Shirin neshat and fereydoun ave, whom in their own styles and technique have worked on the book of kings. Iranianborn artist shirin neshat and christy maclear, the executive director of the robert rauschenberg foundation, speak to art radar about the foundations new onetoone artist initiative, the current exhibition our house is on fire in new york city, and neshat s internationally acclaimed works on culture, gender and politics. Shirin neshat, soliloquy series, 2000, cibachrome print, the broad art foundation. On view at the broad october 19, 2019 february 16, 2020. Neshat discusses the art shes made in response to irans green revolution and to the arab spring. The name of the show comes from the ancient book of shahnameh the book of kings, a long, ancient poem of epic tragedies written by a persian poet. Internationally acclaimed artist shirin neshat takes on loaded themes in photography, film, and video works that delve into issues of gender, identity, and politics. I will greet the sun again is the largest exhibition to date of internationally acclaimed artist shirin neshat s approximately 30year career. The broads shirin neshat show is the most significant to. 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. Interweaving history, poetry and politics, the series is set against the backdrop of the recent arab spring, and the iranian green movement, which brought hundreds of thousands onto the streets across iran in june of 2009 in protest against corrupt power. Artist shirin neshat challenges the idea of muslim women. The new photographic series, titled the book of kings, is named after the ancient book shahnameh the book of kings, a long poem of epic tragedies written by.
Shirin neshat and fereydoun aves the book of kings. Shirin neshat and fereydoun aves the book of kings exhibition launches in total arts dubai by rebecca anne proctor may 29 2019 20. Shirin neshat, muhammed the book of kings, 2012, ink on le gelatin silver print, 60 x 45 inches. It is a gesture familiar from classical persian manuscript illustration as well as the living art of ceremonials and theatrical performances. The exhibition features a new body of photography works and a video installation by the internationally acclaimed iranian artist. Neshat, persona non grata in iran due to her art, created the photographs to reference a. In women of allah 1997, neshat portrays women in chador. The book of kings is a series of photographs, with farsi calligraphy and beautiful drawings from the preislamic history of persia inscribed on the developed image. She has said that she hopes the viewers of her work take away with them not some heavy political statement, but something that really touches them on the most. Throughout, the artists work is annotated by three galleries displaying journalistic footage and photographs, as well as source materials, such as neshat s copy of ferdowsis shahnameh book of kings she consulted while working on her series of the same name. Shirin neshat moved to the united states during the iranian revolution 1979 and studied fine arts. Her artwork centers on the contrasts between islam and the west, femininity and masculinity, public life and private life, antiquity and modernity. 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.
Oct 5, 20 shirin neshat in her studio working on roja from the book of kings series photo. Neshat s current photo series include the book of kings 2012, our house is on fire 20, the home of. Iranian exile shirin neshat s new exhibition expresses the power of art to shape political discourse an exhibition of the artists work at the hirshhorn is an allegorical narrative framed. Though made up of a range of photos, speechless was the most evocative image included in the series. Dreamers marked her first solo show on the african continent, which exhibited at goodman gallery johannesburg in 2016. Shirin neshat s solo show the book of kings at faurschou foundation in beijing, china features a new body of photography works and. Similarly, book of kings brings to the foreground neshats continued concern with the loss of traditions that fall outside the islamist endorsements of cultural production. Shirin neshats large photo series the book of kings is inspired by the 60,000verse poem. Shirin neshat my house is on fire, from the book of kings series, 2012. Neshat s work has received great critical acclaim outside of iran. Neshat s new photography series the book of kings is inspired by the 60,000verse epic poem, shahnameh book of kings, by the 11th century poet ferdowsi, which chronicled the history of iran through the 7th century islamic conquest of persia. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. The book of kingsconsists of three series of large blackandwhite portraits.
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. Shu department of art student resources artist index. The book of kings, is named after the ancient book shahnameh the book of. Despite her undergraduate and graduate studies in art at berkeley, neshat didnt begin making art in earnest until the 1990s. Neshat found inspiration in stories from participants in the arab spring in 2011 and protesters from the iranian green movement in 2009. Shirin neshats book of kings captures the faces of the arab spring. This is the first time a major survey of neshat s work will bring together all three subsets of her groundbreaking women of allah series. Nearing the twentieth anniversary of her new york debut, shirin neshat, in her recent exhibition at gladstone gallery, book of kings, adeptly. Gladstone gallery specializes in modern and contemporary art with locations in new york and brussels. Shirin neshats the book of kings series of political. The book of kings series by shirin neshat on artnet. 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.
