How the Iranian Diaspora is using art to protest

Now Iranian artists around the world are responding to and supporting the movement through viral artworks protesting. Many of them look to existing symbols of protest and freedom to express their solidarity, such as  the red, green and white of the Iranian flag; Iran depicted as a woman; clenched fists; the cutting of hair of Iranian women, the tulip representing the blood of martyrs; slogans depicted in traditional calligraphic styles and hairing adorning the Azadi Tower. The latter of which is one of Tehran’s most recognisable 20th-century landmarks that following the 1979 revolution became associated with freedom.

“This is the sole image of Iran’s freedom,” Iranian graphic designer Jalz told the Guardian earlier this month, who has created a viral piece showcasing an image of the tower with Matisse’s dancers and the “women, life, freedom” protest slogan which is so central to the movement. The artist also explained to the publication that she wanted to complete the sense of freedom for the female body through her piece.

It’s not just individuals, either. Last Saturday the Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan’s iconic spiral ramp was overtaken with 12 red banners that, once unfurled, spanned the length of four floors. Each of which was covered with black stencils depicting the 22-year-old Amini and the words “Woman, Life, Freedom” in both English and Kurdish, which have become a rallying cry for the young women leading protests over Amini’s death after being detained for not wearing her Hijab properly.

An activist group called the Anonymous Artist Collective for Iran has taken responsibility for the act. “This homage is a call for action to support the current revolution in Iran, led by brave Iranian women risking their lives to stand up against oppression to overthrow a longtime authoritarian regime,” says the group in a statement.

In Iran making protest art is far riskier. Typically all art has to be sanctioned by an organization that works like the “morality police.” Commonly referred to as Vezarat-e ershad, or Ministry of Guidance (shorthand for the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, hereafter MCIG), the organisation has censored the arts since the early 1980s. Moreover, since September Iranian authorities have killed more than 200 people, including 29 children, according to the nonprofit Iran Human Rights.

Still, in response to the current uproar, many Iranians in the country have been using graffiti and installations to express their political views. Most notably, On October 7, an anonymous artist created “Tehran in Blood,” dyeing fountains in important cultural centers red. While in response to an attack on demonstrators at Tehran’s Sharif University, two anonymous women artists animated trees in Daneshjoo (“University Student”) Park by hanging red nooses from branches. Despite the police swiftly removing these installations, pictures of the stunt have gone viral on social media.

Forouzan Safari, a Los Angeles-based animator and illustrator, explained to The New Arab that using art to bring attention to the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom is fundamental as it keeps the conversation going and allows ideas to be exchanged. “This revolution is really powerful. We artists naturally got inspired and keep creating,” the animator said. “We can produce so much more now thanks to the digital age we live in.”

As the country enters the fifth week of protests, many Iranians are calling for the rest of the world to “please be our voice” as the government crack down on the internet intensifies. Be sure to honour the incredible actions of these brave individuals by amplifying their fight for freedom and sharing this viral artworks.