A while back, the best-selling book here was a Farsi translation of Pink Floyd lyrics. Bootleg videos and music tapes are widespread, and what isn't hawked on the black market can be downloaded from the Internet. However, rules against solo females performing for men still limit her performances to women. The Tehran Museum is a prominent institutional example of the changes under way, displaying a collection of Western art that for years was stowed in the basement because of political and religious sensitivities. Most remarkable, says the museum's director, Sami Azar, is that the shows he is mounting, including the works by Warhol, have met no opposition or protest.
Local artists say the museum's efforts are intellectually liberating.
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