Iowa State University
Puppet and Parvaneh: Exploring gender bias and artistic anonymity in Iran
Abstract
dc:description.abstractThis thesis is the written component to the art exhibit, Puppet & Parvaneh, Exploring gender bias and artistic anonymity in Iran, held in March 2025 at Gallery 181, College of Design, Iowa State University. The title incorporates the word Parvaneh, which means butterfly in Farsi and symbolizes hope in my work. It examines the impact of gender bias on Iranian women artists, who often face societal, legal, and cultural constraints that force them into anonymity to protect their safety and freedom. The study looks at issues like gender equality, individual freedom, and the power of art to overthrow oppressive structures. To create a narrative that invites open interpretation, the accompanying artwork uses a variety of media, including cardboard puppets, clay sculptures, digital illustrations, and acrylic on canvas. Central to the exhibit is the exploration of anonymity as both a constraint and a form of resistance. For Iranian women, anonymity often serves as a shield against punitive repercussions, yet it also functions as a silent act of defiance, enabling creative expression in hostile environments. This duality underscores the complexity of their lived experiences and the courage inherent in their artistic practices. Through a combination of narrative styles, the exhibit bridges the personal and the political, offering a platform for silenced voices while challenging viewers to confront the realities of systemic oppression.
Degree
thesis:*- Name thesis:degree_name
- Master of Fine Arts
- Level thesis:degree_level
- thesis
- Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
- Art education
- Department dc:contributor.department
- Department of Art and Visual Culture
- Grantor
- Iowa State University
- Year dc:date.issued
- 2025
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Masrour, Elnaz
- Advisors dc:contributor.advisor
-
- Walton, Barbara
- Lilligren, Ingrid
- Gebhart, Nancy
- Stoehr, Alissa
Rights
- Language dc:language.iso
- en
Identifiers
dc:identifier.*- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:dr.lib.iastate.edu:20.500.12876/YvkA6pez