Shirin Neshat (b. 1957 in Qazvin, Iran) arrived in the US in 1975. Her personal experience as a Muslim woman in exile have informed her practice, in which she employs photography, video installation, cinema, and performance to explore political structures that have shaped the history of Iran and other Middle Eastern nations. In her practice, she employs poetic imagery to engage with themes of gender and society, the individual and the collective, and the dialectical relationship between past and present through the lens of her experiences of belonging and exile.

Established in 2006 by a generous gift from Bill and Stephanie Sick, this distinguished visiting professorship enables internationally renowned artists and designers to visit and teach at SAIC.