Shirin Neshat Interview: Advice to the Young
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 6 фев 2025
- “I think it’s so important for young people to think about the world, the bigger picture.” The renowned Iranian artist and filmmaker Shirin Neshat here encourages young artists to be socially conscious and open to what goes on beyond the walls of their home: “Otherwise you make work that other people don’t need to look at, because it doesn’t really have a place beyond a very small narcissistic conversation.”
Neshat feels that in the Western culture we are encouraged to lead a life centred on individual ideas and interests. She finds this emphasis on self-interest worrisome and considers America, where she resides, a very capitalistic and individualistic society, where people are basically told to just look after themselves: “I think life could be more meaningful if we find the compassion to open our minds and our eyes to other people’s issues and see if we can expand our love and care for people beyond our immediate family.” Furthermore, as an artist, you need to lead the way, to open yourself to the experience of struggle and to be aware of art as one of the most powerful forms of communication - and not let yourself be diminished to “entertainers and people who make great decorations for people’s walls.”
Shirin Neshat (b.1957) is an Iranian visual artist, known primarily for her work in film, video and photography. Neshat gained international prominence in 1995 with her iconic series of black and white, calligraphy-overlaid photographs ‘Women of Allah’, and broke new ground winning the Golden Lion award at the Venice Biennale (1999) for her video installation ‘Turbulent’ and the Silver Lion at the International Venice Film Festival (2009) for directing ‘Women Without Men’. Among other works are ‘Soliloquy’ (1999), ‘Possession’ (2009), ‘Illusions & Mirrors’ (2013) and ‘Looking for Oum Kulthum’ (2017). Neshat has won prestigious awards such as the International Award of the XLVIII Venice Biennale (1999), the Grand Prix at the Kwangju Biennale (2000) and Hiroshima Freedom Prize from the Hiroshima City Museum of Art (2005). Solo exhibitions include shows at the Museo de Arte Moderno in Mexico City, Contemporary Arts Museum in Houston, Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Art Insti-tute of Chicago and Serpentine Gallery in London. She lives and works in New York City.
Shirin Neshat was interviewed by Marc-Christoph Wagner at Faurschou Foundation in Copenhagen, Denmark in connection with the exhibition ‘Shirin Neshat, Looking for Oum Kulthum’ in March 2018.
Camera: Klaus Elmer
Edited by: Klaus Elmer
Produced by: Marc-Christoph Wagner
Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2018
Supported by Nordea-fonden
FOLLOW US HERE!
Website: channel.louisia...
Facebook: / louisianachannel
Instagram: / louisianachannel
Twitter: / louisianachann
Every single sentence is worth to be listened to more than just once!!
A wonderful artist and woman! I just watched her film Women Without Men for the second time. It moved me to tears for its beauty and sensitivity. I love Shirin Neshat. ❤
She is great woman i artist I have ever known in the contemporary art world
She seems soooo kind.
I love her ,she is speaking my mind and I'm proud of her. We need more women like her.
What a beautiful soul ❤️inside and out.
Shirin you are a great artist who is always trying to show the world the other side and the struggle which goes behind our own environment .Your work is giving us message to make us aware of social issues.
I think it is essential to keep in touch with both the concepts. The bigger picture is essential, but it feels that the smaller ones are easier to grasp- indivudual experience. The relatability factor makes it easier. That being said i am not completely for the ultimate individual approach. Not for any extremity, whatever be the side of the spectrum. But i do understand the point of including the community. Sometimes things can get dull in a solo work.
I just discovered this lady and she is just such an inspiration.
Very down to earth and honest empathic thoughts.
I totally agree - thank you!
I try to expand my practice beyond my own head into my community but the work I do confronts and scares them so I keep an insular practice but share that with my community and bear the brunt. The secrets to love and peace come from us into our world.Time must be spent on our deepest discovery in order to share to the world. Yes we need to see the bigger picture but that is probably easier for someone accepted by the big picture.
Inspiring!
Very inspiring
Well said Shirin aziz
Her words means a lot...
You are a legend!the best woman artist ever!
from PERSIA ArmeniA Israel with Passion
💞🌍🌎🌏💞
Individualism is deliberately taught at schools based on a ridiculous concept of meritocracy whereby if we all had equal access to resources and opportunities we would be enabled to reach our full potential. But as she so perceptively alludes to, Eurocentric culture in my case prioritises the ego self and over the collective whole. Depression is rife in my culture because we are forced to live alone, by the design of our homes, jobs and lives. It all centres around the nuclear family which was constructed by Margaret Thatcher’s ideals of ‘there is no society’. Sad days that no-one cares about anybody else but their own supposed entitlements to pleasure. With pleasure also comes great pain and hence suffering. I am buddhist only because I believe in universal kindness and being of service to humankind. I wish my way of thinking and being was mainstream but then there would be no capitalism in my ideal world.
Sleepy droop goals