26 Photographers: Iranian Women Photographers

26 November 2016 – 26 February 2017

CerModern, who has hosted the pioneers of contemporary Iranian photographic art such as Abbas Kiarostami and Romin Mohtasham in the past, brings together the works of Iranian woman photographers with art lovers in Ankara.

 

The selection of 159 photographs compiled by the photographer Amir Hossain Heshmati brings together different expressions of 26 women artists from different generations and social groups with an original curatorial expression at the same time.

 

"Ultimately, it is unfair to look at the concept of photography (pure photography) in one dimension. Perhaps we need to see and hear the opinions of others to bring together a multi-part puzzle and expand our world. What you hold in your hand is one of the small pieces of the puzzle."

 

Collaborated with Tehran Shirin Gallery, the exhibition can be seen until February 26th.

 

Preface

 

When I decided to gather a collection of photos for an exhibition, I truly was confronted with the real meaning of the magnitude of the art of photography. After studying the matter and consulting and discussing with masters, it seemed unfair to me to limit myself to a certain branch of photography. I also wished to show the different angles of photography as much as possible and on the other hand I very well knew that gathering a collection with one definite theme could limit the artist and make it like homework. Therefore in view of the circumstances and facilities available, I decided to narrow down the active society of Iranian photographers in order to more carefully advance with enthusiasm the challenging act I was confronting. Accordingly I invited women photographers to collectively gather the collection. This was a comment to end the controversy over gender segregation, because art is basically not gendered and our goal did not and does not rely on that. However this was an excuse for some of the artists for not participating in the project.

 

This collection is directed to gather the works of different generations of women photographers of Iran in various subjects. As I based the presence of the photographers in different areas of photography, I didn’t restrict them only to one work, and after studying diverse stages in each artist’s work and several meetings with every one of them, we tried to reach common choices. Hence each artist, expressing their individual viewpoint, makes a small exhibition within a greater exhibition their own. In order to complete the presentation, I asked the artists to explain their reason to be here and to continue their path; therefore they were all asked these three questions:

1- When did you start photography?

2- Why did you choose photography?

3- What is the characteristic of a lasting photo?

 

They may seem like common cliché questions, but if you contemplate them, you will find out that these simple matters are the main reason for keeping them on their professional road. We sometimes forget the most obvious reasons and by reviewing and propounding them again, a new horizon will appear in front of us. And finally, I believe that a one-dimensional look at the concept of photo (pure photo) cannot do justice to explain the matter. Perhaps to put together this huge multifaceted puzzle we need to see and hear the opinion of others in order to expand our world.

What you are holding in your hands is the endeavor to show a small piece of this puzzle.

 

Amir Hossain Heshmati

Curator

 

Artists: Mehrva Arvin, Abnous Alborzi, Ghogha Bayat, Maryam Takhtkeshian, Baran Jafari, Somayeh Jafari, Rana Javadi, Zahra Khorami, Gohar Dashti, Maryam Rahmanian, Helia Rezaee, Kamand Razavi, Kimia Rahgozar, Azita Semnak, Maryam Saeedpour, Nazli Abbaspour, Naghmeh Ghassemlou, Shadi Ghadirian, Katayoun Karami, Hengameh Golestan, Nasim Goli, Yalda Moayeri, Tahmineh Monzavi, Hana Mirjanian, Mahshid Noushirvani, Hamila Vakili

 

 

 

 

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