Shirin neshat, panteha masses, from the book of kings series, 2012. Shirin neshat, a slight woman with heavy eyeliner, stood against a wall displaying 45 of her photographic portraitsthe faces were covered with inscriptions of farsi poetry. Throughout most of neshats career, she has been exiled from iran, an outside observer of islamic laws increasing effects on the countrys women and daily life. In the 1990s, shirin neshat s startling blackandwhite videos of iranian women won enormous praise for t. Since her 1994 series women of allah, shirin neshat born 1957 has been exp. Shirin neshats rapture 1999 is a twelveminute videoandsound installation, shot in blackandwhite. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Shirin neshat s zarin ran at barbara gladstone through november 12, 2005, laurie anderson at sean kelly through october 22, and jonathan horowitz at yvon lambert through november 12. As in her first series, this calligraphic foray is the link that binds neshat with her country, with tradition, with popular culture and ancient persian history. Shirin neshat is an iranian artist based in new york. Shirin neshat in her studio working on roja from the book.
At the age of seventeen, she relocated to the united states to complete her education. Shirin neshat has 28 books on goodreads with 1594 ratings. Incorporating archival material to contextualize her practice, the. Shirin neshats photographs and videos address individual freedoms under attack from or repressed by social ideologies. The exhibit, the book of kings, was inspired by the wave of political uprisings throughout the arab world last year. Incorporating archival material to contextualize her practice, the show confronts. It deals with mythological persian archetypes, kings, lovers, demons, heroes. She gained international prominence with women of allah 1995. See actions taken by the people who manage and post content. The book of kings series shirin neshats large photo series the book of kings is inspired by the 60,000verse poem shahnameh the book of kings from the eleventh century by the persian poet ferdowsi, today still the great narrative of persian history up to the islamic conquest of persia in the seventh century. Neshats depth of consideration will be materially evidenced in facing history, a show at the hirshhorn gallery in washington, dc, later this year, that will include her notes and research materials from newspaper clippings to interview notes to her original copy of the ancient book of kings as well as historical footage, alongside. This biography profiles her childhood, life, career, achievements and timeline.
Shirin neshat the book of kings galleri faurschou beijing, beijing shirin neshat the detroit institute of arts, detroit, mi. In this book and the exhibition it accompanies, shirin neshat born 1957 looks at the connections between ancient history and the politics of the present in works that employ photography, calligraphy, poetry and filmmaking to explore the primal concepts of violence, passion and love that. The book of kings is the epic poems written in the c10th by ferdowsi in tus comparable to homers iliad. Shirin neshat mosaeb masses, from the book of kings. She obtained her ba, ma, and mfa at uc berkeley and moved to new york city in 1983. As shahnameh cast the islamic conquest of persia as a tragedy, so the book of kings commemorates the countless masses of unknown citizens who courageously sacrificed themselves in the name of. Facebook is showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a page.
Shirin neshat, irish museum of modern art, dublin shirin neshat, patrick painter, santa monica, california shirin neshat, barbara gladstone gallery, new york shirin neshat, kanazawa contemporary art museum, kanazawa, japan shirin neshat, hamburger kunsthalle, hamburg, germany. The exhibit, the book of kings, was inspired by the wave of political uprisings throughout the arab world last year, and according to the gallery, explores the underlying conditions. Facing history presents an array of neshat s most compelling works, illuminating the points at which cultural and political events have impacted her artistic practice. Her artwork centers on the contrasts between islam and the west, femininity and masculinity, public life and private life, antiquity and modernity. Artist shirin neshat captures irans sharp contrasts in.
The political and religious upheaval that affected iran in 1979 is best remembered for the taking of american hostages and the deposing of the shah. Neshat found inspiration in stories from participants in the arab spring in 2011 and protesters from the iranian green movement in 2009. This beautiful volume presents an array of neshats most compelling works and illuminates the points at which cultural and political events have inflected her artistic practice. Only in 1990, eleven years after the founding of the islamic republic, did she visit iran again. Neshat s series returned to gladstone through february 23, 2008. May 09, 2014 shirin neshat biographyneshat is a female visual artist, born in iran and educated in america where she currently resides. Inspired to create her bestknown photographic series women of allah 199397, neshat wrote verses by contemporary iranian women writers across the. In her fifth solo exhibit at new yorks gladstone gallery, artist shirin neshat sets up her first ever photo installation. I will greet the sun again features these works, as well as her most recent work, land of dreams 2019, which makes its global debut in the exhibition.
