IRAN dialogue thru a lens
Disclaimer: No Iranians shown in this body of work knew what the final product of this project would represent. Any interpretations or opinions by the viewer do not necessarily reflect the views of the Iranians photographed.
It was October 2007 and the war drums were as loud as ever. The US was at war in Iraq and Afghanistan and there was much noise about Iran. Yet, here I was in Iran with other US “citizen ambassadors” as part of Global Exchange’s tour.
There are several important points to make:
- American’s have to attain a ‘tourist’ visa, and stay in ‘tourist’ hotels, and stay with your tour group and tour leader.
- Culturally photographing women is frowned upon, unless they give you their approval. I leaned to the most conservative side and was cautious to not take random photos of women.
- Police, soldiers, government and military buildings are strictly prohibited from photographing or videoing.
- As a 'tourist' we were never to be left alone… I broke this rule.
This first body of work to be released from this trip, is a social commentary, which addresses a variety of issues Iranians living in Iran face. Through the combination of ‘slices’ of photos I took during the ‘tour’, into single pieces are where the statements come together as a whole. Horizontal slices reflect the way we are fed news and messages. The series printed on metallic paper mounted on plexi, giving it a glimmering depth; almost beautiful… this intentional use of the material is in direct conflict with the message of the images. At times the combination becomes ‘schizophrenic’… pushed and pulled by the messages I witnessed in Iran and the 24/7 media in the ‘free world.
The use of locks, key holes and doors without locks, old and young faces, religious leaders, and the wide range of women’s mandatory coverings… in addition to images of ancient Persepolis and urban street art… all come together; ultimately, representing the ‘power struggle’ which lies beneath the surface of the regimes rule. A woman pushing the bounds of what is legal to wear as coverings, or how much hair is allowable to show, in conjunction with conflicting images of women in full covering. Locks and key holes, yet no obvious keys represented… the youth are symbols of the keys to unlocking and resolving social issues. The urban art peace sign, with Pishro (an Iranian Rap/Hip Hop singer) underneath and urban decay represent the change taking place and loss of power of the regime. The social movement which is starting to create friction in Iran and the reality that just as ancient Persia fell, no government or social order has lasted the test of time. Our time is no different… for everything changes.
daniel-kayne
|
