Touka Neyestani’s Yearbook Nowroz 1393 taught me to protest in silence. He did not grow up A Conversation With Touka Neyestani in the Neyestani family, but he shared my father’s Ala Mohseni dark view of the world. In those heated days of our As a cartoonist, you have achieved revolution, I became eager to follow the footsteps a style that is truly your own. I of Goya and had this childish dream that perhaps, imagine your father, Manouchehr, someday, I would publish a collection of my work, was a big influence. With his art with the same power and punch as Goya’s work, one encounters the same Los Caprichos and the Disasters of War. Once I bitter irony, the same allegorical reached mental maturity, of course, I realized that black and white atmosphere. Can somebody like me could never reach the level of an you tell us about other influences artist like Goya. Nevertheless, I still wish to have and how your work took shape? work as good as his. This motivates me to continue I owe my interest in media and my dark and ironic working. worldview to my father. Whatever talent I have for Your brother Mana’s work is more explicitly social and drawing comes from him as well. He was a poet, political, while yours almost always retains a poetic but sometimes he sketched something quickly on ambiguity. In your own view, what distinguishes the the margins of his notebook. He breathed the air of art of Touka Neyestani from that of Mana Neyestani? the same allegorical black and white world that you Maybe the biggest difference is that Mana started mentioned – and we had to breathe it too. I grew work a few years after the revolution. Our father up in that environment, and just as I was about to died very early on, so Mana does not have many lay a foundation for my career, I was confronted by memories of him and did not get to know much a revolution. I decided to sit at home and browse about the way he thought. As a result, he found other through magazines. I came to know the work inspirations. I think Hergé and his Adventures of of Ardeshir Mohasses and Irandokht Mohasses. Tintin series has had the most influence on Mana. Ardeshir represented a bridge between the two I am scared of drawing something simple that worlds of caricature and painting, while Irandokht can be grasped too quickly. I have this unjustified showed me the modern cartoon. fear, and a need to distance myself from the art of It was, however, the painter Francisco Goya who painting – and from Francisco Goya. Yet I am still

Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 3 4 Touka's Yearbook quickly, Irummage through my archive to make moments. too passes time the Sometimes when and people the and events the surrounding those remind me of moment the Iwas drawing them feeling of bitterness, however, each of my drawings go away will think anytime Despite soon. this filled my lifesense with a of forebodingthat Idon’t shut down one by one, or ten by ten, and has this For though once Ihave inawhile to failed dothis. hope for abetter future somewhere inmy work, I have always to have tried alittle optimism and of people like me lived who through years. those orstory not, but express they Ibelieve emotions the I don’t know if my drawings successfully tell that comment on this? told be can through yourthis period career. you Can of other publications. In many ways, thehistory of by Shamloo, Ahmad and have worked at a number publication the weekly Book of The Friday,edited You started your professional work in1979with that he over looks Hergé from above. Goya inside not me does know that he and is dead Nude Maja”Clothed andMaja”. “The The Francisco create two paintings as beautiful as Goya’s “The I plan to working start with color. Maybe Ican long-time wish to produce is fulfilled, book agood attachedvery to world the of painting. When my 35 years Iworked with publications that were as long as Idonot trample on other people’s rights want to have right the my to choose own lifestyle, that Ican have points weak and make mistakes. I judgment by and punishment from others. Ilike want to go to. Ilike to have my say without fearing to I choose readread and books go to gatherings I people which to I address choose as “sir”. Iwant to things Idon’t in which believe. Iwant able to be I don’t want forced to be to pretend to in believe to able know be myself to be Iwill inyears to come. I love more is able to be Touka to be Neyestani and an important subject for me. Ilove . But what regard. inthis logical am –it very Ilike nostalgia is yet to miss things Ididnot like first inthe place. I was notThe drink yogurt one them, of but I have emigration, things I was I missed supposed to miss. miss and Iwould first those not.day very Onthe of Before leaving Iran, Imade alist of things Iwould your work? publications. How and changed hasthisinfluenced emigration,through asecond from print to online preferstill Pepsi In Cola? away, you have gone also or doyou doogh, like theIranian drink yogurt attention.media Are you for nostalgic anything, of like acriminal” considerable with living met Canada and comments that you had grown “tired Your reasons for Iran leaving and emigrating to sure that Ihave lived years. through those all through it and your Facebook page,it’s easier for SaintThe Touka website is extremelypopular and, hope expand it as by. goes time will communicationOur is alive and ongoing and I my audience has changed and become more select. no doubt that, after emigrating to digital media, There trick. toin front this use is try of who those But now internet the has built a major roadblock regime]the writer the to from sever public. their Pushing writers into is an exile old ploy by [used since emigration. and it has had an impact on some of my drawings to public. the views Thisthe is main difference, mask just and as actress the does, exhibit his naked continue his work West, inthe he must remove his samethe vein, if an expatriate journalist wants to to leave country, the must they restrictions. ease In that Iranian ifthe authorities don’t want an actress situation requires her to do so. dictates Reason on her work, she has to off take her clothesthe if In West, the ifan Iranian actress wants to carry in adifferent worldwith differentrequirements. had no intention of leaving. But now we are living or less aware of restrictions the on imposed us but to workused inIran not long so ago. We were more Many of ushave who thrown caution to wind the meleads to hell and damnation. eternal or break traffic regulations – evenif my choice a book resemblinga book by those Francisco Goya. live Istill passes, inhopeable that be publish Iwill and illustrate it. year And, that as with every aboutbook my emigration and my life inCanada I hope totimethe find patiencetheand writeto a progress? What isnext for you? you Do have any work in was omitted to prevent shame.] further [Note from Touka Neyestani: The rest poem the of Puttingwith on filled broken balm aheart wishes. What is life except to wash dishes In comfort is who an with ass afriend What is life except to munch grass Giggle, chuckle and snicker proudly What is life except to sometimes laugh loudly proudly and loudly by famous signers: a few vulgar lines, same the kind of verse sung But ifyou insist, present timidly Iwill you with time-consuming and exhausting. correct, change and move around words, is which for me. From firstsentence very the I to start to become one.experience Writing difficult is very is I truth The am notwriter a and don’t havethe publish here? apoem stories or novels? If you Do so, we write can poetry? audience. Have you ever of thought writing short you to of your present aspects work all to awider Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 5 6 Touka's Yearbook Presidential Election suggestions. He promised to publish version a revised of platform the following Yazdi’s advice. draft politicalof his platformfundamentalist the to cleric Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi for guidance and and Jalili, conservative Saeed ally he told agroup of students medical inMashhad that he had sent a in the Dr. Lankarani Bagher was minister health under former President Ahmadinejad and ahardline candidate My Political Platform by Dr. (Edited BagherLankarani Version) 2013 presidential Before election. he withdrew to his support candidacy former nuclear negotiator Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 7 8 Touka's Yearbook Pourmohammadi was initially put forward as a candidate but later withdrew. dissidents and intellectuals inside both Iran and abroad. In up run the to 2013presidential the election, thatkillings state-affiliated 1998-inwhich took place between death killed moresquads than 80 He of playing accused is also an instrumental role “Chain inthe Murders”, of extrajudicial aseries in from human rights groups over his involvement execution inthe of thousands of prisoners political , currently justice minister under President Rouhani, has criticism faced Mostafa Pourmohammadi: 25Years On 1998. At of time the mass the execution, Pourmohammadi as deputy intelligence served minister. Nowroz According toAccording Touka , ust.” t s du days is covered under salute Iran, these which Hassan Rouhani: “We 1393 Touka's Yearbook 9 10 Touka's Yearbook ,Ali According To Touka election, gainingelection, only 6.18percent of vote. the Velayati as foreign minister served from 1997. 1981 to Presidential candidate Akbar Ali Velayati came infifth among the six candidates running the 2013 in election. him from prior running to disqualified Council a heretic and a Freemason, the nationalistic and views labeled by someReviled clerics for his 2013 presidential elections. favored candidate in the to Ahmadinejad from 2009 former President Mahmoud as chief of staff served to MashaeiEsfandiar Rahim According To Touka Esfandiar RahimMashaei, Nowroz 2013 and Ahmadinejad’s 1393 Touka's Yearbook 11 12 Touka's Yearbook The Qualified and Distinguished CandidatesDistinguished and The Qualified Rafsanjani intheNear Future? Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 13 14 Touka's Yearbook not your face.” don’t you worry, little walnut! It is hands their that are blackened, removed your that shell could so break they you more easily. But Ahmadinejad’s faceat various stages over years, the read: “They had on taken his physical appearance.which The sign, featured a banner that visible highlighted the toll his eight-year presidency In Rafsanjani intheNear Future? , the city2013, the of Isfahan welcomed with No Caption Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 15 16 Touka's Yearbook Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook Score! 17 18 Touka's Yearbook release prisoner, ashackled but weight the to seems render of his key useless. struggle the camerathe and declared that it would solve ahuge range of country’s the problems. Here to he seeks atelevisionDuring broadcast during 2013presidential the campaign, Hassan Rouhani akey raised to KeyThe Shackled Elections After the Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 19 20 Touka's Yearbook that forces powerful would get inhis way. problems, as president it rapidly clear became manyunlock of most country›s the serious ThoughRouhani vowed candidateas a to Key inChains Nowroz 1393 Zarif’s Tango Foreign Minister Touka's Yearbook 21 22 Touka's Yearbook and Iran in over spoke on telephone. the It was first the conversationtwobetween presidents the of United States deliver at a speech Assembly. UN General the his During trip Rouhani and President Obama In Iranian September elected 2013newly President Hassan Rouhani travelled to New York to New York, September 30 years. 2013 Nuclear Negotiations, Style Larijani to for look “tricks” on of behalf Western powers. must have amore forceful role innuclear negotiations and warned Iranian the negotiating team Larijani,Ali of speaker Iranian the parliament, declared 2013that inOctober parliament the Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 23 24 Touka's Yearbook the promisedthe land of clean air. of pollutiona sea to tovictims lead Organization, clears a path through Iran’s Environmental Protection , of head the Ebtekar’s Solution The Basket ofBasicNecessities President Ahmadinejad’s head. of course, is shape inthe of former vulnerable families.basket The here, promise to relieve financial pressure on Rouhani’s families, fulfilling campaign commodity baskets” to low-income government distributing started “family In early March Iranian 2014,the Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 25 26 Touka's Yearbook Oil Company.Oil repay his billion dollar debt to Iran’s National Later he stated that he would to willing be 2013 he was arrested on corruption charges. it international evade sanctions. In December foroil deals Islamic the Republic that helped abillionaire became who by arranging secret ZanjaniBabak is an Iranian businessman The Arrest ofBabakZanjani Khamenei Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 27 28 Touka's Yearbook Michelangelo’s “Creation of Adam”. In deference to Iranian diplomats inattendance, Geneva UNofficials in covered bas-relief a of Censorship inGeneva The Walking ofInsight Stick more thansticks, 170walking mostly antiques. There have thatbeen reports Khamenei loves expensive collections of items, including acollection of Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 29 30 Touka's Yearbook Nowroz 1393 The Last Supper The Last Touka's Yearbook 31 32 Touka's Yearbook million-country...or evenmore.” a that “two children is enough”. “Iran is not population control measures and idea the In 2013,Khamenei October criticized sticks, antiques. mostly ofmore than170walkingcollection ofitems, includinga collections lovesKhamenei expensive There have that beenreports 75 million-country,” he said. “It is a150 Movement” Leaders House Arrest of “Green ofthe Anniversary Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 33 34 Touka's Yearbook to Supreme the Leader. express allegiance their and that people must Islamic government have no place inatruly has stated that elections opposes democracy, a hardline clericwho Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi, follow. points, we must Leader’s finger the Supreme Whichever way Mesbah Yazdi: The Real Culprit Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 35 36 Touka's Yearbook Justice? accused of her tortureaccused portrayed here, was ofGeneral , former Prosecutor Mortazavi,Saeed the repeated beatings. skull she suffered after in custody as aresult of afractured Tehran inJuly 2003and while died Kazemi was arrestedZahra in Iranian-Canadian photographer Zahra Kazemi, TenKazemi, Zahra YearsOn Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 37 38 Touka's Yearbook No Caption Nowroz 1393

