Rebellious Silence

About the Art

Neshat was studying art in the United States during the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which prevented her from returning home. Her artwork since touches on themes of the conflicting forces that define the lives of Iranian women—religion, social mores, politics, education, economics and much more. Events continue to add layers of meaning to Neshat’s work, including the temporary travel bans for Iranian citizens in 2017 and nation-wide protests in Iran after the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022. The subject of the photograph looks out at the viewer, past the rifle barrel held vertically against her face, and through the hand-written text on her face. A poem in Farsi, Tahereh Saffarzadeh’s Allegiance with Wakefulness was written in for women during the 1979 revolution. As the title alludes, the subject speaks volumes without saying a word.

FEATURED IMAGE
Shirin Neshat (American, born Iran, born 1957), Rebellious Silence, 1994, silver print, 9 1/2 x 6 1/4 inches. Gift of Sara M. and Michelle Vance Waddell, 2026.11