From Iran: A Visual Testimony

Statement: 

Created over the course of fourteen years, Iranian photographer Azadeh Akhlaghi’s project stages and photographs pivotal moments from Iran’s tumultuous twentieth-century history. 

Drawing on meticulous archival research and her background in cinema, she casts professional and nonprofessional actors and photographs each scene from multiple angles to reimagine historical events as complex tableaux, set in real locations in Iran. 

In sixteen images—three presented as large-scale prints—Akhlaghi depicts eleven pivotal incidents highlighting the cycle of successful and failed efforts by Iranians to reclaim control of their country between 1908—when the Shah quashed the first National Assembly—and 1979, when the monarchy was overthrown and Islamic rule began. 

The exhibition’s video loop depicts incidents that illuminate recurring cycles of successful and failed efforts by Iranians to reclaim control of their country. 

An interactive display invites visitors to explore archival materials behind Akhlaghi’s interpretations and offers a behind-the-scenes look at her process. 

In each scene, Akhlaghi places herself within the image as both participant and witness, offering visual testimony to her country’s turbulent history.