Examining the Beauty and Harmony of Islamic Artist Shirin Neshat

BAY STATE BANNER
By Susan Saccoccia

“Roja,” by Shirin Neshat, is a gelatin silver print with India ink

MASSACHUSETTS---Beauty and harmony are paramount in Islamic art. These qualities are also integral to the photographs, videos and films of Shirin Neshat. Her ravishing images show women crossing boundaries and asserting power despite Islamic norms that constrict their freedom. Yet as Neshat composes images, she is guided by Islamic aesthetic principles she has absorbed since childhood. “Harmony is the essence of Islamic art,” says Neshat. Neshat’s new photographic series, “The Book of Kings,” borrows its name from the epic poem of Iran, the Shahnameh. The ensemble of 80 portraits casts contemporary Iranians as nation builders. [link]