Kodachrome Tehran ! Humans of Tehran

Kodachrome Tehran

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The world of Tehran is on the news all the time, but where is it? Caught somewhere between the binaries of exotic East and the Axis of Evil, Iran’s capital city is typically depicted one of two ways: it’s either sensationalized or apologetic. Are the photos and shots depicted daily on tweets and news flashes really authentic to the people and culture of the humans of Tehran? Many times, they’re not. The reality is, Tehran is not as far away as one would think. Yet, politics forces many of its people to prove their humanity on a daily basis, which outsiders don’t often considered authentic until a Western tourist spends a week there and comes home with a travel essay validating that the “land of chadors and turbans” is, in fact, decent, respectful and dare we say fond of white people and American culture?

Perhaps one of the greatest recent imports into Iran has been social media, because it’s through the democratization of the Internet and sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and others that Iranians have been able to access and export themselves to the outside world. Instead of depending on some sympathetic foreigner to repeat what many there already know to be true, those actually inside the country now have platforms that allow them to take control of their own narratives, to speak for themselves in relation to each other as Iranians, as opposed to the prevalent, privileged and superficial “us vs. them” monologue that has for so long plagued Iranian culture’s PR campaign.

Contrary to what Thomas Friedman would have one believe, the world is not flat, and Iran is just as complex a country as any other, much more so than the cliched portrayals it gets for its religious fanatics, political oppression, exotic women and ancient culture. Its society is a current one — living, breathing, changing every moment in the same real-time speed as any other. Within its arcs of political shifts and cultural trends are so many more overlooked moments, captured here and there, but when built up, create a far more nuanced narrative than many news outlets care to take the time and effort to sustain. Inspired by the popular “Humans of New York”Facebook page, “Humans of Tehran” is one such campaign, its daily images offering those both in and outside Iran a pictorial glimpse into the daily and otherwise normalized lives of Iranians in their beloved dusty, rusty capital. Neither sensationalized nor apologetic, its collective of photographers succeed in portraying Iran in a refreshing and overdue tone: candid. Not uniform, but eclectic.

Contributing arts writer Roxanne Naseem Rashedi, recently had the opportunity to chat with Shirin Barghi, founder of “The Humans of Tehran,” about the project, the void it fills in giving a visual vocabulary to Iranian culture and the power that images and social media have in not only connecting otherwise seemingly incompatible communities, but in also facilitating otherwise disparate dialogues.

Aslan Media: Can you tell us about Humans of Tehran?

Shirin Barghi: We launched the project in 2012, definitely inspired by Brandon Stanton’s “Humans of New York.”

AM: How did Stanton’s work inspire the “Humans of Tehran”?

SB: We saw “Humans of Tehran” as a way to challenge the prevailing images in the media, specifically images of Iran and Iranians. It seemed that many of the popular images were ones that had turned our people into a passive, faceless mass.

AM: So, the “Humans of Tehran” project aims to depict the real, authentic people and culture of Iran?

SB: Exactly! The idea of the project is to use direct, on the ground narratives and build a new visual vocabulary through which the world can communicate and connect with Iranians, especially since Iranians have been isolated in recent years.

AM: Can you elaborate on this isolation?

SB: One thing that never sat well for me was that Western journalists and photographers frequently describe their work as “giving voice to the voiceless.” This approach invariably privileges outside representations of Iranians and ignores a vibrant tradition of Iranians representing themselves.

AM: And what does this vibrant tradition provide for viewers?

SB: Our project decentralizes the “voiceless” approach and we strive to take foreign intermediaries out of the creative process as much as possible. We give a unique opportunity for viewers to both look at the everyday Iranian and experience a small part of the Iranian culture.

AM: Can you describe some of the ways viewers interact with “Humans of Tehran”?

SB: One exciting feature of the project includes the new ways Iranians are using the medium to connect with each other and with other “Humans of” projects regionally. Comment sections are often the site of spirited debate and sharing ideas among Iranians and other peers.

AM: What sorts of topics are discussed?

SB: There is a wide range, for sure! Disparate figures, from clerics, to skateboarding teens to street artists brush shoulders on the site as they would in Tehran.

AM: Does your team feel that the conversation on the “Humans of Tehran” page is moving people and viewers in the right direction? That is, one more to true and authentic to the Iranian culture and people?

SB: It most certainly is and has! The conversation in the mass media has been really impoverished when it comes to tangible images of Iran and Iranians. You constantly hear these two extremes: a narrative of fundamentalist crazies yelling “death to America” and then the young “pro-American” kid who yearns for “Western freedoms.” Missing from this caricature is the depth of variety and diversity in cosmopolitan Tehran, half the size of New York with nearly twice the population.

AM: What challenges has your team faced with this project?

SB: Attitudes in Iran, as in much of the region, tend to be private and guarded. Being approached by a random stranger asking to take a photo is still fairly unusual.

AM: So the eyebrows are raised?

SB: Yes, they are definitely raised. In addition, back during the 2009 post election unrest, the government would often use the photographing of demonstrators as a form of intimidation. Naturally, this deepened public distrust and cynicism towards anyone with a camera.

AM: How has your team dealt with these challenges of privacy?

SB: We’ve found that a good place to start is to quickly pitch the idea before taking a picture and to be as clear and open as possible about our aims. We strive to find ways to make the project appeal to the unique circumstance and background of each person. We’ve discovered that this sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. But even when we’re turned down (and this happens frequently), Tehran is so diverse that you always come across interesting people willing to share their stories. It's only the matter of being on the lookout and willing to engage, pushing the boundaries of what’s usual or comfortable.

AM: Where do you envision “Humans of Tehran” going in the next five years? What are some of your future projects?

SB: I am now working with two amazing photographers, Omid and Noosha, whose work has been an indispensable part of creating our unique aesthetic. But as the project grows and evolves, I see a rich and vibrant platform for sharing and connecting, both within and outside Iran and in the wider region. Many Tehranis know about and follow events in the US and elsewhere, but tend to be less connected to their peers in Karachi, Khartoum and Tashkent. It’s my hope that Humans of Tehran will help move things in a more positive direction on that front.

And with the addition of more engaging, multimedia elements and the improvement of the scope and capacity of our content creators on the ground, I see the project becoming a source of inspiration and critical discussion in Iran and beyond.

To learn more about “Humans of Tehran,” and to see their growing collection of images from throughout the city, visit the project’s official Facebook page.

By Roxanne Naseem Rashedi, Aslan Media Contributing Arts Writer

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