‘Down With America’ art contest offers big cash in Iran

The Washington Times, 28 Oct 2013 – Conservative media groups in Iran have launched a “Marg bar Amrika,” or “Down With America,” competition, which invites the public to submit artwork demonizing the U.S. in the most creative way possible, The Times of London reported.
Nearly $3,500 is being offered for the art project that best captures the imperialist hypocrisy of the “Great Satan,” the report said.
According to the Daily Mail, the contest invites entries on anti-American subjects, including “Why is the U.S. not reliable?” “The U.S. and oppression” and “The U.S. and global Zionism.” A website promoting the content features a cartoon of Uncle Sam clutching a medieval mace.
Organizers encourage contestants to focus on America as a source of imperialism, hypocrisy and prejudice against Islam and Iran, the Daily Mail said.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials announced Saturday that it had ordered the removal of billboards bearing anti-U.S. slogans that a cultural institute installed without proper consent in the Iranian capital of Tehran, state-run media reported.
A spokesman for Tehran Municipality, Hadi Ayazi, said on Saturday that a cultural institute had installed unauthorized billboards bearing anti-U.S. slogans without knowledge of the proper authorities, the Islamic Republic News Agency reported.
IRNA did not specify which posters had been taken down.