Iranian Studies Book Launch: Women, Art, Freedom

The Elahé Omidyar Mir-Djalali Institute of Iranian Studies
and the Canadian Society for Iranian and Persian Studies
jointly present:

Women, Art, Freedom: Artists and Street Politics in Iran

by Prof. Pamela Karimi (Cornell University)

Friday, September 27, 2024 1 pm Eastern Time (Canada & US)

Women, Art, Freedom offers an insightful look at the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom uprising in Iran, sparked by the tragic murder of Jina Mahsa Amini at the hands of the “morality police” for violating hijab rules. Beyond its feminist undertones and the remarkable courage of the young protesters, what sets this uprising apart from previous ones is the abundant and diverse art it has inspired. This book, rather than merely analyzing the artworks that garnered attention on social media platforms, brings to light lesser-known grassroots artistic movements that played a crucial role within their immediate local communities. Engaging with primarily Iran-based artists, it uncovers their role in shaping guerrilla interventions and street occupations and in articulating distinct forms of peaceful civil disobedience. By drawing on a broad spectrum of historical and theoretical sources, this book further reveals the origins and inspirations of Iran’s protest art. Focusing mainly on the interconnections between the public sphere, women’s bodies, and feminist viewpoints, Women, Art, Freedom underscores the vital role of artists in championing global justice and equality.

Pamela Karimi is an associate professor of history of art and architecture at Cornell University. Her expertise lies primarily in the art, architecture and visual culture of the modern and contemporary Middle East. She is the author of Domesticity and Consumer Culture in Iran: Interior Revolutions of the Modern Era (2013) and Alternative Iran: Contemporary Art and Critical Spatial Practice (2022).