“Women of Allah” by Shirin Neshat

In 1990, Shirin Neshat returned to Iran after 12 years of living in Los Angeles. Her homecoming sparked a yearning to explore Iranian femininity, as Iranian society had changed dramatically whilst she had been away. Neshat focused her lens on Islamic culture, identity and women. The “Women of Allah” series developed as she explored the intricacies of the Iranian female living in post-revolution Iran. This series portrays women covered in black veils surrounded by Farsi poetry and wielding weapons. In her artist statement, Neshat says: As the artist, I took on the role of performer, posing for the photographs. These photographs became iconic portraits of wilfully armed Muslim women. Yet every image, every women’s submissive gaze, suggests a far more complex and paradoxical reality behind the surface. For Neshat, the series provided a focus for her artistic expression, as she observes many components of her femininity and culture throughout her career.

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