“Art is our weapon. Culture is a form of resistance.”
Art in exile
Shirin Neshat is one of the most well-known Iranian artists in the world, and yet, she’s never been able to exhibit her work in her home country. Having lived in exile in New York City for most of her adult life, Shirin’s dual cultural identity is the unyielding thread through her 40-year career. In 1974, Shirin first moved to Los Angeles (somewhat reluctantly) to study art. She wasn’t able to return to Iran until 1990, and when she did, the Persian country she knew was gone – governed by the Islamic Republic of Iran since the 1979 revolution. Shirin began interviewing women who lived through...
Bio
Shirin Neshat was born in Qazvin, Iran in 1957 and is now based in New York City.
Early years
One of Shirin’s most vivid childhood memories is the garden of her childhood home. She recalls the flowers and foliage being like a Persian miniature painting, and how relaxed and peaceful she felt when she was there. On similar lines, one of Shirin’s favourite poems I Feel Sorry for The Garden by Forough Farrokhzad, where the garden is a metaphor for a woman's body.
Feature films
To date, Shirin has directed three feature films: Women Without Men (2009), Looking for Oum Kulthum (2017), Land of Dreams (2021). Our upcoming collaboration with Shirin will be raising money for her next feature film project.