Neshat s approach to the book of kings was conceptual one. Shirin neshat nickzad masses, from the book of kings series. Shirin neshat relates this ancient book to the arab spring and to the iranian green movement, which brought hundreds of thousands on to the streets all over iran in june 2009 in protest against the regime. The book of kings, an exhibition of neshat s new work, is on view at barbara gladstone gallery in new york through february. Neshat has been busy with plans for three major museum exhibitions the first opened in doha this past november at mathaf. Shirin neshat muhammed patriots, from the book of kings series. Neshat grew up in prerevolutionary iran, then came to. In 2009, neshat directed her first featurelength film, women without men, which received the silver lion award for best director at the 66th venice international film festival. Shirin neshat translates iranian history through art youtube. The photographs consisted of three groups of largescale black and white pictures. For shirin neshat, art became a kind of an excuse to build a relationship, even from a distance, to her homeland and history. View the book of kings series by shirin neshat on artnet. Shirin neshat ghada mourners from the book of kings.
Shirin neshat, an iranian american artist living in new york, has been addressing the social, political, and psychological dimensions in contemporary islamic societies for the past two decades. 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 is an iranian artist based in new york. The book of kings 16 march 30 may 2019 total arts at the courtyard, in its continuing series of visual dialogues, is privileged and proud to present two pillars of contemporary art. Shirin neshat and fereydoun aves the book of kings exhibition. Shirin neshats large photo series the book of kings is inspired by the 60,000 verse poem.
Because of her art, shirin neshat is persona non grata in iran. Taking its title from a poem by iranian poet forugh farrokhzad, the exhibition which presents over 230 photographs and eight immersive video installations works offers a rare glimpse into the evolution of. As an artist in exile, neshat has steeped herself in irans history, literature, and political and social movements, especially the activism of women, and created elegant, melancholy, and dramatic photographs, videos, and films exploring the underlying complexities of iranian lives. One portrait on view, ibrahim 2012, belongs to a part of the book of kings series neshat calls the patriots. 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, panteha masses, from the book of kings series, 2012. It has also featured prominently in contemporary works of literature and art, such as orhan pamuks my name is red, khaled hosseinis the kite runner, and shirin neshat s book of kings. The shahnameh or book of kings, an epic poem of some 50,000 couplets. Browse more artworks shirin neshat from leila heller gallery. Neshat borrowed the title of her series from the shahnameh book of kings, an epic persian poem written a thousand years ago by the poet ferdowsi. Shirin neshat poses at the dirimart gallery during the presentation of the book of kings series in istanbul in 20 getty. 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. 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. Recently updated, recently added, artwork year desc.
Shirin neshat in her studio working on roja from the book. Gladstone gallery is pleased to announce our fifth exhibition with shirin neshat. The book of kings marks neshat s return to blackandwhite photography. Figuring history at the seattle art museum installation, 2018. Gladstone gallery specializes in modern and contemporary art with locations in. Neshat references a range of historic and contemporary metaphors. Vtv provides art lovers with news, reports and features from the. Her work has brought her the international award of the xlviii venice biennale in 1999, the dorothy and lillian gish prize in 2006, the silver lion for best director at the 66th venice film festival in 2009, and 2014 crystal award by the world economic forum in davos, switzerland, to name a few. Shirin neshat untitled, from the series women of allah, 1996 speechless. Mourners from the book of kings features 14 stunning photographs inscribed with persian writing this catalogue was published within the context of shirin neshat exhibition curated by heinz peter schwerfel.
Shirin neshat, muhammed patriots, from the book of kings series, 2012. The print featured the right side of an unknown womans face as well as the barrel of a gun that seemed to emerge and reflect like a shiny earring. Shirin neshat retrospective at the detroit institute of. Shirin neshats the book of kings feature calligraphy writings on portraits the artist took of participants of the arab spring. The exhibition, which presents over 230 photographs and eight immersive video installations, offers a rare glimpse into the evolution of neshat s. Neshat at the hirshhorn late worksnew readings the. Shirin neshats book of kings captures the faces of the. Shirin neshat and fereydoun aves the book of kings exhibition launches in total arts dubai. In neshat s book of kings, the placement of hands across the chest is a gesture of many meanings. It came as a response to the aftermath of the euphoric, inspirational, and popular movements that occurred all across the middle east between 200911, including the green movement in iran and the arab spring, says the artist. Its written all over their faces the washington post. The epic narrates the deeds of legendary and historical kings of iran, including tales of heroes and villains. 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. Neshat is known for her powerful photography, films, and video installations that deal with issues of gender, politics, and identity.
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