Veils, Poems, Guns, and Martyrs: Four Themes of Muslim Women’s Experiences in Shirin Neshat’s Photographic Work

Abstract

Shirin Neshatââ¬â¢s compelling series of photographs, Unveiling (1993) and Women of Allah (1994), have provoked very favourable reactions from both critics and audience. Yet, the cultural stereotypes of the oppressed Muslim woman within which most critiques operate detract from the complexity of her work. While Neshat indeed prompts such critiques due to the fact that her photographs elaborate on the Western media images of Iranian women, a closer look at her imagery will reveal that Neshat disclaims any reductionist and totalizing views on Iranian womenââ¬â¢s experience.