Shirin Neshat

Shirin Neshat is a great diplomat of peace and advocate for women. I like how her methods are not as extreme as other artists we have explored, yet she is still controversial. She is not radical; she isn't even a feminist. Neshat's advocacy for Iranian women is through her art, and even though it sounds like those women cannot experience it in their country due to censorship, it still raises awareness. However, it is difficult when you know there is a problem somewhere and it seems like there is nothing you can do to help. Iran is a very complicated country. Like Neshat said, "I believe we don’t need to widen the divide between the West and Islam. Rather, we need to build dialogue to encourage tolerance and respect." I do find this difficult though when the leader of Iran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is impossible to negotiate with. I have not paid much attention to Iran since the protests in Tehran in the summer of 2009, which revealed how Iranians were dissatisfied with their government. Perhaps more protests like this will help give them more freedoms and rights to women in particular.

Neshat protests in a settle, yet effective way and I hope she inspires, not offends, women of the Muslim community. Just through her interview I can tell she is very kind and does not intend to harm anyone. I especially like the following quote:

"I feel closest to Zarin, perhaps because of how she quietly suffers and inflicts her pain onto her body, an experience that many women, including myself, are familiar with. Zarin’s body becomes a tool — she punishes herself for all that is wrong with the world, the social stigma, religious taboos and her own feelings of guilt, shame and sin."

This is so true. An easy way for women to lash out is to do harm on their bodies because they connect the wrongs of the world to their appearance.

The photo I chose doesn't have a title. It's by Ciril Jazbec; he is only 21 and from Slovenia. He has a pretty sweet website, too. I recommend giving it a look: http://www.ciriljazbec.com/