Mehregan Fall Fête with Siriya Ensemble
This year’s Mehregan Fall Fête—the San Diego Museum of Art’s annual fundraiser in collaboration with the Persian Cultural Center (PCC) for the Arts of Iran collection—took place on Saturday, October 5, at the Copley Auditorium. The event featured an incredible performance by the Siriya Ensemble from Bushehr, Iran.
The program opened with a solo performance by Sheenubb, who captivated the audience with several songs accompanied by guitar. Following this, Mohammad Lariyan and the other musicians took the stage to perform a mix of traditional and contemporary songs from the Bushehr region of Iran. The performance was warm and engaging, encouraging the audience to sing along, culminating in a lively Bandari dance.
Before the musical performances, attendees were welcomed by Anahita Babaei of PCC, who introduced Mahmoud Pirouzian, the president of PCC. He emphasized the importance of art in fostering community connections. Dr. Ladan Akbarnia, the Curator of South Asia and Islamic Art at the San Diego Museum of Art, then delivered a brief speech thanking PCC and the museum for their collaboration in promoting and preserving Iranian art at SDMA. She also highlighted the current exhibition, “Wonders of Creation: Art, Science, and Innovation in the Islamic World,” which marks the first time so many pieces from Iran and the broader Islamic world have been displayed in San Diego.
Before the Mehregan Celebration began at the Copley Auditorium, Dr. Akbarnia provided a private tour of the new exhibition for sponsors and donors.
