Anatomy of an abuse

The story of an abuse but also of redemption after a long difficult path. More than words the victim who is an artist, wanted me to tell her story just through photographs showing that it is possible to overcome pain with a positive take on life.

The project is in its final stages. Here is a sample.

My Tehran

When I landed in Tehran a few years ago and spent the next four years living there, I did not know what to expect. I had of course watched the mostly negative and clichéd news coverage about Iran and Iranians. I had also heard all about the chaotic traffic and pollution. But a city is much more than that.

Many of us are familiar with the waking up of a city. The opening and closing of windows and doors in the morning. People going to work, to school, to shopping, children’s cries and laughter. The smell of coffee and tea and freshly baked goods. The sound of cars, trams, motorbikes, trains, airplanes, depending on where you live.

But as much as we know about a city, we don’t usually get to see in depth what goes on behind closed doors. How are the family dynamics, what are the struggles, the dreams and aspirations?

That is why I thought it is important to tell the story of the people who are just like you and me and who don’t fit the usual negative narrative. They are the ones who have to deal with reality and to face all the challenges. I want to take you into their houses and to their city. Through their eyes you will get to know their stories and to know Tehran better. The city and the people are one after all. One does not make sense without the other.

MY TEHRAN are them, all the emotional connections I made. The Iranians that welcomed me, took me into their lives and opened their hearts to me.

This is an ongoing, close to completion Project about the lives of five men and five women from different walks of live.

Here are some photos of the project.

Musicians

It was late 2019 when I had the idea of creating a concert with young Iranian musicians to celebrate the International Women’s day that was going to take place on March 8, 2020.

To further celebrate the talent of these musicians there was to be a photography exhibition of them performing. Some played traditional Iranian instruments like the Sitar, Tar or Qanum, others the piano.

So we met during the course of several days, in my house and also elsewhere in case of the piano players. The idea was to have a totally informal atmosphere where we could be relaxed. I used natural light for the most part and just told them to play and as much as possible, ignore me.

The result is what you can see in these few examples but more than that for me, were the very special days we had together. I will never forget what went on in the background, the laughter, the singing, the exchange of ideas and all the emotions, particularly whenever they got lost in their music.

Then COVID hit and the concert and exhibition had to be postponed indefinitely. I was sad but some of the photos of the female musicians had still been used for my last exhibition in Iran at an International Conference in February 2020. Before March when the world changed forever …

Left are the memories of those days and a regret more people didn’t get to enjoy what I thought would have been an amazing concert.