Shirin Neshat, a photographer and filmmaker whose works primarily explore the theme of "women," has garnered the highest attendance at art auctions among Iranian artists.
Born in 1957 in Ghazvin, Neshat left Iran in 1974 to pursue art studies at the University of Berkeley, California. She commenced her career in the 1990s as a filmmaker and photographer in New York City.
Throughout her career, she has earned numerous awards, notably the Silver Lion for Best Director for her film "Women Without Men" at the Venice International Film Festival, and her art has been exhibited in museums worldwide.
Shirin Neshat's works offer a poignant perspective on Iranian life, society, and gender dynamics, with a particular emphasis on women's cultural circumstances. Employing traditional Iranian motifs and Persian poetry, alongside techniques such as monochromatic imagery and juxtaposition of male and female subjects within frames, are hallmark features of her art.
"In my view as an artist, the essence of your work surpasses its form," remarked Neshat in an interview regarding the significance of conceptualization in photography. "Ideas serve as guiding principles for selecting the tools and narratives through which you express your thoughts. While some ideas find completion in a single image, others necessitate a narrative approach."