Hinterland puts the focus on contemporary art from Iran; in collaboration with Silk Road Gallery, Tehran, it presents the first-ever exhibition of Iranian photography in Austria. Four Iranian artists contribute pictures to Eyes On in which they engage with important narratives and legends from their native country to reveal glimpses of contemporary life in Iran.

“The Flying Carpet”: Jalal Sepehr’s works address the traditional image of his country. His leading “protagonists” are carpets in ordinary everyday settings. A novel perspective on an old tradition and a creative rearrangement.

“Miss Butterfly”: At first glance, it may seem that Shadi Ghadirian’s work shows snippets of day-to-day life that are simply “pretty.” In her new series Miss Butterfly, she pursues questions of transience and beauty. In Persian poetry, the butterfly is symbolic of the supremely evanescent instant of great beauty. Butterflies are enchanting and tragic at once.

“Shirin and Farhad”: Babak Kazemi’s work, meanwhile, is concerned with the history of Iran. In the series Shirin and Farhad, he visualizes the traditional love story and transposes it into a contemporary setting.

“Sleeping Beauty”: Tahmineh Monzavi heads out to capture the everyday lives and social conflicts of Iran’s young generation. Her pictures try to uncover the “veiled” aspects of Iranian society.

an exhibition in cooperation with SILK ROAD GALLERY, Tehran