The exhibit, the book of kings, was inspired by the wave of political uprisings throughout. A, shirin neshat occupies a central role in the discourse on relations between the east and the west, her photographs and videos revolve around the situation of women in societies shaped by islam, and the contradictions arising between western and oriental cultural traditions. 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, persona non grata in iran due to her art, created the photographs. It deals with mythological persian archetypes, kings, lovers, demons, heroes. Shirin neshats the home of my eyes solo exhibition by.
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 neshats book of kings. Shirin neshats solo show the book of kings at faurschou foundation in beijing, china features a new body of. Artist shirin neshat challenges the idea of muslim women. 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. The broads shirin neshat show is the most significant to. I will greet the sun again is the largest exhibition to date of internationally acclaimed artist shirin neshats approximately 30year career. One portrait on view, ibrahim 2012, belongs to a part of the book of kings series neshat calls the patriots. Panteha masses, from the book of kings series, 2012 ink on le silver gelatin print work. Faurschou foundation beijing is pleased to present shirin neshats the book of kings. 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. 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. Shirin neshat best known for her videos, photographies and films and fereydoun ave for his mix media works on paper. Shirin neshat roja from the book of kings series in almost all of essaydis works, most notably in her acclaimed les femmes du maroc series, the artist casts women to appear before her camera with arabic text adorning their garments, bodies, and environs. Shirin neshat, soliloquy series, 2000, cibachrome print, the broad art foundation.
May 18, 2015 shirin neshat, muhammed the book of kings, 2012, ink on le gelatin silver print, 60 x 45 inches. Muhammed patriots, from the book of kings series, 2012 ink on le silver gelatin print work. 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. The book of kings is the epic poems written in the c10th by ferdowsi in tus comparable to homers iliad. Shirin neshat s book of kings captures the faces of the arab spring riots. Shirin neshats rapture veiled women in their traditional islamic attire. 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. The gladstone gallery and the faurschou foundation in beijing, china are just some of the art spaces that have had the pleasure of exhibiting shirin neshats the book of kings. Shirin neshat national museum of women in the arts. 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. Shirin neshats book of kings captures the faces of the arab spring. Shirin neshat, ibrahim patriots, from the series the book of kings, 2012. 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. Throughout the space, dozens of iranian and arab youth with engaging, thoughtful expressions stare out from blackandwhite photographs by shirin neshat.
Five photographs, including one from neshats women of allah series 199397, and four from the book of kings 2012 are included in the exhibition. Facing history contextualizes the artists work around the 1953 ouster of prime minister mohammad mosaddeq, the 1979 revolution that brought ayatollah khomeini to power and. 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. Jun 08, 2015 in the aftermath of the sixyear effort involved in making women without men, neshat returned to monochrome portraiture. 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. Shirin neshat was born in qazvin, iran and moved to the united states in 1974. 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. 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. Find an indepth biography, exhibitions, original artworks for sale, the latest news, and sold auction prices. Oct 23, 2019 the surreal tale is the latest video installation from artist shirin neshat. Her first exhibition of new photographic and video work since 2009, book of kings represents a response to both iranians and arabs who are bravely fighting, against punishment of death, for their rights to determine the governance of their nations.
Artist shirin neshat challenges the idea of muslim women as. Its written all over their faces the washington post. The iran she knows is filled with poetry and mysticism. Iranian exile shirin neshats new exhibition expresses the. The book of kings marks neshats return to blackandwhite photography. 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. Shirin neshat and fereydoun aves the book of kings. Shirin neshat, panteha masses, from the book of kings series, 2012. Shirin neshat, nida patriots, 2012, ink on le silver gelatin print, 60 x 45.
Courtesy of gladstone gallery, new york and brussels courtesy of gladstone gallery, new york and brussels. 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 surreal tale is the latest video installation from artist shirin neshat. Facing history presents an array of neshats most compelling works, illuminating the points at which cultural and political events have impacted her artistic practice. Shirin neshats 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. 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. Neshat references a range of historic and contemporary metaphors. 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. This beautiful volume presents an array of neshats most compelling works and illuminates the points at which cultural and. At that time, neshat began to photograph herself wearing the chador, or veil.
Shirin neshat speaks about her retrospective at the hirshhorn. Available for sale from goodman gallery, shirin neshat, panteha masses, from the book of kings series 2012, ink on le silver gelatin print, 101. Shirin neshat, muhammed the book of kings, 2012, ink on le gelatin silver print, 60 x 45 inches. Browse more artworks shirin neshat from leila heller gallery. Shirin neshats powerful photographs and video installations illuminate the gender and cultural conflicts of her native iran.
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. The book of kings series by shirin neshat on artnet. May 3, 2015 shirin neshat, nida patriots, from the book of kings series. I will greet the sun again is the largest exhibition to date of internationally acclaimed artist shirin neshat s approximately 30year career. Shirin neshats 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. Martha rosler invented the semiotics of the kitchen. Facing history is the companion volume to the smithsonians hirshhorn museum exhibition of the same name. 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 the persian poet ferdowsi between c. View the book of kings series by shirin neshat on artnet. 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. Shirin neshat is an iranian artist based in new york. The exhibition consisted of a total of 56 black and white photos framed in unmated and black frames that were hung across the two galleries. 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.
But that is not the world that shirin neshat knows. The photographs consisted of three groups of largescale black and white pictures. The exhibition features a new body of photography works and a video. Jan 31, 2012 throughout the space, dozens of iranian and arab youth with engaging, thoughtful expressions stare out from blackandwhite photographs by shirin neshat. War of words reorient middle eastern arts and culture. In the aftermath of the sixyear effort involved in making women without men, neshat returned to monochrome portraiture. Shirin neshat speaks about her retrospective at the. The book of kings consists of three series of large blackandwhite portraits. Ink on laserexposed silver gelatin print, 60 x 45 in courtesy of the. In her fifth solo exhibit at new yorks gladstone gallery, artist shirin neshat sets up her first ever photo installation. 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. Interviews with iranian filmmaker and artist shirin neshat. Amir villains, from the 2012 shirin neshat series book of kings.
Internationally acclaimed artist shirin neshat takes on loaded themes in photography, film, and video works that delve into issues of gender, identity, and politics in muslim countries, and the relationship between the personal and political. Neshats series returned to gladstone through february 23, 2008. 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. Shirin neshat panteha masses, from the book of kings. Shirin neshat poses at the dirimart gallery during the presentation of the book of kings series in istanbul in 20 getty. May 07, 2020 shirin neshat s rapture veiled women in their traditional islamic attire. May 07, 2020 the gladstone gallery and the faurschou foundation in beijing, china are just some of the art spaces that have had the pleasure of exhibiting shirin neshats the book of kings. Shirin neshats book of kings captures the faces of the arab. Neshats 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.
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. 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. Only in 1990, eleven years after the founding of the islamic republic, did she visit iran again. Gladstone gallery specializes in modern and contemporary art with locations in new york and brussels. 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. Neshats 2001 collaboration with composer philip glass, passage, will act as a pivot in the exhibition from neshats early, personal work made specifically about living outside of iran during some of the most turbulent times in the countrys history to new bodies of work which reflect universally on seismic global political events such as 911, the arab spring, and the current xenophobia. Shirin neshats large photo series the book of kings is inspired by the 60,000 verse poem shahnameh the book of kings from the eleventh century by the. 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. Aug 16, 2018 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 neshats book of kings. The broads shirin neshat show is the most significant look at the iranian artists work to date by helen holmes 1019 10.