Its written all over their faces the washington post. Shirin neshat is a contemporary iranian visual artist best known for her work in photography, video, and film such as her 1999 film rapture,which explore the relationship between women and the religious and cultural value systems of islam. Facing history takes a sweeping look at her output and will present her iconic blackandwhite photographic portraitswhich she discusses belowas well as her nonnarrative videos and her recent forays into cinema. A total of 56 black and white photographs, framed in black and unmatted, and hung in the main gallery space, the reception hallway, and a smaller side room.
Neshat has strived to become an influential artist, winning awards such as best director at the 66th venice film. Shirin neshat and fereydoun aves the book of kings. Throughout the space, dozens of iranian and arab youth with engaging, thoughtful expressions stare out from blackandwhite photographs by shirin neshat. One portrait on view, ibrahim 2012, belongs to a part of the book of kings series neshat calls the patriots. May 18, 2015 artist shirin neshat captures irans sharp contrasts in black and white the iranianborn visual artist has made her home countrys turbulent history the subject of high art. Its an epic book of poems, mythological, about persia before the islamic conquest, and there were all these people getting beheaded, wars, and. Shirin neshat nida patriots, 2012, from the book of kings the villains lastly, the villains category of the series consisted of pictures of older men. Her photographs and films offer a glimpse of the cultural, religious and political realities that shape the identities of muslim.
Shirin neshat is an iranian visual artist and activist. Iranian exile shirin neshats new exhibition expresses the. Neshat discusses the art shes made in response to irans green revolution and to the arab spring. Oct 21, 20 shirin neshat is an iranian artist and filmmaker. But that is not the world that shirin neshat knows. Sep 12, 2012 shirin neshat has lived much of her life outside her native iran. Written between 977 and 1010 ad, the persian book of kings, is irans great national epic poem that preserves the legendary and historic past of iran before its islamic conquest in the seventh century. She is a director and actress, known for zanane bedune mardan 2009, looking for oum kulthum 2017 and land of dreams. Shirin neshat speaks about her retrospective at the. Get the best deal by comparing prices from over 100,000 booksellers. Shirin neshat book of kings at faurschou foundation in beijing posted by paul shortt. Her work interweaves an austere yet sensuous visual language with music. Shirin neshat best known for her videos, photographies and films and fereydoun ave for his mix media works on paper.
She who tells a story is an exhibit at the museum of fine arts, boston. Facing history is the companion volume to the smithsonians hirshhorn museum exhibition of the same name. Shirin neshat was born on march 26, 1957 in ghazvin, iran. The book of kings, faurschou foundation, beijing shirin neshat, detroit institute of arts, detroit, michigan. The exhibition, she explains in an interview with voa persian tvs behnam nateghi, is about power and peoples relationship to power, which she sees as the essence of firdowsis epic poem the book of kings. Her father was a wellrespected physician and her mother a homemaker. Shirin neshat, roja the book of kings, 2012, ink on le gelatin. Shirin neshat initially came to the united states in 1975 to complete her education, the iranian revolution 197879, followed by the iraniraq war 198088, compelled her to remain abroad. The book of kings series by shirin neshat on artnet. Neshat s current photo series include the book of kings 2012, our. Born on march 26, 1957 in qazin, iran, she left to study in the united states at the university of california at berkeley before her the iranian revolution in 1979. The book of kings is the ninth book of the hebrew bible or the eleventh and twelfth books of the christian old testament. Neshats the book of kings is inspired by the epic poem shahnameh the book of kings, by the 11thcentury poet ferdowsi, which chronicled iran through the 7thcentury islamic conquest of persia.
The exhibition features a new body of photography works and a video installation by the internationally acclaimed iranian artist. In this book and the exhibition it accompanies, shirin neshat born 1957 looks at the connections between ancient history and the politics of the present in works that employ photography, calligraphy, poetry and filmmaking to explore the primal concepts of violence, passion and love that drive human history. Artist shirin neshat challenges the idea of muslim women. Shirin neshats book of kings captures the faces of the. Shirin neshat and turbulent, 1998 the outsiders exhibiting. Facing history presents an array of neshats most compelling works, illuminating the points at which cultural and political events have impacted her artistic practice. Jun 15, 2001 shirin neshat s determination to undermine western assumptions about middle eastern women has resulted in an already substantial body of astounding and profound work. View the book of kings series by shirin neshat on artnet.
