Translation and Transgression in the Art of Shirin Neshat

Shirin Neshat is an Iranian-American artist known for her photo-portraits that explore women and power in Iran. This book chronicles her early career, from photography to film, and investigates underserved contexts for her work, including the cinematic turn and emergent theories of globality. It highlights her transnational methodologies and disruption of neo-Orientalist paradigms, leading audiences to reconsider Islamophobic, Islamism, and gender repressions.

Format: Hardback
Length: 120 pages
Publication date: 30 August 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Shirin Neshat, an Iranian-American artist, has been captivating audiences with her thought-provoking photo-portraits for over three decades. In the early stages of her career, Neshat delved into complex interpretations of women and power in Iran, eliciting both praise and criticism. While her images celebrated the beauty and resilience of Muslim women, they were also accused of exoticizing them. However, Neshat's artistic journey expanded beyond photography, encompassing film and political expression. This comprehensive volume chronicles Neshat's evolution from a photographer to a filmmaker, exploring her personal to political transformation. It also extends existing scholarship by examining overlooked contexts for her work, such as the cinematic turn and emerging theories of globality in contemporary art.

Neshat's hyphenated identity, often reduced to simplistic narratives, is explored in this volume. It highlights her transnational methodologies, drawing from appropriation, performativity, and embodiment to articulate Persian visual and literary traditions. By challenging neo-Orientalist paradigms and representations, Neshat has prompted audiences to reevaluate Islamophobic, Islamism, and gender repressions that transcend cultural boundaries.

This book appeals to scholars engaged in art history, photography, cinema studies, performance, transnational and global studies, women's studies, and Iranian studies. It provides valuable insights into Neshat's artistic trajectory, her exploration of gender and power, and her contribution to shaping contemporary art discourse.

Weight: 400g
Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032376431