• Behlol resort segregation cartoon late 1970s Iran metal panel — KHAJISTAN™

Resort Segregation Cartoon (Behlol Magazine, Late 1970s) — Metal Panel

Size:

A satirical jibe at post‑revolution gender segregation—but set before the revolution! This aluminum sign revives a late‑1970s cartoon from Behlol magazine, offering a sharp critique of state power and gender norms on luxury beaches under the Shah.

In the cartoon, an elite Pahlavi‑era resort divides its shoreline into three zones: Men, Women, and Khajegan(gender‑variant individuals).

  • Men dive and splash loudly (“Ei… Aakh!!”), expressing dominance and entitlement.
  • Women float in cautious clusters, whispering “Why did he come to our section?”, highlighting surveillance and restraint.
  • Khajegan, appearing in their own area, are depicted with ambiguous gestures in the “Khajegan Sea,” which includes caricatures of pre‑revolution icons like Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar (founder of the Qajar dynasty) and television star Fereydoun Farrokhzad.

This visual layering reveals how class, gender, and state control were enforced in leisure spaces—even under the Shah. Behlol, a politically critical weekly first published 1911–1953 and revived 1979–1981, was renowned for its satirical bravery

Khajistan Toshakhana has digitized 19 issues of Behlol.

 

Details:

  • 8x8 inches

  • Edition of 20

  • Laser‐cut 100% aluminum

  • Ready to hang—no framing required.

Exhibited in “Spasial Program” at SculptureCenter, New York, June 19 – July 28, 2025.

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