The book of kings, an exhibition of neshat s new work, is on view at barbara gladstone gallery in new york through february 11. Available for sale from leila heller gallery, shirin neshat, nickzad masses, from the book of kings series 2012, ink on le silver gelatin print, 101. She who tells a story national museum of women in the arts. 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. The splitscreened video turbulent 1998 won neshat the first international prize at the venice biennale in 1999.
The exhibition features a new body of photography works and a video. 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. Shirin neshat, panteha masses, from the book of kings series, 2012. She obtained her ba, ma, and mfa at uc berkeley and moved to new york city in 1983. Throughout the space, dozens of iranian and arab youth with engaging, thoughtful expressions stare out from blackandwhite photographs by shirin neshat.
The exhibition, which presents over 230 photographs and eight immersive video installations, offers a rare glimpse into the evolution of neshat s. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. 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. 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. Looking back at my career i find that i have had a long obsession with strong middle eastern female artists.
Facing history contextualizes the artists work around the 1953 ouster of prime minister mohammad mosaddeq, the 1979 revolution that. Shirin neshat lacma in land of dreams, you turn your attention to the. Shirin neshat, muhammed the book of kings, 2012, ink on le gelatin silver print, 60 x 45 inches. Shirin neshat, muhammed patriots, from the book of kings series, 2012. 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. 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. The calligraphic details were elaborate and were placed across the bare chest of the male subjects like tattoos. 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. 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.
Only in 1990, eleven years after the founding of the islamic republic, did she visit iran again. 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. Shu department of art student resources artist index. The figure meets the viewers gaze with his right hand placed over his heart. Panteha masses, from the book of kings series, 2012 ink on le silver gelatin print work. Shirin neshat is an iranian artist based in new york. The epic narrates the deeds of legendary and historical kings of iran, including tales of heroes and villains. 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. But that is not the world that shirin neshat knows.
The book of kings series shirin neshats large photo series thebook of kingsis 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. Shirin neshat and fereydoun aves the book of kings. On view at the broad october 19, 2019 february 16, 2020. Shirin neshat marta gnyp for the book you, me and art, march 2018. Its written all over their faces the washington post. In the women of allah series, neshat concentrated on four primary symbolic components namely, the gaze of the women, the text across the images, the veil and the weapons used. Shirin neshats book of kings captures the faces of the. Shirin neshat was born to a wealthy family from qazvin, a small city two hours from tehran, in 1957.
Shirin neshat, divine rebellion, from the book of kings. Shirin neshats the book of kings feature calligraphy writings on portraits the artist took of participants of the arab spring. The renowned shahnameh or book of kings, an epic poem written in 1010 ce by the iranian poet hakim abulqasim mansur later known as. Lets start with your most recent project, your film looking for oum kulthum. Oct 5, 20 shirin neshat in her studio working on roja from the book of kings series photo. 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.
Ink on laserexposed silver gelatin print, 60 x 45 in courtesy of the. Shirin neshat nickzad masses, from the book of kings series. 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 best known for her videos, photographies and films and fereydoun ave for his mix media works on paper. Shirin neshat, a slight woman with heavy eyeliner, stood against a wall displaying 45 of her photographic portraitsthe faces were covered with inscriptions of farsi poetry. Shirin neshat in her studio working on roja from the book. Shirin neshat and fereydoun aves the book of kings exhibition. At the age of seventeen, she relocated to the united states to complete her education. 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 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 of power within sociocultural structures. View the book of kings series by shirin neshat on artnet. An example of the use of the gestalt principle of continuity the arrow from the warrior on the left directs us to the figure on the right. Shirin neshat my house is on fire, from the book of kings series, 2012. Artist shirin neshat challenges the idea of muslim women. The artist currently lives and works in new york, ny. Gladstone gallery specializes in modern and contemporary art with locations in new york and brussels. Shirin neshats book of kings captures the faces of the arab spring. One portrait on view, ibrahim 2012, belongs to a part of the book of kings series neshat calls the patriots. The iran she knows is filled with poetry and mysticism. Shirin neshat nida patriots, 2012, from the book of kings the villains lastly, the villains category of the series consisted of pictures of older men. The exhibition features a new body of photography works and a video installation by the internationally acclaimed iranian artist.
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 inscribed the portrait with calligraphic verses in farsi from contemporary iranian poetry, giving. Iranian exile shirin neshats new exhibition expresses the. Shirin neshats solo show the book of kings at faurschou foundation in beijing, china features a new body of photography works and a video installation by the. 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. 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. She used these images to be ambiguous in a manner that would contradict the western notion of muslim women that is often. Shirin neshats solo show the book of kings at faurschou foundation in beijing, china features a new body of. Neshat s 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, divine rebellion, from the book of kings series, 2012, acrylic on le silver gelatin print, 62 x 49. 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. An exhibition of the artists work at the hirshhorn is an allegorical narrative framed against historical and political realities. Why have you been so fascinated by this egyptian singer. Artist shirin neshat is mining her personal history to.
War of words reorient middle eastern arts and culture. 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. Facing history is the companion volume to the smithsonians hirshhorn museum exhibition of the same name. Shirin neshat, rebellious silence, women of allah series. Available for sale from goodman gallery, shirin neshat, panteha masses, from the book of kings series 2012, ink on le silver gelatin print, 101. Faurschou foundation beijing is pleased to present shirin neshats the book of kings. The faurschou foundation beijing is honored to present shirin neshats the book of kings. Shirin neshat the book of kings april september 8, 20. Amir villains, from the 2012 shirin neshat series book of kings. 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, ibrahim patriots, from the series the book of kings, 2012.
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. The book of kings marks neshat s return to blackandwhite photography. Neshat found inspiration in stories from participants in the arab spring in 2011 and protesters from the iranian green movement in 2009. What irans dazzling art tells us about its civilisation completed by abolqasem ferdowsi in the early 11th century, the shahnameh book of kings is not only a literary masterpiece, but also a. Faurschou foundation beijing 798 art district no2 jiuxuanquao road p.
Shirin neshat panteha masses, from the book of kings. Shirin neshat speechless, from the series women of allah, 1996 analysis. The book of kings is the epic poems written in the c10th by ferdowsi in tus comparable to homers iliad. Shirin neshat poses at the dirimart gallery during the presentation of the book of kings series in istanbul in 20 getty. Other largescale photographic installations in the broad show will include works from the artists series the book of kings 2012 and our house is on fire 20. It deals with mythological persian archetypes, kings.
This beautiful volume presents an array of neshat s most compelling works and illuminates the points at which cultural and. Shirin neshat s photographs depict iranian and arab youth editor on january 31, 2012 1 comment new york gladstone gallery is suffused with humanity. Women photographers from iran and the arab world on view april 08july 31, 2016 this landmark exhibition of more than 80 photographs and a video installation challenges stereotypes surrounding the people, landscapes, and cultures of iran and the arab world. Nearing the twentieth anniversary of her new york debut, shirin neshat, in her recent exhibition at gladstone gallery, book of kings, adeptly challenges and speculation about her works currency or. Her works are included in the collections of the tate gallery in london, the museum of modern art in new york, the tel aviv museum of art. 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. Neshat discusses the art shes made in response to irans green revolution and to the arab spring.