Whispers of Jeanne

The Jeanne d’Arc building in Tehran is a historically significant site that once housed a school and a monastery run by French Catholic nuns. It played a pivotal role in educating girls in the early 20th century. After the Islamic Revolution of 1979, the building experienced profound changes, reflecting Iran’s shift towards a more restrictive approach to religious minorities. Today, only a few nuns still reside in the monastery, which is now closed to the public.

Since 2018, Madihe Gharibi has been researching the building and its stories, discovering countless untold tales about the mysterious Jeanne d’Arc structure. Embracing this haze of uncertainty, the artist’s ongoing journey to unveil these secrets has become a project in its own right. The performance at the Bergen Assembly office will comprise a reading of a text the artist has written accompanied by a video by Sahand Sarhaddi. This is their first collaboration.

The Jeanne d’Arc Project will culminate in a large-scale theatre piece and installation with Volt in 2025.

Madihe Gharibi is an Oslo-based artist, who works across various media – from performance and theatre to installation – exploring the intersection of personal emotion and socio-political reality. She blends reality and fiction, using storytelling as a primary mode of expression. Gharibi holds a BA in Dramatic Literature from the University of Tehran and an MA in Fine Art from the University of Bergen. Her work has been exhibited in venues across Denmark, Iceland, Iran and Norway, including Bergen Kunsthall, Fotogalleriet and Hordaland Kunstsenter.

Sahand Sarhaddi is a filmmaker and visual artist based in Tehran. Grappling with historical archives, literature and photography, he seeks pathways through an unconventional exploration of history and unofficial narratives. Sarhaddi’s art – which includes photography, video and performance – has been shown in more than ten solo and group exhibitions. His three short films and one full-length feature have been screened at festivals such as Berlinale, Black Movie, Cinema-Verite, Documenta, Fajr, Ibrida and Tehran Short Film. In 2024, he won the Emerging Video Prize at the 39th Videoformes Festival.