Almost Ninja

Ghadirian’s Ghajar series describes the paradox of contemporary life in Iran, portraying women in anachronistic settings, out of place in both history and modern day. In creating her photos Ghadirian has to strictly adhere to the moral codes of Iranian culture: women must be represented in an appropriately modest way, bodies and hair covered, and never in contact with men; the artist herself is not permitted to work alone in many public places. Rather than seeing this as restrictive, Ghadirian uses these guidelines to celebrate the sense of community these regulations encourage. Inspired by 19th century photographs from the Qajar period - the first portraits to be permitted by religious law - Ghadirian carefully reconstructed the opulent style of these images with the help of many friends: borrowing antique furnishings and costumes, commissioning the painted backdrops, inviting them to pose in the images. Picturing each woman in a bygone era, each scene is jarringly interrupted by the presence of contemporary products - a phone, boom-box, hoover - pointing to a culture clash of tradition and progress. The women stare out from the photos with an unnerving directness, detached from their environment, and confident within themselves.