“Woman, life, freedom!” cheered the inmates of Evin prison in Tehran, when it was announced that their fellow prisoner Narges Mohammadi had been awarded the peace prize for his tireless work for women’s rights in Iran. And it is this strong slogan that the Nobel Peace Center has chosen as the title for this year’s peace prize exhibition. Over the years, the Peace Center has struggled to find a form for the exhibition. It has often been a strange mixture between a spatial photojournalistic essay and an art exhibition. ATTENTION: With large letters on the window, you want to catch the attention of passers-by. In red, blue and yellow letters it says: Woman, life, freedom in Farsi. In terms of communication, it is probably a bit counterproductive that very few of us can understand the meaning of the letters. Aesthetically, you should probably match the different colors a bit against each other. Here the blue word becomes much clearer than the red, and especially the yellow. Photo: Johannes Granseth/Nobels Fredssenter To avoid this hybrid aspect this year, they have made a wise move: They have simply divided the exhibition into two separate sections. The first is a documentary presentation of the peace prize winner and her activism, while the second is a small photo art exhibition, where six anonymous, Iranian female photographers explore questions related to the life-threatening struggle for freedom. Facts about Narges Mohammadi Photo: Reihane Taravati Iranian journalist and human rights activist. Currently in prison. Born in Zanjian, Iran on 21 April 1972. Vice President of Defenders of Human Rights (DHRC), which is chaired by Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi. Has been imprisoned several times. Was imprisoned in 2021 when she attended the memorial service for Ebrahim Ketbadar, who was killed during a demonstration. The nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize was then highlighted as hostile activity. Said in 2022 that she had been sentenced to prison for 8 years and 2 months, as well as 74 lashes. The punishment was later extended. Has accused the prison service of sexual and physical abuse against female inmates. Source: NTB Luminous memories A visual element that characterizes the documentary part of the exhibition are ten yellow-orange rectangular light columns. From prison, the peace prize winner himself has written texts that are printed in English, Norwegian and Farsi on strips of paper that form the walls of these lamp posts. Here she writes about events that have been important to her, but also about painful memories, such as when she had to leave her two young children the first time she was arrested. I like how these glowing memories form little pockets of light in the exhibition. But for the audience, these long blocks of text become very monotonous and uninviting. It helps a little with the ease of reading that you are invited to lift the sheet up to eye level and read it like a letter, because the font is also very small. TEXT-heavy: Pillar lamps made of textile-like paper. Here, the text is not at face height, but the idea is that you should lift the sheet up as if it were a letter. Here the text is far too long. The text image appears as endless and monotonous and thus off-putting to the audience. The fact that they did not want to edit down the award winner’s own texts is understandable, but here they should probably have created a small print issue, and then they could have written some selected excerpts on the beautiful commemorative lamps. The text is written in Norwegian, English and Farsi. We see that visually the version in Farsi works far better, as it is broken up into several paragraphs and thus appears less monotonous. Photo: Johannes Granseth/Nobels Peace Center I can well understand that it has been difficult to edit down the peace prize winner’s own texts, but here I think the smartest thing would be to make a printed matter for distribution – and then you could have selected a few short ones on the light pillars text excerpt. It is perhaps good to note once and for all that long reading texts are not particularly suitable as elements in an exhibition. It is nice that the light in the exhibition is dimmed, and that this year the curatorial team has emphasized reducing the amount of information in the exhibition. The fine golden lamps with text memories written by the peace prize winner charge the exhibition with an atmosphere. It is great that they have chosen to vary between black, red and white letters in the text poster. If everything had been white it would have been far too harsh. Photo: Johannes Granseth/Nobels Fredssenter Democratic ideals The exhibition also refers to a continuity in the work for human rights in Iran. Among other things, we are reminded of the jurist Shirin Ebadi, who received the peace prize in 2003, i.e. exactly twenty years before Narges Mohammadi. Among other things, we can read short excerpts from her Nobel lecture. There she emphasizes that Islam can be interpreted in accordance with democratic ideals, but that Muslim leaders abuse religious rhetoric to carry out an oppressive policy. SYMBOLIC: This art project refers to the uprising that followed Masha Jina Amini’s death in autumn 2022. Iranian women living abroad meet and braid each other’s hair, as a symbolic act of rebellion, but also as an expression of grief. Photo: Nobel Peace Center One of the strongest features in the documentary part of the exhibition is a rectangle made with tape that outlines the size of Mohammadi’s tiny prison cell. In this way, we can take in what a claustrophobic life she lives in captivity. But the exhibition as a whole does not focus on cruel punishments, torture or oppression. Inspired by Mohammadi’s own positive attitude to life, the exhibition is about the dreams and visions that lie in the women’s struggle for freedom. In 2006, the photojournalist Yalda Moaiery was allowed to be with the Iranian police who patrolled and checked whether women complied with the rules on modest dress. It describes how women who the police believed did not comply with the rules were arrested. History has had its phases where shawls have absolutely not been used, as in the Shah’s rule, which lasted until the revolution in 1979. Then the monarchy was overthrown in favor of an Islamic theocratic republic. From this point on, female headgear was mandated, and strictly enforced. Photo: Yalda Moaiery Smart thought That the Nobel Peace Center chooses the narrative of hope, I think is wise at a time when we are completely numb with despair over the situation in Gaza. There is a limit to how much suffering we can take in at once. The small art exhibition has been given the title “Through her lens”. The most eye-catching work here is a large color photograph showing a beautiful, black-clad woman with a hijab standing on a beach with life-threatening water. A raging sea seethes around her. SCARF: In several of the projects we see these references to wearing a shawl or exposing the hair. It is important to emphasize that in large parts of the Muslim world the hijab is not regarded as an oppressive garment, on the contrary, for many modern women it is an important identity marker and a positive community symbol. But precisely in an Iranian context, the headscarf is associated with the women’s freedom struggle. Photo: Johannes Granseth/Nobels Fredssenter Perhaps it can be interpreted as an image of the great risk and effort required to stand upright in the resistance struggle. Here it’s about not losing your footing in the fierce surf. The image is created as a fictitious record cover and refers to female artists who are not allowed to perform. In several videos that are also shown in the exhibition, we see the singers singing without sound. A strong symbol that women in Iran are deprived of their vote. More conscious than before This year’s exhibition appears more conscious in its organization of the elements and the use of different aesthetic means than before. In general, I think they have been good at making some clear choices when it comes to what should be in the foreground, and what can form a backdrop. The exhibition has a holistic feel and conveys the message in a clear and poignant way. news reviews Title: “Woman – Life Freedom” Place: Nobel Peace Center, Oslo Time frame: 12 December 2023–24. November 2024 Estimated time: 30–60 minutes
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“Woman, life, freedom” – Nobel Peace Prize Exhibition 2023 – Reviews and recommendations