Touka's Yearbook Maurice Sendak, Iranian Style Iranian Sendak, Maurice 39 40 Touka's Yearbook The Birth ofDeath The Birth Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook Freedom? 41 42 Touka's Yearbook The 1988Massacre. of Ago: In Memory Twenty-Five Years Nowroz the Iranianthe police. deputy commander of is Radan Ahmad-Reza Brigadier-General by theCommander Down, asDefined Fromthe Waist 1393 Touka's Yearbook 43 44 Touka's Yearbook the Executioner Claus’sSanta to Gift Soldiers… Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 45 46 Touka's Yearbook Women Separation oftheSexes Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 47 48 Touka's Yearbook The Key ortheLock ofChastity Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook The Bite 49 50 Touka's Yearbook The Song of The Song Women Nowroz 1393 Verbal Warning Touka's Yearbook 51 52 Touka's Yearbook have had little success. farpeople they from So part. taking festivities these curb and discourage Islamic Republic’s authorities to try of country’s the pre-Islamic past, the considerthey such traditions arelic festive opening to Norouz. Because jumping over bonfires, markingthe of Iranian the calendar year by Iranians celebrate last the Wednesday Waiting for Red Wednesday Censorship Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 53 54 Touka's Yearbook Censorship –No Caption Freedom ofExpression Before theElection Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 55 56 Touka's Yearbook Tataloo authorities to perform. must have permission from the Islamicthe Republic musicians by morality the police. Under December combines pop, rap and R&B. In musician performance whose of an Iranian underground Amir Tataloo is stage the name 2013 he was arrested Illegal Instruments Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 57

