Amir Normandi - Photographer

There is no justification for the oppression of human beings by other human beings, let alone under the name of God.

Human wisdom and passion have excelled to such a level that laws which protect our environment and its inhabitants have shape the core of our humanity. Yet, in many areas of the world, gender inequality is reaching the extent of gender apartheid. It is unconscionable to still tolerate in our time, oppressive inequalities between men and women as traditional norms of life.

As my sisters and their daughters demonstrated courageously outside the Tehran University’s main gate on March 08, 2005: Women’s Rights ARE Human Rights, Women's Freedom is Equality for Everyone.

This multi media presentation is dedicated to the women of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Jordan, Egypt, and is a tribute to the Iranian/Canadian photographer Zahra ZIBA Kazemi and the Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh both of whom lost their lives in defense of human rights.

Amir Normandi,

Curator

InContention, Amir Normandi

Please See the entire collection through all links provided.

Iranian.com : Amir Normandi












Women’s Rights ARE Human Rights, Women's Freedom is Equality for Everyone.

A powerful art display that was to highlight human rights abuse, turned into a freedom of speech issue and went around the world. This is a success in my view.

Just hours after the opening, in Palantine Chicago, Harper College officials took down an photograph exhibit.

Amir Normand's beautiful work is aimed at denouncing the oppression, Muslim women suffer in Islam. However some Muslim students protested about the pieces on display which included nudity. A nombre of students were apparently offended by the content of the photopgraphs in which Muslim women appreared free and assertive. One of the pieces showed a young Muslim man holding a machine gun, an image we are all too familar with.

Hussein Ali, a 23 year old student , said Muslim students at Harper were thinking about leaving or boycotting the institution. Ahmad Basalat, 21, said the exhibit expressed hatred toward Muslims... Salma Habed, 20, said some of the pieces continued with the stereotype that Muslim women are oppressed. “We go to school. We have careers. It’s not like we’re oppressed like some people feel for some reason.”

Harper College had invited Chicago photographer Amir Normandi to exhibit his works depicting Muslim women in Iran defying the wearing of the jilbab. Johnson said he thought the exhibit would be an interesting topic because it deals with human rights.

Obviously, these students did not understand the statement in Normandi's art works, or they just chose to ignore it. They need to think more profoundly about Islam and oppression in general. There seem to be confusion in their mind, they perhaps don't realize the diffrences between democratic and theocratic regimes lead by Islam.
These men will be confronted by reality if they date woman who are not interested in becoming their possession. As for the Muslim women who complained about the art works, they are not fully aware of the faith of their Sisters in Islamic nations or they don't really care.


Dhimmi Watch : Jihad Watch: Normandi, who is of Iranian descent, told a group of about 100 attendees — many Muslim Harper students — that he did not intend to offend anyone in his exhibit titled “No Veil Is Required.”Normandi said his aim was to draw attention to the plight some Muslim women face in countries where they are required to wear a hijab. “If it is chosen by a person, that is democracy. If it is forced on somebody, it is oppression,” said Normandi, who runs d’Last Studio in Chicago...



Among the numerous reactions from the blogsphere:

Miss Mabrouk of Egypt: There is no justification for this

Exikt Zero, Salon de Refuse

Tongue Tied, Artistic License

Sondra K

Jack and Hill

Right Nation US

In ABC Chicago.com: Photo exhibit of Muslim women causes stir, Some students offended by artist's work by Ben Bradley

Expected reactions from Islam Online



It takes courage and vision to denounce injustices and abuses when it goes against the current of one's own roots. An admirable disposition we wish more of us would display. Amir Normandi is amoung those important creators and thinkers of our time.