I love arts that are grounded in human emotion. I don’t like art that is too futuristic or too abstract. I don’t like creative works that are not inclusive or are too self-centered.
Below is a recent work that moves me, not only because of the work itself but also my state of mind when viewing it.
The Fury by Shirin Neshat [Video installation]
The Fury (2023) is a two-channel video installation created by Iranian artist Shirin Neshat (1957) whose work focuses on Arab women’s liberation.
I came across this piece at Fotografiska in Berlin. It’s located at the end of the exhibition, accompanied by large-scale portraits of women’s nudes. I didn’t plan to stay long, but the film just hooked me and I finished the 16 minutes of it. It starts with an Arab woman slowly walks out from the shadow to a random street in Brooklyn. She puts on a wig and then enters a warehouse full of man in military uniforms. She starts dancing, seductively, but then bruises grow out of her body. She runs to the street again out of fear and enters a state of Euphoria.
Womanhood
I feel moved by it because the fear of being watched is real to every female, regardless of ethnicity or how brutal the gazes are. Usually I feel uncomfortable watching harassment scenes, but I think the nudes placed in the same exhibition room show a strong sense of female agency which leads me to believe that the woman in the film will fight back in her own way. I have made a game concept similar to the structure she employs. Inspired by the Little Red Mansion incident in Shanghai, I designed an escape room game in which the female protagnist eventually walk down the street naked, with her body being free. I think that moment of resonance I felt when seeing the ending really touched me and made me believe in my work a bit more. It’s like a moment of “Shirin Neshat has the same idea as me!!”
Ending was powerful. I’m really scared of becoming the so-called hysterical/crazy/emotional woman and the ending is exactly like that, but in a powerful way. The female character, almost naked, starting smashing car and dancing on the street. Everyone, regardless of race or gender, around her start following her, as if they are all breaking from the restraints in that moment. Patriarchy is not just an issue for the woman or specific ethnicities.
Story
It’s a film without any dialogue or concrete storyline, but Shirin makes the most use out of the simple structure she has. I really like how she was able to do that: keeping the cultural element (she uses Iranian actress) and the experimental, abstract elements (using two screens) while still narrating a story that can connect people universally. Creative works I like are usually something I wish I could make or works that convey my feelings but with perfect execution.
Define “being moved”. Define “moves me.” Define “creative works that move me.” I think it’s hard. Not only because the moment that I felt like I was moved were usually very subjective and depends on the context, but also because we are exposed to so many creative pieces everyday and everything slipps my mind easily.