Seminar: Monument Zero – The Conflicted Intersections of Marxism, Anti-Imperialism, Feminism, and the Collective Art of Preservation in Iran

This seminar emerges from the publication Monument Zero, initiated by visual artist Katayoon Barzegar and writer/curator Niloufar Nematollahi. It revives the disfigured history of International Women’s Day 1979 in Iran, during which the first protests erupted not only against the mandatory hijab but also against the newly established state. These 6-day protests, sit-ins, occupations, and conferences took place in the capital, Tehran and other cities, including Abadan, Tabriz, Sanandaj, and Esfahan.

Monument Zero arises from a twofold aim: first, to shed light on the 8 March 1979 protests, and second, to reflect on the complex mechanisms that have contributed to their historical erasure. This dual focus is reflected in the structure of the publication, which is organized in two parts. The first offers primary sources from the 1979 demonstrations, translated into English for the first time. The second includes artistic and essayistic reflections on both the protests themselves and their subsequent historical disfiguration.

In the seminar designed for NICA, Barzegar and Nematollahi expand upon their recent publication to further explore the history of the women’s movement in Iran. Drawing on materials from the book as well as unpublished archival and artistic content, they will initiate a discussion on the Marxist origins of the 1979 International Women’s Day demonstrations, their political aftermath, the international resonance of these protests, and the broader politics of revolutionary preservation and solidarity.

The seminar is organised together with NICA and will be led by Niloufar Nematollahi and Katayoon Barzegar. To sign up and receive the reading list please email niloufar.nematollahi[at]yahoo[dot]com