Rebecca R. Hart

"Shirin Neshat, an Iranian American artist living in New York City, is widely acclaimed for her extraordinary video installations and art photography. Through visual metaphor and compelling sound, Neshat confronts the complexities of identity, gender, and power to express her own vision that embraces the depth of Islamic tradition and Western concepts of individuality and liberty. This catalogue, which accompanies a mid-career retrospective at the Detroit Institute of Arts, includes show more insightful essays on her work and in-depth treatment of eight video installations and two series of art photography." - Detroit Institute of Arts

I'm sure that as a Westerner, the nuances of Neshat's art are lost on me. But as a woman and a connoisseur of visual and literary arts, her work compels even when the deeper meaning evades me. This does not mean one must be a woman or a self-described connoisseur; like any art, either it speaks to you or it doesn't. For me, Neshat's work is a brook that ceaselessly babbles. The essays by Susan Babaie, Rebecca R. Hart, and Nancy Princenthal are quite informative, but don't fully overcome the inherent disadvantage of viewing static images of moving pictures and installation setups. I was able to find some Neshat's videos online. Having this catalogue on hand during those forays was illuminating. show less