Once Upon A Time Isfahan

Once upon a time in Isfahan, architects and labourers created buildings based on their expertise and experience accumulated over the years, never imagining that these creations would one day be recognised not only as enduring works of art but also as the world's "manifestation of art."

Once upon a time, I started photographing the same monuments in my early thirties. These photos went unnoticed for many years after the project was finished, as I assumed they had served their purpose in my life. Their memories remained hidden until I came across them while browsing through old images recently. My reintroduction to these photographs and their selection from all the documented images was as fortunate as history's selection of these works from the many creations of our ancestors.

These images reflect a period of my life spent in Isfahan. If humans did not cause these constructions by force in the past, and if Javad did not create these frames by force one day, instead of reading this, you would be doing something now that "neither you know nor I."

This green is ours to enjoy today

who follows us in the meadow of our dust

This series was taken during my student years in Isfahan, one of Iran's most historic cities, while attending Basic Photography I classes. Each photograph features monuments of global and historical significance, such as the Shah Mosque, Chehel Sotoun, the Jameh Mosque of Isfahan, and the Ali Qapu Palace. In 2022, the project received recognition at the LOOP Design Awards, with its report published in the event's annual book.