Introducing citygisoo

Name and Dedication

In Persian, gisoo means long hair, especially long or braided hair, and it is most commonly used when referring to a woman's hair.

I began developing this project in the aftermath of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in Iran. That movement emerged after the death of Mahsa Jina Amini, who died in the custody of the Islamic Republic's morality police after being arrested for allegedly violating compulsory hijab rules.

Since the Woman, Life, Freedom movement, hijab enforcement in Iran has changed significantly. Although no formal legal reform has been enacted, the rules are no longer enforced in the same way as before.

While working with geospatial data for Montréal, the shape of the island on the map reminded me of a ponytail, like a gisoo. That association inspired the project name. I chose gisoo as a small tribute to the courage of the women in Iran who have fought for freedom and human rights.