This photograph reconstructs that memory. It was shot at a location used for making movies about the war: a huge place in the desert where they have all the necessary props. I often explore themes of displacement, survival and human resilience in my work. Creating this series helped me process the emotions and memories of growing up in wartime.
Many people who lived through it told me they connected to these images because they show struggle and survival. While my generation grew up with nonstop images of the war in magazines, newspapers and television, at the same time life continued. The couple appear numb, expressionless β as if they cannot imagine what their future will look like.
Traditional Iranian art makes use of the imagination. My photography is a response to that tradition. I want to make something, not take something. But my compositions and references draw on archive documentary photography of the conflict β the images I grew up with β which I return to for inspiration.
I mix my story with real life and the poetry that is everywhere in my country. We all have this connection with the poetic and I wanted to bring it into my photography. The cypress tree is strong; it stands even when it is dead and symbolises freedom and eternity.
It encourages us to remain grounded, by drawing upon our heritage as a source of resilience. She inspired me to tell my story through photography, and to address social issues in my work. I chose photography because images can tell powerful stories without words. I hope my photographs make people think, feel and remember important moments in history.
