The collection comprises two works bearing Shirin's signature use of handwritten calligraphy over photography, as well as two prints based on standout moments from her acclaimed first feature film Women Without Men. Learn more about the prints below.
Art is our weapon. Culture is a form of resistance.
Shirin Neshat
Unveiling
The two black and white calligraphy prints in the collection stem from Shirin's earliest body of work, the Unveiling series. They deal with complex themes of the personal and political, inspired by the stories of women in her native Iran.
My obsession became about the place and role of women in relation to the revolution (1979). When I came back to New York (...) I decided to take photographs of my own body but was also inspired by the writing and poetry of Forugh Farrokhzad – the most iconic Iranian poet, who, to this day, is the most radical woman ever speaking about women's bodies in relation to social, traditional, religious and political taboos. Her writings were what instigated the images, which I reduced to the parts of the body which were allowed to be seen.
Women Without Men
Shirin's first feature film, Women Without Men, received international acclaim when it was released in 2009, picking up the Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival. Its poetic, often serene, imagery is contrasted by its profound lines of narrative.
Looking for a story (to become a film), someone handed me the magic realist novel Women Without Men by Shahrnush Parsipur, who had paid a great price for this novel (living in exile and being imprisoned). It has a footing in socio-political realities and a footing in things that didn't make sense, much like the way I was making videos and photos. The image of the woman with the back to her camera with the veil is one of my favourite moments from the film.
