Turning Artists into Heroes?

Iranian artist Shirin Neshat discusses the political nature of her work and her decision to live in exile: "I believe it is worth considering that by supporting and rallying around artists who put themselves at risk and are courageous in the face of tyranny, the Western public risks constructing cultures that are limited and based less on artistic merits than on creating heroes ... Is an artist’s act of moving away from political subjects, even if born into a politically volatile environment, in order to explore more existential issues, a form of self-censorship? An escape?"