However, the piece is actually about the countrys wealth of malefemale contrasts, as it is suggested through the body language of the performers, setting, camera work, as well as the. Shirin neshat s the book of kings series of political uprisings, now commonly known as the arab spring, took place throughout different arab countries between 2011 and 2012. Shirin neshat bases turbulent on a definite political orientation, the islamic law in her home country, iran, which bars women from performing music in public. Aves contribution to the exhibition is in the form of various series of the book of kings, which he has done over the years using predominantly the mythological character of rostam as the central protagonist. Shirin neshat neshat s mourners from her the book of kings series, which is inspired by the epic shahnameh by ferdowsi 9401020, are based on portraits of individuals residing in the slums of cairo, where the promise of freedom and democracy following the uprising against the hosni mubarak regime failed to materialize. On wednesday october 16, 20 i was fortunate to attend a lecture with some of my art history students at the museum of fine arts, boston entitled shirin neshat. Written between 977 and 1010 ad, the persian book of kings, is irans great national epic poem that preserves the legendary and historic past of iran before its islamic. Oct 5, 20 shirin neshat in her studio working on roja from the book of kings series photo. Available for sale from leila heller gallery, shirin neshat, mosaeb masses, from the book of kings series 2012, ink on le silver gelatin print, 101. I will greet the sun again is the largest exhibition to date of internationally acclaimed artist shirin neshat s approximately 30year career. She is known primarily for her work in film, video and photography. May 15, 2015 its painful to say that, because neshats early work is so successful. Although based in new york, most of her inspiration comes from her native home. Pirelli calendar 2016 calendar pirelli 2017 natalia vodianova famous photographers portrait photographers shirin neshat annie leibovitz photography amy schumer.
Born in iran, neshat emigrated to the united states in 1974 at the age of 17, and today has photographs, films, and videos in museum collections across the country. Her artwork centers on the contrasts between islam and the west, femininity and masculinity, public life and private life, antiquity and modernity, and bridging the spaces between these subjects. The historic rupture of the 1979 islamic revolution in iran changed her life and creative practice. Similarly, book of kings brings to the foreground neshat s continued concern with the loss of traditions that fall outside the islamist endorsements of cultural production. Neshat, who was born in the medieval capital of qazvin in northern iran, came to the u. The book of kings marks neshat s return to blackandwhite photography. In 2009, neshat made her first feature film titled woman without men, and was awarded with silver lion prize for best director at the 66th venice international film festival. The exhibit, the book of kings, was inspired by the wave of. These include the various photographic series neshat. In 1993, after living in the united states for almost 20 years, neshat now 58 started making photographs of women with. Her artwork centers on the contrasts between islam and the west, femininity and masculinity, public life and private life, antiquity and modernity, and bridging the. Browse more artworks shirin neshat from leila heller gallery. Shirin neshat born march 26, 1957 in qazvin, iran is an iranian visual artist who lives in new york.
Shirin neshat born 1957 qazvin, iran lives and works in new york download biography. Shirin neshat s most popular book is women without men. The iran she knows is filled with poetry and mysticism. May 11, 2015 shirin neshat is an iranian artist based in new york. Shirin neshat speaks about her retrospective at the hirshhorn. Shirin neshat was born to a wealthy family from qazvin, a small city two hours from tehran, in 1957. Find an indepth biography, exhibitions, original artworks for sale, the latest news, and. The photographs consisted of three groups of largescale black and white pictures. Shirin neshat, roja the book of kings, ink on le gelatin silver print 60 x 45 in. Like most revolutions, however, the series of events that. Gladstone gallery specializes in modern and contemporary art with locations in new york and brussels. The calligraphic details were elaborate and were placed across the bare chest of the male subjects like tattoos. Shirin neshat born in iran, shirin neshat moved to the us in 1974, where she studied art.
The book of kings series shirin neshat s large photo series the book of kings is inspired by the 60,000verse poem shahnameh the book of kings from the eleventh century by the persian poet ferdowsi, today still the great narrative of persian history up to the islamic conquest of persia in the seventh century. Throughout most of neshats career, she has been exiled from iran, an outside observer of the increasing rigors of islamic laws effect on the countrys women and daily life. In 1990, neshat returned to visit iran and found a changed country. Although her work has never been exhibited in her own home country, she has gained international recognition. These images wrest emotional, aesthetic and political freedom from the dominant patriarchal culture, whether it be the colonialist west or fundamentalist iran. It concludes the deuteronomistic history, a history of israel also comprising the books of joshua and judges and the book of samuel, which biblical commentators believe was written to provide a theological explanation for the destruction of. This beautiful volume presents an array of neshat s most compelling works and illuminates the points at which cultural and political events have inflected her artistic practice.
296 1514 626 713 1474 904 850 1194 1311 515 999 1151 501 1556 319 1068 667 845 243 27 207 559 827 364 1601 511 287 1509 1412 1045 1332 142 1509 1427 1584 1182 1140 894 308 1025 313 1327 678 689 1335