. But unlike England, MacGregor says, the Shah's Iran "accommodated other faiths," as seen by gospels beautifully illustrated...
...idea that's enjoying a resurgence in popularity. Last year, ahead of the Beijing Olympics when China faced renewed criticism over human rights, the British Museum staged exhibitions on the history of the Games in Shanghai and Hong Kong, sending more than 110 invaluable items, including the 2nd century marble statue The Discus Thrower, which the museum had never allowed overseas. And on Feb. 16, the directors of Beijing's Palace Museum and Taipei's National Palace Museum brokered a deal to send Chinese imperial artifacts to Taiwan for the first time in 60 years. In a show scheduled...