The work of Shirin Neshat focuses on the Iranian woman. Neshat investigates man-woman differences in the Iranian society she too grew up in. This society is largely shaped by the Islamic faith and by traditions in which women wear veils and are excluded from many social activities. But the modern era inevitably dawns and more and more women are aware of their possibilities and universal rights. This clash between the sexes, between traditions and the present day, is reflected by Neshat impressively in her video installation Turbulent. She filmed two singers, a man and a woman who both share a passion for music but are worlds apart. This is made clear by the arrangement of the installation: the man and the woman can be seen on two separate monitors that stand facing each other. The man sings a traditional Persian song without any reserve before a large audience of men. The veiled woman has no audience and is standing for a long time with her back to the camera before she starts singing. In this way Neshat refers to the Islamic laws that forbit women to perform in public spaces.
