**Wall Newspaper #1 | 79 Revolution
On-going Archive and Events by New Media Society**
In February and March 2017, the New Media Society launched a new curatorial project under the umbrella of the “Wall Newspaper” periodical, which will appear as a multimedia magazine on the “black wall” of New Media Projects.
Since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, wall newspapers have been a popular medium in Iranian schools until the mid-90s. These collective efforts in journalism, created and written by students with guidance from their teachers, were prominently displayed alongside promotional posters, health instructions, and moral quotes in school corridors. Typically, three editions were produced each year for major events: Students’ Day in November, the anniversary of the Revolution in February, and Teachers’ Day in May. Although these activities were often aligned with the state’s policies and propaganda, they played a crucial role in allowing students to develop various skills and teamwork. This format originated from a desire to create literature and visuals for public display, serving as a valuable document that would earn students recognition in schools. For many, it represented much more than just an academic exercise.
The project was launched alongside New Media’s 37th meeting on February 20, 2017, entitled “An Illustrated Narrative of a Decade of Events.” During this event, Arya Kasaei, a graphic designer, archivist, and art history lecturer, discussed the socio-political posters from the revolutionary and wartime periods.
The second event included screenings of Robert Safarian’s documentaries, “Dialogue with the Revolution” and “The Fourteenth of Aban, the Day of Fire,” which were organized in collaboration with the New Documentary Event.
As part of the ongoing “1979 Revolution” newspaper-wall project, the third event featured documentary filmmaker Mohammad Reza Farzad. During it, we watched his films “Lost and Found” (2008) and “Eavesdropping” (2009).
**About The Black Wall**
Upon entering New Media Projects, you will find a matte black wall on the left measuring 460 x 276 centimeters. This wall is dedicated to archiving personal collections, unrealized ideas, and sketches. It serves as a space to illuminate unseen contemporary interpretations of past ideas, texts, and objects—a sandbox for displaying, researching, analyzing, and learning.