Women. Life. Freedom
Artwork by @innerjalz
On 13 September, the Iranian morality police arrested Mahsa (Jina) Amini, a 22-year-old young woman, on the streets of Tehran. The offence: Mahsa Amini had allegedly not complied with Iran’s strict rules on head coverings. Since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, Iran has been an Islamic Republic. The authoritarian regime claims that it rules in the name of God and imposes strict rules on society. The regime is run by men; patriarchal control over the lives of women has been a central feature of it. The morality police, a religious police, patrols the streets, on the lookout for offenders, especially for women who violate the dress code.
Mahsa Amini was beaten by the police. She went into a coma and died three days after her arrest, while still in custody. The police deny any guilt. The brutal, tragic death of Mahsa Amini sparked protests across Iran. For the past three weeks, Iranians of all genders, social classes and ethnic groups have taken to the streets. But the protests are led by women, who are taking off their headscarves and burning them, at the risk of their lives. Even schoolgirls have joined the protests, showing themselves with open hair. Some women have cut their hair on public squares. The average age of the protesters is under 25. The regime has responded with extreme brutality, but the young protesters continue to push back, fighting for freedom and equality and against the rules that have oppressed their lives. There are chants calling for the downfall of the Islamic Republic.
Social media has become a major platform for the protests. Jalz, a 22-year-old artist and graphic designer in Iran, is the same age as Mahsa Amini. He is responding to the protests with powerful works of graphic art which he is posting on Instagram. His work has been picked up by some western news outlets including The Guardian. So far, over 12,000 people have liked one of his images, which shows Henri Matisse’s iconic painting “The Danse” superimposed on a photo of a central landmark in Tehran, Azadi Tower on Azadi Square. Azadi Tower was commissioned by the last Shah of Iran to celebrate the 2,5000th anniversary of the foundation of the Persian Empire. Jalz told TWoA that he chose Matisse’s painting because it “shows the liberation of emotions and the height of hedonism.” It is a symbol of freedom. He used this specific painting “because in Iranian graphic design, a collage of naked images is rarely done. Because of the mandatory hijab, Iranian works are usually done with extreme censorship.” Jalz put the slogan of the protest movement on top of the image: "Women. Life. Freedom."