people really love to pretend that the art world is somehow immune from the bullsquirt of the world… that isn’t even close to true…
See… what’s interesting about our world is that even when somebody provides others with an illustration of what will happen in future if we do this thing or that thing… people hate them for it and see everything they say as invalid. It’s black and white thinking, where there are no possible futures, and there’s only the factual present.
And that’s how we arrive at the point where a “Muslim ban” isn’t a Muslim ban. Until people are given “proof” that their ideas are bad, they aren’t bad. In other words the horrors of the future must occur for some idiots to understand they are in fact horrible things.
And now that general problem of humanity has intersected with the art world… Donald Trump signed an executive order that brutally limits the travel of great swathes of humanity to the United States. This order would (and will) sweep up artists, filmmakers, directors, authors, and many more into a world where they don’t have access to the largest art market in the world… even if it’s just something as simple as going to an awards show.
Asghar Farhadi, of The Salesman fame, may not be able to attend the Oscars because of that executive order.
The Story
…
Asghar Farhadi, whose film “The Salesman” is nominated in the best foreign-language film category, was not immediately available for comment.
Early Saturday, Trita Parsi, director of the National Iranian American Council, based in Washington, said in a Twitter post: “Confirmed: Iran’s Asghar Farhadi won’t be let into the US to attend Oscar’s. He’s nominated for best foreign-language film… #MuslimBan”
…
“The clarification of the law made it very clear that he can’t come, whether a green card holder or an Iranian citizen,” Mr. Parsi said of Mr. Farhadi, whose film “A Separation” won an Oscar for best foreign-language film in 2012.
Mr. Parsi added that he had not meant to imply that the United States government had requested that Mr. Farhadi not come to the Oscars ceremony, but to call attention to the ban itself.
“It is so stunning and shocking — so profoundly un-American — that people have a hard time wrapping their heads around it,” Mr. Parsi said.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/28/arts/trump-muslim-ban-oscars-iranian-director.html?
Whether or not Asghar Farhadi can enter the United States under Trump’s executive order remains to be seen. From the sound of it, if he were to try right now he probably wouldn’t be allowed to. But I am sure there will be exceptions soon for certain kinds of people.
I really do promise you… for people like Asghar Farhadi there will be exceptions to the ban. It provides the Trump administration and the DHS with a perfect Trump card… where they get to distract American’s attention from the tens of thousands of people they don’t know are being hurt by the policy with probably the single name people might know.
So if you’re already a famous and rich artist don’t worry. If you aren’t, you’re out of luck.
You’ve got to remember… just like with Trump’s nitpicking of everybody else’s clothing choices… optics are everything, substance is nothing.
Not Going to Come Regardless – Update 1/29/2017
So it turns out, even if Asghar Farhadi were given an exemption to Donald Trump’s idiotic executive order instituting a travel ban he wouldn’t come.
Acclaimed Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, whose movie “The Salesman” is nominated for best foreign film, announced Sunday he won’t be at the Academy Awards — even if he were granted a travel exemption.
Farhadi explained in a statement he had planned to attend the February ceremony, particularly since many in the film industry stand “opposed to the fanaticism and extremism which are today taking place more than ever.”
“However, it now seems that the possibility of this presence is being accompanied by ifs and buts which are in no way acceptable to me even if exceptions were to be made for my trip,” he said in a statement, first reported by the New York Times.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2017/01/29/acclaimed-iranian-director-wont-attend-oscars-due-to-unjust-conditions-of-trump-executive-order
Like many Americans today, tomorrow, and in all the days to come… Asghar Farhadi is standing up for what he believes in.
Like I said… art can provide common ground.
A reminder of the freedom of art…
New Colossus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
You know who is planning to ban Americans in retribution for Trumps executive order? Iran.
Know who has a large modern art collection? Iran.
Culture as well as commerce is going to be damaged.