Recipient of the Kayell Digital Print Award.
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HOLY MARYA (MARY)
I was born in Iran, where, for the past four decades, a compulsory hijab has been a means used by religious authorities to suppress women. Since arriving in Australia in 2018 to commence my art studies, I have begun to reflect more deeply on my personal life experiences in my home country.
My installations are a tribute to Iranian women who have been fighting for their basic rights since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. I use invisible ink that requires a UV torch to reveal the images. This is a deliberate strategy for encouraging audience participation, as well as a symbolic representation of Iranian women’s challenges in the face of mandatory restrictions that reduce their visibility in contemporary Iranian society.
![](https://sites.rmit.edu.au/artschoolgradshow2022/files/2022/09/20220927_124620.jpg)
Lala Zarei, Holy Maryam (Mary), 2022, screen print on canvas, 180cm x 60cm.
![](https://sites.rmit.edu.au/artschoolgradshow2022/files/2022/09/IMG_8047-1-338x450.jpg)
![](https://sites.rmit.edu.au/artschoolgradshow2022/files/2022/09/IMG_6527.jpg)
![](https://sites.rmit.edu.au/artschoolgradshow2022/files/2022/09/IMG_7754-1.jpg)
![](https://sites.rmit.edu.au/artschoolgradshow2022/files/2022/09/IMG_8047-1-338x450.jpg)