Iowa State students craft quilt to memorialize those killed in protests in Iran
04/24/23
AMES, Iowa — Hanging in the main corridor of the King Pavilion, in the Iowa State University College of Design, is a quietly powerful reminder of events taking place on the other side of the globe.
The 110″ x 45″ quilt is printed with black-and-white photos of protestors killed during demonstrations following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in Tehran last September. Amini was arrested and beaten for wearing an “improper” hijab and later died from her injuries, sparking months of civil unrest throughout the country.
An Iowa State architecture graduate student from Iran organized the creation of the quilt, on which the words “Zan Zendegi Azadi” in Persian and “Woman Life Freedom” in English — the protestors’ rallying cry — are stitched in small squares of red-and-white patterned fabric.
The student, who will be referred to as “N” out of respect for their safety, worked with Doug Spencer, the Pickard Chilton Professor and director of graduate education in the Department of Architecture, and more than 30 other students from across the university on the project, which took 75 days to complete.
“It was essential for us as students to show our support for our country and its people,” N said, “and feel like we were part of something bigger than ourselves.”
Quilting as communication
Quilting as a way to communicate tough messages has a long history, said Spencer, who has completed many quilting projects of his own and says the craft is an opportunity to bring people together. He encouraged N to seek out the expressive artform to invite conversations about the events in Iran.
“There are traditions in the U.S., and in many parts of the world, of sewing as a collective activity, and one in which there is an opportunity for the participants to share their stories with each other,” Spencer said.
“We can quilt as a means of communicating social issues and representing unheard voices, such as the quilts produced by the gay community during the AIDS crisis.”
Sadaf Mehrabi, a postdoctoral research associate in civil, construction and environmental engineering who contributed to the quilt project, said the phrase “Woman, life, freedom” symbolizes liberation for marginalized groups in Iran as well as calls to democratize their government.
Mehrabi, from Tehran, believes many people think conflict is normal in her home country, but that shouldn’t be the case, she said. “What I really want people to realize is, no matter where, all over the world people are really just seeking for a normal life, for freedom, for human dignity.”
For N, whose siblings have participated in protests and whose sister was arrested by authorities, this project is very personal. “I’m here in the United States, far from my family and friends,” they said. “I care about them. I can be their voice.”
Even in the U.S., both Mehrabi and N fear for their safety. Tensions overseas have prevented them from maintaining frequent contact with their families, but they say getting the word out about what’s going on back home is crucial.
“We want to show the world what is happening in Iran,” N said. “We are risking our life but not to the extent that people in Iran do.”
The quilt will remain on display in the Pickard Chilton Gallery, in the first-floor hallway of the King Pavilion, through the summer.
Contacts
Sadaf Mehrabi, Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering Postdoc, smehrabi@iastate.edu
Doug Spencer, Pickard Chilton Professor in Architecture, dcs1@iastate.edu
Lauren Johnson, Communications Specialist, laujohn2@iastate.edu
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April 24, 2023 10:27 am
