This essay explores the transformative power of art in resisting hegemonic narratives within Iran, shaped by both state propaganda and foreign media representations. Drawing on McLuhan’s media theory and Hall’s encoding/decoding model, it examines how revived Iranian myths—such as those of Kaveh and Simorgh—serve as symbolic counter-narratives to state portrayals of rebellion as isolated and destined for martyrdom. These myths, reimagined through artistic expression, offer a collective vision of resistance rooted in cultural memory.

Through Hegel’s concept of sublation, the essay highlights how art transcends binary oppositions, integrating fragmented realities into a more unified and dynamic form of resistance. This is vividly illustrated by the radical impact of dance in Iran, which challenges both religious and political taboos while reclaiming bodily autonomy.

Yet, the essay also acknowledges art’s paradoxical potential to reinforce systemic oppression, as seen in Shervin Hajipour’s Baraye, where widespread emotional resonance risks being co-opted by the very structures it critiques. Engaging with Žižek’s and Havel’s ideas, the discussion turns to alternative modes of resistance—those that reject participation in imposed systems altogether. This is exemplified in the quiet defiance of the film My Favorite Cake and the subversive joy of the Caravanserai Concert.