'Dawn' by 5 young artists from Iran

DAWN by Ghazaleh Ghobadi, Bita Dehghanzadeh, Hamid Masoumi, Narges Taslimi & Masoud Shakarami

For forty-five years, the government of Iran has imposed strict censorship regulations on art. These regulations have violated the freedom of expression of artists inside Iran. Any subject that is challenging for the artists (e.g. women’s body and hair, Islam, any forms of protest, etc) is being censored. If the artists don't comply, they are imprisoned or it can even lead to the execution of the artist. But after the death of Mahsa Jina Amini among many things that changed inside Iran a wave of change emerged in the art community. Many Iranian artists began to resist the censorship and dared to cross the line. This is a significant event in the history of art in Iran.

Today, despite all the risks, some Iranian artists decided not to be censored. They are pulling the Sun out of the darkness of the night. It is the first appearance of the light... So let’s name it “Dawn”.

About the Artists

Ghazaleh Ghobadi (1981, Iran) is an artist and storyteller based in Amsterdam and has a PhD in medical physics. Being raised in Iran Ghazaleh has experienced different invisible ways that censorship disrupts the authentic connection people have with the rest of the world. She therefore founded SteaMind and facilitates artists inside Iran to create art without censorship. Believing in the power of collective efforts for change she keeps telling stories and addressing socio-political issues that demand attention.

Bita Dehghanzadeh (1985, Iran), is based in Tehran and has a BA in graphic design. Bita is fascinated with the human body and its form. With nudity, light, and the contrast between human bodies and the background, her photography captures this fascination.

Hamid Masoumi (1986, Iran) is based in Tehran and has a BEng in civil engineering. Women, their hair, and their bodies are the subject of Hamid’s paintings. His artworks portray the contrast between the beauty of the women’s hair and body and the ugliness of the life they have been imposed on in Iran.

Narges Taslimi (1987, Iran), is based in Isfahan and has MSc in animation and more than a decade of teaching experience. Narges has made several short animations and participated in several festivals and exhibitions in Iran. Narges believes whenever the darkness of censorship casts a shadow over a country and free expression of ideas is forbidden, art starts talking. As a mother and a teacher of art Narges uses art to narrate the story of the dark days.

Masoud Shakarami (1986, Iran), is based in Tehran and has a BA in dramatic literature from Tehran University. Masoud worked as a playwright, director, and actor since 2006 and has been nominated for and won several awards as a playwright and actor. Masoud's study has focused on mythology and mythological literature and he is one of the pioneers in creating art that crosses the censorship line in Iran.

De expositie is tot 26 april dagelijks te bezoeken in Metroscope. Bekijk hier meer informatie over Metroscope.