Woman, Life, Freedom 2022

Woman, Life, Freedom is a narrative work, documenting the ongoing revolution in Iran. It aims to raise awareness about the revolution currently taking place in Iran. I wanted to express my admiration and support for the brave Iranian women who have been protesting in the streets. I think it's important for people in the West to understand that fighting for basic rights in Iran can cost you your life. It's not an easy fight, but these women are determined to see it through.

The inspiration for this project came from footage on news and social media sources. Following the protests for me and many other expatriates is a mix of strong emotions: exhaustion from the daily news of atrocities, guilt for being safe and not being able to help, hope that it will not all have been for nothing, and sadness at not being able to travel and see family. Every time I see videos coming out of Iran, my heart skips a beat. The people in those crowds are risking everything for the sake of a better future. And it's not just a better future for themselves, but for their sisters and children.

I did not want to focus this work on the brutality of the regime, but instead put the spotlight on the bravery of the people; the oppressive nature of the government shines through in their actions, slogans and stories. The Mullahs are depicted as bat-like ambassadors of the Iranian regime, hovering just above the ground and shrouded in darkness. This imagery serves as a reminder that the streets below belong to the people, and they are entitled to peacefully call for their rights.

I hope that this project will inspire viewers to engage with the important issues facing our country and to support the ongoing struggle of its citizens for freedom and justice.

There are some notable features:

Interactivity: Many parts of the outputs are clickable; viewers will be able to learn about the story and inspiration behind each character, and the translation, meaning and context of the slogans. I encourage collectors to explore pieces across the collection to fully understand the events that have unfolded so far.

Non-Deterministic Elements: Like other generative art projects, the outputs are largely deterministic. The skyline and environment are fixed during mint, and each piece has a certain set of characters that can appear. However, the animation sequence that plays is designed to be infinite, with characters entering and existing the stage spontaneously; it should not feel pre-determined. To this end, the specific sequence of events is unique to each viewing.