Rare photos of Islamic Revolution to go on show

The Art Bureau in Tehran is to host a vast selection of images by different photojournalists taken at historic moments of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Opening on Tuesday January 31 at the Khaneh Gallery of the bureau, the exhibition entitled ‘44 Years’ will be organized to celebrate the 44th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.

The collection contains 83 photos by ten photojournalists, seven of which were working for the Sipa Agency, a French photo agency based in Paris.

The exhibition will show rare moments from the final days of the revolution as well.

Photos by Iranian photographer Qorban Khalili is also on display.

One of his popular pictures, which was later published by major Iranian daily Keyhan with the caption “Soldier, don’t shoot”, shows a member of the security force aiming at a protester who is a short distance away.

Fifteen photographs by Khalili have been selected to be hung at the exhibition, which will run until February 22.

Works by Iranian photographer Qasem Hajmohammadi and the renowned French photojournalist Michel Setboun will also be showcased.

Setboun’s photos of the revolution have been put on display at solo exhibits in Iran during different editions of the Ten-Day Dawn Celebration, which is organized by the Iranian government annually to mark the anniversary of the revolution.

Iran’s Association of Revolution and Sacred Defense Photographers published a large collection of his photos in the book “The Days of the Revolution” in 2016.

Setboun was also honored by several Iranian organizations for his photos of the revolution and the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, which is known as the Sacred Defense in Iran.

The 3rd Fajr International Festival of Visual Arts awarded him a lifetime achievement prize in 2011.

He has previously said that the revolution gave him the opportunity to become a true professional photojournalist.

MM/FM