Experience Nowruz: A Day of Music, Art, and Tradition at the Burrell Collection
Join Burrell Collection this Saturday for a vibrant celebration of Nowruz, the Persian New Year! Immerse yourself in a day filled with music, art, and tradition, explore the rich cultural heritage of Nowruz and its significance to millions around. the world.
Words and photo by Sofia Abdul-Rehman
On Saturday 23rd March the Burrel Collection will host an event celebrating Nowruz, the first day of the New Year on the Iranian solar calendar. This year the day fell on the 20th March, marking the Spring Equinox. The 13-day annual festival is celebrated each year by more than 300 million people, primarily in Iran, and former regions of the Persian Empire such as Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan. It is also widely celebrated by Iranian diaspora all over the world. Nowruz, stemming from the Farsi words ‘Now’ meaning ‘New’ and ‘Ruz’ meaning ‘Day’, promotes harmony, love, and the rebirth of nature.
In 2009, the celebration was officially inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and this ancient festival is one of the most important holidays in Iran, with great historical and cultural significance. It is a secular festival and has been celebrated by people belonging to different faiths for thousands of years.
When the day of Nowruz arrives, millions of people spend time with family, eat good food and decorate their homes with the Haft-Sin Table. This ceremonial table is adorned with seven food items, which all begin with the letter ‘S’ in Farsi. There is Sabzeh (wheat sprouts) which symbolise rebirth and growth; Samanu (sweet pudding) symbolising sweetness and fertility, and Seer (garlic) representing medicine and health. Above is the physical installation currently on display at the Burrell Collection which was decorated by Paria M. Goodarzi, an Iranian-born artist and workshop facilitator.
Gallery by Syeda Sadaf Anwar
This event will be an opportunity to learn more about Persian New Year as well as celebrate Persian art, history, and culture. It will allow the general public to be able to see Iranian artists highlighting the arts of their craft, from the physical installation of The Haft-Sin Table to Iranian folk music. Visitors will be able to engage interactively through music, crafting, storytelling, and performances.
I will be holding a talk, as part of the ‘Burrell Bite’ series – a weekly series which focuses on a single object in the collection, delivered by Gallery Assistants, Curators, Tour Guides and other museum staff. I will discuss a Persian Lustre bottle and explore the production of ceramics in Iran between the 10th-13th centuries, focusing on Kashan as a site of ceramic production. I will also explain the history of lustreware and discuss figural representations on Persian ceramics.
The Burrell Collection is accessible from Govanhill by bus, cycling and walking. With over 88 languages spoken in Govanhill and thriving diasporic communities, including the Iranian community, this will be a chanceday for Southsiders to make the trip and enjoy the events being held.
Join us on Saturday 23rd March 11-4pm!