Anonymous Protest Art in Iran's Revolution: Blood, Stencils, and Hanging Mullah Figures

Following the murder of Mahsa (Jina) Amini by Iran's morality police on 16 September 2022, which sparked the Second Iranian Revolution, anonymous protest art has emerged throughout Iran. Artists Shirin S. and Şahane B., who choose to remain unidentified for their safety, have documented these expressions. Notable actions include dyeing fountains red in Tehran, Mashhad, and Isfahan to symbolize bloodshed; students marking the University of Tehran with red handprints; and a banner displaying red handprints alongside a map of Iran on a bridge in Isfahan. A sculpture featuring limbs bound to a pole in Tehran's Siyasi Alley alludes to Khodanoor Lajaei, a Baloch man tortured by the regime. Stencils of deceased protesters—Nika Shahkarami, Sarina Esmailzadeh, Hadis Najafi, Ghazaleh Chelavi, Minoo Majidi, Nima Nouri, Mehrshad Shahidi, and others—dot the streets. In reaction to execution sentences, artists have crafted figures of hanging mullahs suspended from trees and bridges. Despite an internet blackout, Gen Z has managed to share live streams and images. This movement aims to overthrow the regime, contrasting with the reform-focused 2009 Green Movement. Rappers Saman Yasin and Toomaj Salehi face death sentences for their participation in protests.