Speechless, Shirin Neshat (1996)

Neshat is an Iranian and has been living in the United States since 1974. “She is a visual artist who has gained recognition for her photography, film, video installations, working through a variety of textural material, to express complex philosophical ideas behind contemporary Islam and her country Iran.”(Neshat and Ebrahimian) During the mid-1990s, Neshat created a series of large photographs called “Women of Allah” that  provide a sustained rumination on the status and psyche of women in traditional Islamic cultures.  Using three primary elements: the black veil, modern weapons, and the written texts,” Neshat was able to portray the hidden violence that plagued the many Islamic women in her country (MacDonald and Neshat).  "Speechless” was one of the pieces in the series.

“Speechless” is an image of a woman’s face with a subtle weapon that also resembles jewelry by her ear.  At a glance, the weapon is almost easily ignored and dismissed, highlighting the hidden violence that the Islamic women suffered from in their country. The half-face image is far more profound than the full-face image because half-face makes the reader more focused on the eye. Her eye is delivering a “speechless” condemnation of violence and a sense of sadness because she is threatened by the gun by her ear.  Under Islamic rules, women have subservient and restrictive roles and perhaps through her eyes, she is communicating what she is traditionally forbidden to say. The veil illustrates that the woman is trapped by the ultra conservative tradition of Islamic women, as it blocks her vision and restrict her from breaking free. The tiny Islamic words printed all over her face demonstrate that she has so much to say but can’t because of a repressive society.  After all, according to Islamic rules, women must only be visible in the household and can be seen in public, but cannot be heard.

This photograph delivers a powerful message of the silent violence because while the woman’s face—her complexion, her hair, and her features—seem alright because she’s not physically hurt, her eye delivers another message.  It shows her vulnerability, fear and sadness at being suppressed by her Islamic religion, tradition, and society.