An Iranian Women holds a fierce straight pose and active gaze, we can’t help but stare back. The landmark exhibition “She Who Tells a Story” starts with Iranian photographer, Newsha Tavaokolian’s “Listen” series, photographs of women with blazing tenacity and strength, that captivates viewers and sets the tone for critical discourse of 80 works by 12 Iranian and Arab women. Using provocative and a new documentary approach, the collection displays interwoven (?) narratives of the political, social, and psychological aspects of Women's modern life in Iran and the Arab world, negating the dominating images of Middle Eastern women concealed and oppressed in Western media.
This exhibition was launched in 2012 at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts …show more content…
The chief curator, Katheryn Hal of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, says that the images by Iran-born artists deal very candidly with Iran’s History (both ancient and recent). In an interview with Aftab, she writes, ”I perceive (there is) a deep and abiding interest in Iran’s cultural character in these images.” This is the most apparent in Shadi Gahdrianian Qajar series where she stages 33 sepia toned photographs inspired by Nasser Al-Din’s wives. Qajar dresses and backdrops are juxtaposed with modern objects such as boom boxes, Pepsi cans, western instruments, and tutus. The end product alludes a paradoxical life caught between the traditional and the modern, east and the west. The girls are rebellious in the way they express themselves, while still holding true to their past. A similar paradox is realized in Gohar Dashti’s today’s life and war, a staged story of a couple going about their daily lives, in the scene of a tank filled war zone. Across the adjacent room, a selection from Shirinn Neshat’s Book of Kings series is displayed, black and white portrait of modern women and men with traditional texts of Iranian poetry written in black ink over their …show more content…
Tavakolian finds it easiest to work when you're near your subject, she says ” When things are more personal, and closer to you, your work becomes more impactful… I’m privileged, because I don’t need to go to far away places to work. I can be at home. I know the subject and I deeply care about it, so it’s more effective.” Newsha Tavakolian, Gohar Dashti and Shadi Ghadirian pieces are displayed in Tehran and international galleries, but they choose to always first show their work at home before sending it abroad. In the midst of extensive negative media coverage on Iran, it is refreshing to catch a glimpse of a thriving arts community in Iran through this
This exhibition was launched in 2012 at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts …show more content…
The chief curator, Katheryn Hal of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, says that the images by Iran-born artists deal very candidly with Iran’s History (both ancient and recent). In an interview with Aftab, she writes, ”I perceive (there is) a deep and abiding interest in Iran’s cultural character in these images.” This is the most apparent in Shadi Gahdrianian Qajar series where she stages 33 sepia toned photographs inspired by Nasser Al-Din’s wives. Qajar dresses and backdrops are juxtaposed with modern objects such as boom boxes, Pepsi cans, western instruments, and tutus. The end product alludes a paradoxical life caught between the traditional and the modern, east and the west. The girls are rebellious in the way they express themselves, while still holding true to their past. A similar paradox is realized in Gohar Dashti’s today’s life and war, a staged story of a couple going about their daily lives, in the scene of a tank filled war zone. Across the adjacent room, a selection from Shirinn Neshat’s Book of Kings series is displayed, black and white portrait of modern women and men with traditional texts of Iranian poetry written in black ink over their …show more content…
Tavakolian finds it easiest to work when you're near your subject, she says ” When things are more personal, and closer to you, your work becomes more impactful… I’m privileged, because I don’t need to go to far away places to work. I can be at home. I know the subject and I deeply care about it, so it’s more effective.” Newsha Tavakolian, Gohar Dashti and Shadi Ghadirian pieces are displayed in Tehran and international galleries, but they choose to always first show their work at home before sending it abroad. In the midst of extensive negative media coverage on Iran, it is refreshing to catch a glimpse of a thriving arts community in Iran through this