Support for Iranians

#WomanLifeFreedom #Womanlifefreedom #ZanZendegiAzadi for the past five months these words have been synonymous with struggle and hope for Iranian women and men who are fighting for their freedom and rights, at the cost of their own lives and those of their loved ones.

The death of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman killed by the vice police on 16 September 2022, triggered a protest movement that took over every city in Iran. Many Iranian women took to the streets, supported by men, to shout out their anger at the regime and the law established since the 1979 Islamic revolution. All of them are demanding more freedoms, including an end to the compulsory veiling, and profound changes in the country. The Iranian regime responds with violence, repression, torture and heavy sentences for those arrested, sometimes leading to the death penalty.

Since the beginning of the riots, galleries, art centres, foundations, and theatres have come to a standstill, refusing to normalise the situation. In response, Iranian and international artists, especially graphic designers, are supporting and documenting this revolutionary movement through the creation of images, posters, animated videos and stencils. Drawing on Iranian iconographic culture and international visual language, these artists combine Persian calligraphy, graphic design and contemporary visual codes to convey in images the voices of those who risk their lives on a daily basis in Iran.

From 8 March, on the occasion of International Women's Rights Day, the Beaux-Arts de Paris, the Palais de Tokyo, the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris and the Palais de la Porte Dorée are dressing their facades and interior spaces with posters created by Iranian and international artists and produced in 7,000 copies by the School's screen printing workshop.

By displaying and distributing these posters, the cultural institutions and structures give visibility to the images of this struggle and reaffirm their support for Iranian women and men in the face of repression, as well as their attachment to the values of emancipation and freedom.

A large number of partner institutions throughout France have joined the support movement.

In Paris and Ile de France:

Contemporary Art Network Paris Ile-de-France, (TRAM)
The Pompidou Centre
La Halle Saint-Pierre
The Cité Internationale des Arts
The Institute of Islamic Cultures
The Arab World Institute
Le 104
The Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (CNAM)
Fonds d'art contemporain, Paris Collection
Lafayette Anticipations - Galeries Lafayette Corporate Foundation
Immanence, artist-run centre
La Terrasse art space, Nanterre
Maison d'Art Bernard Anthonioz, Artists' Foundation (MABA)
Municipal School of Fine Arts, Edouard Manet Gallery
House of Latin America
The Camille Lambert School and Art Space
Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine

Across France :

The Museum of Contemporary Art in Lyon (MAC)
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Montpellier (MO. CO.)
Les Abattoirs, Museum of Contemporary Art in Toulouse
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Bordeaux (CAPC)
Lille Métropole Museum of Modern Art, Contemporary Art and Art Brut (LaM)
The Higher School of Arts & Media of Caen/Cherbourg (Édam)
National Association of Art Schools (ANdÉA)
Centre for Contemporary Art, the Delme Synagogue
L'Espace de l'Art Concret, contemporary art centre of Mouans-Sartoux
Le Point du Jour Art Centre/Publisher, Cherbourg
The French Association for the Development of Contemporary Art Centres (DCA)
The Network of Regional Contemporary Art Funds (FRAC)
Cherbourg-en-Cotentin
Le 19 Crac, contemporary art centre of national interest, Montbéliard
Les Bains Douches, Alençon
RN 13BIS, Caen
The FRAC Corsica
Le Confort Moderne, Poitier
Luma Arles, Parc des Ateliers