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Submitted by Paula Slater, 9/14/2009

Celebrated American sculptor, Paula Slater, made headlines in July when she sculpted a life size portrait bust of Neda 'Angel of Iran' to memorialize the fallen martyr.  Neda Agha-Soltan was the lovely young Iranian woman who was shot in the heart by an Iranian Government sniper while on her way to an election protest.  "The positive outpouring from people around the world, and especially from Iranians, was incredible and unexpected," says the sculptor.  "My website received half a million hits in the first four days after photographs of the portrait sculpture appeared on the internet." 

She received requests for interviews from Radio Free Europe, Pars TV, Channel 5 News and many other radio programs, newspapers and internet blogs and columns.

Neda Agha-Soltan

Neda's mother and brother also phoned ParsTV from Iran while the station was airing an interview with Ms. Slater. The station owner said that Neda's mother cried and said she loved the portrait sculpture of her daughter and to thank the sculptor for creating it.  Slater says, "That may well have been a very risky thing for Neda's family to do.  Neda's fiance, Caspian Makan, was arrested after speaking out about Neda's death, and Amnesty International said 'it fears Makan may be tortured or receive other ill-treatment, given the pattern of human rights violations in Iran following the election.'  It is a terrifying time in Iran for the brave freedom fighters who have been challenging the archaic leadership in their country."

Neda Agha Soltan
 
So why has the sculptor created a second portrait bust of Neda?  Slater explains, "The response to the first portrait sculpture was overwhelming and very loving.  However, I also received many passionate requests asking me to sculpt a portrait of Neda without her wearing the hejab/scarf--which women in Iran are forced to wear when in public.  So this second portrait is of the face on the other side of the coin.  The first sculpture was a historical portrait of Neda "Angel of Iran".  It showed a strong and proud Neda, a Persian Lioness whose spirit could not be broken by an oppressive dictatorship under which she lived and died.  However, this second sculpture is of Neda "the Angel of Freedom" with her hair uncovered, is smiling and radiating the hope of her people for a free Iran.  It is a more intimate portrait, based on a photograph of Neda taken by her fiance, in which she was free to show her vulnerability and innocence. On the base, Slater sculpted 'Angel of Freedom' in Farsi above Neda's name and in English below it.
 
The sculptor says she will be unveiling and donating this second portrait bust of Neda, once it is cast in bronze, at the Celebrating Iranian Women Conference in Washington, D.C. in mid-November.  Many important personalities and dignitaries have been invited to this conference and while it is being promoted as a tribute to Iranian women in particular, "it is also intended to be a tribute to all women of the world who are courageous enough to at least attempt to change the course of history."
 
Slater goes on to say, "These two portraits of Neda are a gift from my heart to the Iranian people to show my solidarity with their fight for freedom and Democracy.  I want them to know they are not alone."
 
Photographs attached of the second portrait bust in clay and first portrait bust in bronze.

Love and Light,
                         Paula Slater

Brief on Neda Agha-Soltan:

The footage of the death of Neda Agha-Soltan (1982 – June 20, 2009) drew international attention after she was killed during the 2009 Iranian election protests. Her death was captured on video by bystanders and broadcast over the internet and the video became a rallying point for the reformist opposition. Neda (ندا) is the Arabic word for "calling" used in Persian to mean "voice", "calling," or "divine message," and she has been referred to as the "voice of Iran."