Kaveh Rafie introduced Pamela Karimi’s lecture “A Revolution Made by Art” at ArtSpeaks in Vancouver
Kaveh Rafie introduced Pamela Karimi who gave a talk in conjunction with the ongoing exhibition co-courted by Yasaman Moussavi and Elmira Sarreshtehdari at Artspeaks, Vancouver, for the first anniversary of Mahsa Jina uprising.
A Revolution Made by Art
In 2022, a disturbing image emerged showing 22-year-old Mahsa Jina Amini on ventilators after an encounter with Iran's "morality police" for wearing a loose scarf. This photo not only resonated with viewers worldwide but also resulted in the arrest of its photographer, Niloofar Hamedi. In response, artists globally recreated images and videos inspired by the original, turning them into powerful symbols of protest. The movement, named "Woman, Life, Freedom," stands out for its wide array of visuals, art, and activism. While Iranian artists have always found ways to subtly criticize oppression, this recent uprising has charged art, visuals, and performances with a clear and bold sense of resistance. This presentation will explore how images and art have played a crucial role during significant times in Iranian history, tracing back to the early 2000s and including the 2009 Green Movement. With respect to this exhibition's theme and the featured works of diasporic artists, I will highlight the lasting influence of art forms created decades ago to show how certain rebellious gestures that were created in the past are "still living."
Pamela Karimi is a Professor of History of Art and Architecture at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. She is the author of Domesticity and Consumer Culture in Iran and Alternative Iran: Contemporary Art and Critical Spatial Practice. Since the onset of the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' uprising, Karimi has written numerous articles underscoring the pivotal role of images and art in the movement. She is now completing a book about the impact of art, images, and performative activism on the women's liberation movement in Iran. This presentation and discussion draws from this ongoing research, while also marking the anniversary of the uprising in September 2022.
Modified on September 23, 2023