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Women, Art, Freedom: Artists and Street Politics in Iran
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 24, 2025
This book is a joy to read. It is presented in 10 acts, sandwiched between “Introduction” and “Coda.” Every act is richly illustrated with examples of artwork. The printing and the paper used are of very high quality, which is quite appropriate for an art book.
- Act One: Parading the Body on Sidewalks
- Act Two: Hiding in Plain Sight
- Act Three: Staging Citywide Protest Props
- Act Four: Reclaiming Old Themes for New Protest Arts
- Act Five: Reenacting Street Battles
- Act Six: Documenting Urban Unrest
- Act Seven: Camouflaging Defiant Words
- Act Eight: Clashing with Faith in Broad Daylight
- Act Nine: Opposing Art with Art in Cityscapes
- Act Ten: Forecasting the Future
The introduction sets the stage for the rich tapestry of arts presented and discussed in the rest of the book. We read on page 43 that the book “aims to capture just a fraction of the myriad ways that Iranian artists have found to intervene, to challenge, and to question the status quo.” In the book’s final paragraph (page 289), Karimi shares the artists’ reactions to imprisonment, summons by the Ministry of Intelligence, lashing, or assessment of fines for not wearing the hijab. Despite all the hardships, they did not rue what they had done. In the words of one artist, “I have not one iota of regret.”
Here is the link to Dr. Karimi’s 69-minute book talk under the auspices of Farhang Foundation and UC Santa Barbara’s Iranian Studies Initiative.
https://farhang.org/ucsb-lecture-seri...
- Act One: Parading the Body on Sidewalks
- Act Two: Hiding in Plain Sight
- Act Three: Staging Citywide Protest Props
- Act Four: Reclaiming Old Themes for New Protest Arts
- Act Five: Reenacting Street Battles
- Act Six: Documenting Urban Unrest
- Act Seven: Camouflaging Defiant Words
- Act Eight: Clashing with Faith in Broad Daylight
- Act Nine: Opposing Art with Art in Cityscapes
- Act Ten: Forecasting the Future
The introduction sets the stage for the rich tapestry of arts presented and discussed in the rest of the book. We read on page 43 that the book “aims to capture just a fraction of the myriad ways that Iranian artists have found to intervene, to challenge, and to question the status quo.” In the book’s final paragraph (page 289), Karimi shares the artists’ reactions to imprisonment, summons by the Ministry of Intelligence, lashing, or assessment of fines for not wearing the hijab. Despite all the hardships, they did not rue what they had done. In the words of one artist, “I have not one iota of regret.”
Here is the link to Dr. Karimi’s 69-minute book talk under the auspices of Farhang Foundation and UC Santa Barbara’s Iranian Studies Initiative.
https://farhang.org/ucsb-lecture-seri...
October 30, 2025
To record history. To tell the stories of women and men who no longer conform to oppression with fits clenched in anger, they stand firm and fight against tyranny without necessarily knowing the outcome of their path. But haven't we always said that it is the journey that matters, not the destination?
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews