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In this compelling episode of The MO Podcast, we sit down with the legendary Shirin Neshat, an Iranian-born artist and filmmaker whose work has captivated audiences around the world. Known for her haunting black-and-white photography, deeply political video installations, and critically acclaimed films, Neshat has spent decades exploring themes of exile, gender, repression, and resistance.
Our conversation delves into her latest feature film, Land of Dreams, an exploration of American identity, surveillance, and the universality of fear through the lens of an Iranian immigrant. She discusses how dreams—both literal and metaphorical—serve as a space where political anxieties, displacement, and subconscious truths emerge. We also examine the recurring imagery in her work, from desolate landscapes to the circle as a motif, and how these visual elements carry deeper cultural and emotional significance.
Neshat reflects on her evolving relationship with the United States, revealing how working on Land of Dreams changed her perspective on belonging, leading her to feel more affinity with marginalized American communities than with the Iranian diaspora. She draws striking parallels between growing authoritarian tendencies in the U.S. and the oppressive surveillance structures of Iran, highlighting how immigrants and minorities live in a constant state of fear—something she has long examined in her art.
We also discuss the power of the image in a world oversaturated with visual media. Neshat offers insights into why certain images have the ability to haunt us, how she crafts her striking visual language, and the balance between the political and the poetic in her work. She speaks candidly about the emotional weight of creating art, the struggle of self-doubt, and the painstaking process of refining a piece until it achieves maximum impact.
Other key topics include:
The role of women in her work, and how American feminism compares to the struggles of Iranian women
Her connection to Frida Kahlo, and why she would steal one of her paintings if she could
The importance of satire in dark times, and her obsession with Saturday Night Live
Why she believes America is shifting toward a corporate-driven surveillance state, as foreshadowed in Land of Dreams
The filmmaking industry’s systemic bias against political films, and why groundbreaking documentaries struggle for visibility
Through it all, Neshat reveals a deeply personal side—her anxieties, fears, and artistic obsessions—while offering sharp political and cultural critique. Whether you’re an artist, a cinephile, or someone trying to make sense of an increasingly chaotic world, this episode is not to be missed.
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