ART CITIES: Johannesburg-Shirin Neshat

Mythology, history, social events and the political situation in her country (Iran) is the source of inspiration for the work of Shirin Neshat, the emotions and personal life experiences and also the emphasizing of the important role played by women in the Iranian revolution, have also played an essential role in her artistic practice.

By Efi Michalarou
Photo: Goodman Gallery Archive

For her first exhibition in Africa, Shirin Neshat presents at Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg her trilogy of video installations entitled “Dreamer” which explores the world of women’s dreams and new photographs. “Dreamer” consists from “Illusions & Mirrors” (2013), which premiered at the Montreal Museum of Fine Art as part of the first Biennale de Montréal in 2014, the other two videos “Roja” (2016) and “Sarah” (2016) make their debut in this exhibition. Conceptually each of the three video installations revolves around a single female protagonist whose emotional and psychological narratives remain on the border of dream and reality as they each face their own distinct inner anxieties. The visual approach to the creation of this trilogy has been consistent, with each video being shot in black and white, and the artist using simple camera devices to produce surrealistic and dreamy visual effects. Her two new videos consider the unearthly or dreamlike residue that subsists in the aftermath of real events. “Illusions & Mirrors”, was influenced by the avant-garde films of Jean Cocteau and Maya Deren. Set on a windswept beach, it depicts Portman unsuccessfully chasing a shadow, representing a woman facing her ego and nightmares. “Roja” centers on the theme of nostalgia, displacement and being torn between Western and Middle Eastern culture, as the artist said. “Sarah” takes place in a forest that’s been ravaged by war. It shows a woman walking amid the destruction, who is unsure if she’s alive herself.

Info: Goodman Gallery, 163 Jan Smuts Avenue, Parkwood, Johannesburg, Duration: 20/8-14/9/16, Days & Hours: Tue-Fri 9:30-17:30 Sat 9:30-16:00, www.goodman-gallery.com