We, artists and members of the ĀNN association, are proud to be a part of the artistic community in Vienna, Austria. For the past few months, we have been watching from far the ongoing brutal killings and arrests in Iran. We cannot remain silent. The Iranian fight for freedom is a fight for us all. WOMAN, LIFE, FREEDOM.

Over 100 days have passed since the tragic death of Jina Mahsa Amini, a 22 years old Kurdish woman who was violently and unjustly arrested and killed by Iran’s “morality police”. Since then, more than 3000 protests and demonstrations have happened around the world in support of this revolution, and we have witnessed an unprecedented record in grassroots movements.

The non-democratic government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has faced continuous protests for the past 4 decades. However, this new wave of protests is led by fierce Iranian women raising their voices and putting their lives at risk to attain basic women and human rights.

In an attempt to silence this feminist movement, the government has used raw violence, killing over 600 people including 70 children. Thousands of protesters, journalists, human rights activists and artists have been illegally arrested and imprisoned over the past few weeks. Along with this horrific reality, we hear about death sentences and biased trials and the shutdown of the internet, further isolating the Iranian people and violently suppressing their cry for freedom.

All over the world, artists are concerned with the issues of freedom, women’s rights and equality. Art can reach a wide audience in an emotional way and inspire people with its subjects. Visual artists and performers have been one of the leading actors of this revolution from the very beginning. They have created many works within a few weeks that have reached people worldwide.

ĀNN association in cooperation with the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, fully supports this female-led revolution in Iran. We come together to provide a platform on the international artistic landscape and we contact you today to invite you to participate in a non-for-profit exhibition that will support and echo the voices of the Iranian people.

This exhibition is centered around the theme FREEDOM, within the context of the current revolution in Iran. WOMAN, LIFE, FREEDOM also refers to the oppression of Ethnic minorities, LGBTQIA+ community, FLINTA* persons and Religious minorities. It is an attempt to unite all the people in their fight for equality and freedom in Iran and all over the world.
All profits from this exhibition will be gathered by the ĀNN association and will be sent in full to Iran, a trusted local association caring for injured protesters and families of imprisoned protesters mainly in the provinces of Kurdistan and Baluchestan.