B|ta'arof is a print magazine and website featuring visual arts, critical essays, curated archives, and oral histories about the collective stories of Iran across geographic and generational borders. B|t began as an idea for a space of reflection for those of us who are interested in thinking about Iran and its diaspora against the grain. Our first issue dropped in October 2012 to acclaim and coverage by PRINT Magazine, PBS Frontline, Muftah.org, and Asia Pacific Forum. It's the first printed space of its kind in English.
B|ta'arof was created and is produced by the volunteered labor of a collective of writers, artists, students, designers, poets, filmmakers, musicians, and archivists. We're all connected to Iran and Iranians in a way that has profoundly shaped our lives and the work that we produce, although we don't always think about "Iran" in conventional ways.
We want B|ta'arof to be a lasting document that withstands the ephemeral erasures of our contemporary lives. We want to create a document that is both beautiful and tangible — something that people can hold in their hands, that inspires them to participate and create. In today's world, where nearly all media forms have gone virtual, we are committed to preserving an appreciation for printed matter.