58 Touka's Yearbook

are called “forbidden pens”. “forbidden called are

of media. In Persian, these writers writers these Persian, In media. of

to publish their works in any form form any in works their publish to

of people who have been forbidden forbidden been have who people of

The Islamic Republic keeps a list list a keeps Republic Islamic The Dismantling Writer’s Block Writer’s Dismantling the Sky Dismantling Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 59 60 Touka's Yearbook disruptions”. work to create “social spy networks that agent of Zionists and Republic and an enemy of Islamic the Facebook an to be Content, declared Instances of Criminal the Determine Commission to of the secretary Khoramabadi, Abdolsamad Tool for Spies! Facebook isa Drawings Freeform Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 61 62 Touka's Yearbook Against Legends Hossein Shariatmadari: Hedayat (left)a “filthy man”. spy and novelist the Sadegh Ahmad Shamloo (right) aNazi Shariatmadari poet the called century Persian literature. most beloved figures of 20th attacked two of country’s the of hardline the daily Keyhan, Shariatmadari, editor-in-chief In early 2014,Hossein Live Broadcast Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 63 64 Touka's Yearbook of aPoll by IranWire to theOccasion Mark New Year’sCleaning, Labor Day,Labor by asSeen Touka Nowroz 1393 Touka's Yearbook 65 66 Touka's Yearbook Khamenei. of Ayatollahservice of “toadyism” inthe him bloggers accused 2013. Opposition words, above, inJuly military, uttered these officer the in Iranian highestthe ranking ForcesArmed and staff the of Iranian Firouzabadi, chief of HassanGeneral for Islamic the Republic. religious justification foundation legal the and (velayat-e is both faqih) of Islamic the Jurist The Guardianship others. more intelligence than Guardianship ofFaqih has understands the Firouzabadi: Whoever Hunting Ban Hunting andthe Nowroz on hunting birds. mammals and athree-year ban a five-yearban on hunting Protection Organization placed Iranian Environmental On March 1st, 2014,the 1393 Touka's Yearbook 67 68 Touka's Yearbook Page layout: Amir Taghizadeh Iranwire.com ToukaNeyestani’s Yearbook