ARTIST STATEMENT
I want to create protest art to get the message across that human lives and rights are vastly more important that religion. Ironically, I had painted this during the initial Roe vs. Wade overturn and then the Iran protests began… but the message is the same.
I wanted to help those who don’t come from an Islamic background or culture and may be confused as to why Iranian women are protesting using their hair, why this has become such a symbol for women’s rights…and why they are being killed for it.
Growing up with Islamic culture, in more conservative homes of family, I often heard the saying from men and women that “women who show anything above their ankles are considered nude” or more commonly “showing your hair is essentially showing your entire body to the world. I wanted to shed light on these ideologies to help people better contextualize the protests and their magnitude for Iranian society.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Nooreen Baig is a multimedia artist who is currently Chicago based. Nooreen draws inspiration from natural elements and personal narratives (sometimes her own) which she turns into her art, most of the time into watercolor paintings. She graduated with her Bachelor’s in Literature in 2018. Her education in literature helps her art practice, especially when trying to get her ideas on paper and researching different art forms/art history. She has shown her art at Bridgeport Art Center, Stola Gallery, Oak Park Art League, and has upcoming work at the APIDA arts festival in May. She graduated with her Bachelor’s in Literature in 2018. Her education in literature helps her art practice, especially when translating her inspirations into something tangible.
© Nooreen Baig