Shirin Aliabadi

Shirin Aliabadi (10 March 1973 – 1 October 2018; Persian: شیرین علی‌آبادی) was an Iranian contemporary multidisciplinary visual artist. Her artistic oeuvre primarily addressed themes related to women's issues, gender representation, and the beauty industry. Aliabadi's work is widely recognized for its exploration of the complexities surrounding these subjects within Iranian society. Notably, she gained acclaim for her photographic series Girls in Cars and Miss Hybrid, which vividly portray rebellious Iranian women, challenging societal norms and expectations. Her contributions to contemporary art have been significant in highlighting and questioning the cultural constructs of femininity and beauty in Iran.

Biography

Shirin Aliabadi was born on March 10, 1973, in Tehran, Iran, to parents Maymanat and Iraj Aliabadi. Her mother, Maymanat, was an artist and taught at Tehran University, while her father, Iraj, was a poet who also worked for an insurance company. Growing up, Aliabadi was mentored by her older brother, who introduced her to art, music, and pop culture. She was raised in an environment rich with artists and intellectuals, enjoying a high standard of living until the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Following the revolution, her parents lost their jobs but managed to support her education abroad. Aliabadi went on to study art history at the University of Paris, where she earned a master's degree in the subject.

In 1993, Aliabadi married fellow artist Farhad Moshiri. Throughout her career, she commuted between Paris and Tehran, although she was primarily based in Tehran. For over a decade, Aliabadi was represented by The Third Line gallery in Dubai.

Aliabadi's work has been featured in solo exhibitions across various locations, including Dubai, Tehran, London, Switzerland, and Denmark. Additionally, her art has been showcased in group exhibitions at venues such as the Institut des cultures d'Islam in Paris, the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow, Frieze New York, and the Chelsea Art Museum. Her work has also been exhibited in Monaco, Rio de Janeiro, Copenhagen, Italy, Norway, Estonia, Germany, Switzerland, and Spain.

Aliabadi's pieces are part of several collections, including those of Deutsche Bank AG in Germany, the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery, and the Farjam Collection in Dubai.

Aliabadi died on October 1, 2018, in Tehran, Iran, after battling cancer.

Artwork

Banal as the symbols of consumer society may seem: Starbucks, bags by Goyard or iPods. In Iran they become a subliminal instrument of the so-called cultural invasion from the West, which the Iranian authorities equate with the 'great Satan'. For the young generation, in particular for the women, such fashion accessories become – in a beguiling manner – a kind of passive rebellion. This is the moment when fashion is not only fashion – in this context the message is not superficial. — Shirin Aliabadi, 2011 — For instance, one image featured a chocolate bar labeled "intolerance," while a dishwasher soap label read "Shoot First."

Aliabadi's Miss Hybrid (2008) series presents young Iranian women in unconventional and striking ways. The photographs feature women with bleached blonde hair, blue contact lenses, flawless makeup, and brightly colored headscarves, contrasting sharply with the more traditional images of Muslim women in dull-colored chadors with no makeup and fully covered hair. A notable detail in many of these portraits is the presence of band-aids across the women's noses, referencing a fashion trend among Iranian youth that highlights the increasing prevalence of plastic surgery.

The portraits, reminiscent of studio photography, depict the women from the mid-torso against dark backgrounds, creating a stark visual impact. These images blend traditional attire with contemporary fashion trends, offering a commentary on artificial beauty and the sartorial limitations faced by some Muslim women. The Miss Hybrid series exemplifies Aliabadi's ability to merge playful and serious elements, addressing issues of gender, beauty, and cultural identity within the context of modern Iranian society.