“Words of Silence” was a collaborative performance with Florencia Montefalcone, presented during the closing reception of Taravat Talepasand’s exhibition at YBCA in San Francisco, July 2023.

The piece incorporated live handwriting as an act of healing for women who have endured trauma and oppression, intertwining empowering words and poems from the renowned Iranian poet Forough Farokhzad to showcase the resilience of women defying societal norms.

By inscribing the names of women and girls killed during the Iranian protests, the performance memorialized their bravery while evoking hope, unity, and action. The stones used in the piece symbolized the burdens imposed by misogynistic religious laws, while the crocheted elements—a traditionally feminine craft—served to challenge and soften these constraints. The red yarn signified the lasting impact of violence on women’s bodies, offering a poignant reminder of the struggle for equality and standing as a powerful gesture of solidarity with the Woman, Life, Freedom movement.

Photo Credit: Jimmie Flora Gabiola