12:43
Jackie's
I have always wondered how Americans perceive me when they learn I am from Iran. Through conversations and portraits, I aim to create a sense of shared identity and provoke self-reflection. My photographs highlight moments of connection and confrontation. Although photographs are still images, I try to create a direct confrontation between the subject and the viewer through eye contact. In my photographs, bars become stages where identity is performed and revealed. In these encounters, I look for gestures and expressions that resist cliché and affirm individuality. My intention is not to generalize, but to present intimate fragments that reflect a deeper, shared humanity. As Ariella Azoulay reminds us, photography is a civil contract between the photographer, the subject, and the viewer. My work leans into this triangular relationship, inviting viewers to recognize their role in the exchange.