L’arte come forma di resistenza per le iraniane

This essay explores art as a form of resistance for Iranian women, contextualised within religious, historical, and socio-political frameworks. From the patriarchal structures deeply rooted in Zoroastrianism and Islam—reinforced by qawama and discriminatory applications of sharia law—to the contradictions emergent in the 1979 Revolution, Iranian women have continuously negotiated the tension between oppression and agency. Although denied equal rights in matters of inheritance, testimony, and family law, women have nonetheless achieved high levels of literacy and professional participation. Against this backdrop, artistic practices have emerged as powerful tools of dissent: poetry, prose, photography, and film challenge patriarchy, compulsory veiling, and systemic violence. The works of Forugh Farrokhzad and Shirin Neshat exemplify this trajectory, combining literary and visual strategies to affirm female voice, body, and freedom. Their art, deeply rooted in Persian cultural traditions, demonstrates how creativity continues to sustain feminist resistance both within Iran and across its diaspora.