© All images by Mehrdad Mirzaie

2023 Fellowships Honorable Mention

Mehrdad Mirzaie

IMAGO

My practice is characterized by working with a diverse array of historical images, whether through the curation of new archives or the reinterpretation of existing ones. I firmly believe in the transformative power of historical imagery to inform our present and shape our future. By scrutinizing historical images and the mental images they evoke, my goal is to challenge conventional interpretations of the past. I investigate how various contexts and audiences, each with their unique backgrounds, can influence our understanding of history. 

I use historical imagery as a means of reevaluating and reconstructing our collective memory. I define my role as a storyteller, weaving together various narratives and visions from the past and the present to foster a deeper understanding of the world we inhabit. Through my practice, I seek to prompt reflection, provoke questions, and encourage viewers to reconsider their preconceived notions of history and its impact on our lives today.

These days, I am working on an archive that includes images of people who disappeared or were killed because of the religious, ideological, and political ideas of the Islamic Republic regime in my home country, Iran. This archive will include thousands of images. The images will be extracted and reproduced (reread) from various archives and sources.

– Mehrdad Mirzaie

  • Hamid Hajizadeh, From Rereading Series

  • Iran Students Protest, July 1999 No.1

  • Mohammad Mokhtari, From the Rereading Series

  • Jafar Pooyandeh, From the Rereading Series

  • For The People

  • For The People

  • For The People

  • For The People

  • Iran Students Protest, July 1999 No.2

  • Untitled 01 (Execution 01), From th Rereading Series

  • Untitled 01

  • Untitled 02

  • Froohar Family

  • The Boy

  • The Women Revolution

  • The Last Snapshot

  • The Last Moment

  • The Body

  • Mohammad Mokhtari

  • Froozan Abdi, From the Rereading Series

  • Froozan Abdi

is a multidisciplinary artist from Iran, based in the US, whose work predominantly revolves around the image-based medium with a deep focus on reinterpreting images of the past and the interplay between past and present. Mehrdad is currently pursuing an MFA in photography at Arizona State University.

Born and raised in Tehran, Mehrdad received his BFA in photography from the Tehran Art University in 2012. His artistic practice has shown an exploration of the power of images as vessels of historical narratives. With a keen interest in archives, image studies, and alternative processes, Mehrdad delves into the complexities of the relation of history and narrations.

Over the past decade, Mehrdad has contributed to various archive projects, both individually and as part of collaborative teams. His studies to reimagining history are not limited to the medium of photography alone; rather, he uses a diverse range of artistic mediums to visualize his thoughts. This interdisciplinary approach encompasses political, societal, and cultural dimensions.

Mehrdad's artistic process is rooted in his interest in the history of photography, which serves as a wellspring of his inspiration. His exploration extends beyond physical photographs and delves into the realm of mental imagery, where he contemplates the narratives behind the images and seeks to shed new light on established historical narrations. Mehrdad tries to generate a discourse that invites viewers to critically engage with the image of the past, and also he tries to spark conversations that traverse time periods and prompt contemplation of the intricate relationship between history and contemporary society.

Mehrdad Mirzaie