Newsha Tavakolian is a self-taught Iranian photographer born in 1981, whose work merges documentary and art, with notable publications in international media. Her project 'Listen' features portraits of professional women singers in Iran who are restricted from performing due to Islamic laws, paired with fictional album covers and a video installation. In an interview, she discusses her artistic practice and the societal issues relevant to contemporary Iran.

1. Middle East Now festival presents:
Newsha Tavakolian – photografer / artist
Bio
Newsha Tavakolian was born in Tehran, Iran in 1981 and is a self-taught photographer whose recent
body of work bridges the worlds of documentary and art. Tavakolian began her professional career as a
photojournalist aged 16 and has since had her work published in such esteemed international titles as
National Geographic, Le Monde and the New York Times Magazine. More recently, she has exhibited
her work in galleries around the world, including in The Third Line Gallery in Dubai and the Aaran
gallery in Tehran. For this issue of Ibraaz, she talks to Contributing Editor Sara Raza about her practice
and the issues relating to contemporary Iranian society that remain close to her heart.
“Listen”
“Imagine a dream. Eyes closed, mouths open, as if in a dream. Standing facing us with their backs to
the darkness, they sing, soundless; they have been standing here, singing for themselves for a long
time, imagining us, hearing. Standing, facing days of tedium, facing a world that has adorned them with
a false crown. Standing, waiting”.
For ‘Listen’, a project inspired by Newsha Tavakolian’s childhood dream to become a singer, she made
six studio portraits of professional women singers, who are not allowed to sing solo, perform in public or
produce CD’s in Iran because of Islamic tenets.
Inspired by her feelings about her society, she made six extra images, which are also imaginary album
covers with titles for the singers. As a statement, the CD cases are left empty. The works are
accompanied by a video installation with silent clips of the women singers performing.”
Map of Creation Associazione Culturale _ www.middleastnow.it _ T.338.9868969

2. Map of Creation Associazione Culturale _ www.middleastnow.it _ T.338.9868969

3. Map of Creation Associazione Culturale _ www.middleastnow.it _ T.338.9868969

4. Map of Creation Associazione Culturale _ www.middleastnow.it _ T.338.9868969

5. Map of Creation Associazione Culturale _ www.middleastnow.it _ T.338.9868969

6. Map of Creation Associazione Culturale _ www.middleastnow.it _ T.338.9868969