What this work is
A photography series connecting protests after the overturning of Roe v. Wade with demonstrations after the death of Mahsa Amini, treating them as related scenes in a wider struggle over bodily autonomy.
Artist Statement
In 2022, two pivotal moments became global symbols of the struggle for women’s rights: the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the United States and the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran. Despite their geographic and cultural differences, these events are bound by a shared thread: the enduring fight against patriarchal systems that seek to control women’s bodies and autonomy.
Echoes of Defiance is a photographic series that captures the collective uprising in response to these injustices, where women’s voices rose in unison across the globe. The images in this series document the raw emotions of grief, anger, and defiance, but also the unshakable hope and resilience of those demanding change. From Texas to Toronto, these cities became powerful sites of resistance, where people gathered not just to protest individual events, but to challenge centuries of systemic oppression.
Media
International Photography Awards, 2nd Place; Muse Photography Awards, Platinum and Gold.
Overview
What it examines
The project studies how grief becomes public refusal and how protest produces both evidence and atmosphere. It links women's rights, transnational solidarity, and the visual language of collective resistance.
Medium and production
Street and protest photography made in live demonstrations. The work depends on witnessing, bodily presence, and public encounter rather than AI generation.
Reference
Year
2022
Medium
Photography series
Focus
Public protest, women's rights, transnational solidarity
Recognition
International Photography Awards, 2nd Place; Muse Photography Awards, Platinum and Gold.
Evidence and context
- Award page documenting external recognition for this project.
Questions readers ask
What kind of work is this?
Echoes of Defiance is a photography series by Mingde “MT” Zeng linking protests in the United States and Iran through a shared struggle over bodily autonomy and public resistance.
What does it examine?
It examines how grief, anger, and solidarity become visible in public space, and how photography can record both factual events and the collective emotional atmosphere around them.
How is AI involved, if at all?
AI is not used to generate these images. The series is grounded in direct witnessing at public demonstrations and becomes important later as part of MT's broader thinking about visibility, indexing, and control.
Has it been recognized?
The project received recognition from the International Photography Awards and Muse Photography Awards.
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