IN THE FRAME

Iranian photojournalist Newsha Tavakolian offers a looking glass into the state of her native country and the world today, away from the news headlines

or many iranian contemporary artists, from filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami to visual artist Shirin Neshat, their native Iran is a favourite subject, from its beautiful landscape to its rich history and culture, and sociopolitical realities, far from the stereotypes expressing the country today. The same is true for Iranian photojournalist Newsha Tavakolian. The selftaught photographer started recording life in Iran at age 16, at women’s daily Zan. Two years later in 1999, she was the youngest person to cover Tehran’s student protests. Since then, she has photographed conflict and humanitarian tragedies in such countries as Iraq, Lebanon and Syria. Fusing photojournalism with art, Tavakolian’s works look at the human condition: “All of the characters in my images seem to be silent and invisible; but in their own world, they are rebels who try to change their situation.” The award-winning photographer presents a selection of her works with the exhibition I Know Why the Rebel Sings at 72-13, from June 22 to July 9. Featuring her previous series, including Look, a portrait of the young middle class in her building and the detritus of everyday living, a theme that continues in The Blank Pages of an Iranian Photo Album, chronicling the day-to-day lives of her peers, the exhibition will also showcase her previously unexhibited images of humanitarian tragedies around the world. The exhibition is part of The O.P.E.N., the pre-festival of the Singapore International Festival of Arts. Tavakolian gives an insight into her practice.