1001 NIGHTS RETOLD

When 1001 Nights is mentioned, no doubt Aladdin and Sinbad the Sailor immediately come to mind. However, they’re latecomers to the collected tales. In re-telling selected stories, Iranian artist Noushin Vedaei plumbs their diverse origins, often found in ancient India and Persia. But she’s quick to explain that the stories she tells through her papier-mâché sculptures are her own interpretations. Noushin shares her thinking with us: why she chose a story, its historical source(s), her personal narration, and its moral lessons. Noushin and I started working on 1001 NIGHTS RETOLD in late February 2026 on the eve of the Iran War. After a three-month interruption, she courageously completed it during an uneasy truce whose resolution was teetering on disaster.

–Walter L. Meyer, AWB Founder