The Iran International TV report on the performance and panel talks that launched “Woman, Life, Freedom, Voices and Art from the Women’s Protests in Iran”.
This not-for-profit book covers a selection of the art of the women’s revolution in and coming out of Iran. At the end is a clip from the performance. This thoughtfully-edited anthology catalogues creative ways of engaging with activism over the past year from posters, canvas works and online memes, to longer text passages of anonymous and personal accounts. Edited by Malu Halasa, published by Saqi Books, several contributers to the anthology spoke and performed at the launch night. In the interview I say that my sound piece features the anonymous voices sent to me from Iran and the diaspora, for radio broadcast specifically in the UK, what did they want people to hear? Link to the full podcast of those voices is below. Catch us this Saturday May 1st in the University of Essex, Colchester for the Woman, Life, Freedom performance and panel.
My performance references the painting by George Frederic Watts called “Hope”, currently on show at the Tate Britain, which is pictured in the clip. My passage in the book reflects on how the movement grew when we gathered at Trafalgar Square and started to become active politically together. The movement/ painting piece is by artist Tasalla Tabassom, whose work is also in the book. As I accompany here, the voice in the piece says: “Iranian women do not need you to save them, just stop supporting their murderers.”
Also in this clip are illustrator Roshi Rouzbehani and another artist whose name escapes me right now… We have to promote the book because Iranian citizens can’t come and perform or speak about activism, and the book is a vehicle for further reach of the message; our audiences have predominantly been hearing about the movement in detail for the first time. The event took place at . The book is endorsed by Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who said of the book:
An emotional read….These women are fearless, brave and utterly powerful.”
These video are highlights that make sense for non-Iranian speakers as there are no English subtitles, but see the full video online at::: https://youtu.be/tXzdwY-z4M4 Book for Essex here.
