2022 – Tehran, Iran
About this series
Hashem Shakeri is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores the intersection of identity, exile, and social challenges. Through photography and video, Shakeri seeks to uncover hidden interpersonal histories and question narratives in order to draw attention to the complexities and nuances of the human experience.
One of Shakeri’s central concerns is the impact of political and social upheaval on individuals and communities in Iran. His work often explores the consequences of displacement and alienation, illuminating the experiences of those who have been marginalized or forgotten.
This project is part of a larger trilogy about contemporary social issues in Iranian society. It deals with exile, isolation, bewilderment and self-alienation, fundamental human experiences that can nevertheless be understood universally. Despite the serious themes of his work, Shakeri’s art also shows moments of resilience in the midst of injustice and helplessness. Through the use of color, light, and texture, he creates abstract moments of poetry and beauty in landscapes, portraits and still lifes. These images nevertheless often appear empty or apocalyptic.
“At the heart of my work is a commitment to authenticity. I strive to capture the essence of my subjects, whether it is a fleeting moment of emotion, an atmosphere, or the details of a natural form. In my work, poetic beauty has a special dual character amidst feelings of isolation and abandonment. It shows melancholy, lonely humans in a post-catastrophic moment; a moment that is closer than ever to our lives and more consequential than ever in the history of mankind. The question that requires different debates is if awareness is able to change the material reality of our lives on its own.”
Until 01.04.2023 at Anahita Contemporary, Berlin, DE.
Photographer: Hashem Shakeri
Nationality: Iranian
Based in: Tehran, Iran
Instagram: @hashemshakeri
Hashem Shakeri is an artist, photographer and filmmaker who lives in Tehran. Discovering photography in his adolescence, he began developing his skills through persistent trial and error and after many years of being self-taught, he decided to pursue photography professionally. Since those years, he has been working as a documentary photographer and visual storyteller. He has been working on several long-term personal projects as well commissions from prominent international media.
He has received many awards and exhibited internationally in many museums, festivals and biennales including at Leica Museum, Foam Museum, Arp Museum, ICP Museum, Maxxi Museum, Rencontres d’Arles, Paris Photo art fair, Visa pour l’image and many others.
His works have been featured in numerous publications worldwide such as The New Yorker, Sunday Times, The Times, British Journal of Photography, New York Times, Aperture, Reporters Without Borders, Der Spiegel, Die Zeit, Le Monde, Paris Match, National Geographic and many others.