Shirin Neshat – Women Without Men

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© Shirin Neshat in collaboration with Shoja Azari. Film still of "Women Without Men" 2009

When I first moved to Montreal, more than 10 years now, one of my first exhibits I remember going to was Shirin Neshat‘s retrospective exhibition at the Contemporary Art Museum in Montreal. It was Wednesday free night at the museum and it was packed but Neshat’s work was just so incredibly striking that sitting on the floor watching Rapture, I was momentarily lost, alone and captivated in her work. That exhibit, the memory of how I felt watching her work has stayed with me all this time and Neshat remains a very favorite artist of mine.

© Shirin Neshat, Rapture, 1999, video still - Barbara Gladstone Gallery

A couple of months ago Neshat’s first feature film Women Without Men, based on Shahrnush Parsipur’s novel, was screened at the Montreal Museum of Fine Art. She was even there for an introduction to her film and a Q&A after the movie. After viewing the film, on my way home, I sat down and wrote some notes about the film and I’m happy I did (because now I can share this little bit with you!). Neshat introduced her film as a magical surreal genre and told the audience (I’m quoting her as close as I remembered that night) “Imagine your grandmother telling you stories, where things don’t make sense but because it’s your grandmother you believe her. Imagine me as your grandmother.”

The film was beautiful. The imagery, the story, the characters, the light, the entirety  of the movie was incredibly compelling and moving. Scenes are still lodged in my head, like Zarin planting paper flowers or Faezeh digging Munis from her grave and unveiling her face and the forest where the women find refuge. How I had felt some 10 years ago at my first introduction to Neshat’s work, in awe and visually enlightened, happened again while sitting in a small theatre.

Here is the official trailer of the movie. If this plays near you don’t pass up the opportunity to see it.

— by Aislinn Leggett on August 26, 2010. Filed under Art, Film

About Aislinn

Aislinn Leggett is a Montreal-based visual artist. You can learn more about her work on her website and on her personal blog. You can also follow her Twitter @aislinnleggett and on Facebook.