Kazemi’s Photo Exhibit on First Decade of Revolution

The first decade of the 1979 Islamic Revolution is portrayed at a photo exhibition by veteran photojournalist Kaveh Kazemi.

‘Revolutionaries: the First Decade’ is the title of the photo event that opened on May 19 and runs through June 9, according to Gallery Info (galleryinfo.ir).

On display are some photographs Kazemi, 65, has published in his book launched at the opening of the exhibit. The book has the same title as the exhibit and has been released by Nazar Publication in Tehran.  

The featured collection covers a “tempestuous decade” in Iranian contemporary history. From the UK, where he studied photography, Kazemi returned to Iran at the beginning of revolution in the fall of 1978, finding himself among the masses demanding an end to the Pahlavi monarchy. Thus began his photography career.

Images chosen for the book and the exhibit are part of a substantial archive of black-and-white photographs that depict a very critical time in Iran’s history after 1979 and the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war that followed.

The tension in the photos is obvious and “the conflicting elements hanging in suspense” are fascinating.

Nearly four decades have passed since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the photos still evoke strong emotions, telling of some unspeakable truth and sadness.

Kazemi’s unique perspective and passion have illustrated the major events and upheavals in the difficult decade of 1979-1989, adding a valuable collection to the visual memory of contemporary Iranian history.

The exhibit is on at Aaran Projects located at No. 5, Lolagar Alley, Neauphle-Le-Chateau Street, Tehran. The gallery is open all days except Saturdays from 1-7 pm.

  Freelance Journalist

As a freelance photojournalist, Kazemi has worked with major international media. His pictures have appeared in Time, Newsweek , New York Times ,  Stern, Der Spiegel , Paris Match, L ‘Express, Figaro Magazine and Geo.

The Crying Soldier picture taken in the early days of the war on the western front gained international recognition and has been categorized as a war classic.

He has covered many regions across the world including Northern Ireland, Lebanon, Nicaragua, Cuba, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Syria, Cyprus, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Iraq.ýý

He has also covered the Syrian conflict in 2012; Battle of Mosul, Iraq, in 2016; and the final march of Colombia’s FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) Rebels in January 2017 to demobilization camps.

Kazemi is represented by Getty Images (gettyimages.com) where all his archives appear online starting with the coverage of the revolution to the present day.