Let Us Believe in the Dawn of Spring / Portraits from Iran presents seven outstanding young photographers from Iran. Their different works from various photographic collections paint a multi-layered panorama of contemporary Iranian society and culture.
Either pastel coloured, black and white, poetic or documentary and direct, these seven diverse artists’ individual perspectives on Iranian society go beyond stereotypes. Their powerful works range from examining personal relationships to exploring multi-layered social and cultural changes and political legacies in the multiethnic state of Iran. They are a special portrayal of the pain and pleasure, longings and aspirations of different generations in Iran undergoing radical change.
The title of the exhibition is inspired by the poetry collection Let Us Believe in the Beginning of the Cold Season by the Iranian poet and filmmaker Forough Farrokhzad. The poetry of this iconic artist was the poetry of protest – protest through revealing the innermost world of women. Poetry and Art in Iran are not just documentation of history but an influential component of Iranian culture.
Curator Anahita Sadighi is a Berlin-based gallerist and cultural creator. Anahita Contemporary focuses on intercultural and interdisciplinary dialogue and is dedicated to underrepresented themes within art and cultural history, aiming to make them more visible.
This online exhibition is dedicated to all the women of Iran.