TEHRAN – The Afro-Asian Institute Graz is playing host to an exhibition of photos by Iranian photographer Azam Shadpur.

The exhibit titled “The Charm of City” is featuring photos of the urban spaces of Graz she has taken during her three-month stay in the Austrian city. 

She was in Graz from November 2021 to January 2022 as the Styria Artist-in-Residency scholarship holder of the State of Styria and is supported by the XENOS Association.

Speaking to the Persian service of Honaronline, Shadpur said that she was first scheduled to carry out the program in 2020, however, it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

She decided to record her impressions of Graz as a stroller in the city. 

“This photography project was carried out in three weeks after strolling in the city and looking at people on the streets,” Shadpur said.

“Graz is one of the largest cities of Austria; although it is an academic city it is private and not as crowded as Tehran, the city I live in; therefore I focused on the silence and stillness of the city in my photos,” she added.

Each photo has matched with another one depicting the red and white striped plastic ribbons that could be found on many corners, she stated and added, that the plastic ribbons reminded her of the Austrian flag with their choice of color.

Shadpur has used an instant camera to take the photos for her project. “This type of camera is really close to my impression of Graz,” she noted.

Due to the pandemic, Shadpur was also kept in quarantine for three weeks in her residence in Graz. 

During the quarantine, she prepared a photobook of the objects around, which has been put on view at the exhibition, which runs until January 27. Visitors have also been provided with a headphone to listen to some of her calls to friends and family during the quarantine.

Photo: A pair of photos from Iranian photographer Azam Shadpur on view at an exhibition at the Afro-Asian Institute Graz.

MMS/YAW