33 Arches is the name of my small business as an Independent Scholar, a position I have held for the last ten years. This independent path is relatively rare in North American and European academic circles, and I often find myself confused with a salaried professor or curator based in an institution. In the spirit of formalizing and protecting my work as a consultant, editor, publisher, and producer, I recently created 33 Arches.
Why 33 Arches? Bridges have been on my mind, both physically and intellectually. Since 2019, I have been working on the Emamzadeh Yahya at Varamin and trying to balance my academic writing on this Iranian tomb-shrine with scholarly products that bridge audiences, languages, perspectives, and disciplines. The first of these products is an online exhibition that is distinguished by its interdisciplinary emphasis, equal involvement of Iran-based scholars and collections, bilingual content (English-Persian), and free access to anyone with internet. This website is the first major production of 33 Arches and three things in one: an online exhibition, exhibition catalog (book), and independent publishing house.
For some, 33 Arches will immediately recall the Si-o-Seh Pol in Esfahan, so called because of its 33 arches. For me, it also signifies the current count of contributors to the exhibition. On a related note, the current number of features in the exhibition is 35, and I am completing the project in a city with 37 bridges. This auspicious view from the Pont des Arts, captured the evening after I sketched a version of the logo below (thank you Type A Creative), sealed the name.
