BABAK KAZEMI

Babak Kazemi is a self-taught photographer born in Ahvaz, Iran in 1983. In 2012 he was awarded the Magic of Persian residency at the Delfina Foundation in London. Kazemi explores the history of the province of Khuzestan in which he grew up, focusing on the impact of oil production on the region. His work has been featured in collections at the Maraya Art Centre, The Museum of Contemporary Arts in Tehran, The Museum of War in Tehran and the private collection of Sheikh of Sharjah in UAE. 

In 2015 Babak represented Iran, at the Iran Pavillion at the Venice Biennale with the project 8-year-old Persian Pickle.

Babak deliberately uses multiple techniques for his artworks; physical techniques such as immersing photos in oil and scratching the bubbles and damages on the surface of photographs and technical varieties such as practising collage and photomontage techniques, documentary and staged photography methods. The visual aspects of his artworks change almost entirely depending on his intentions. This variety can also be clearly seen in the theme and the subjects he chose to present: Social issues, personalized versions of old Persian stories, imaginative creations and various subjects that all influenced him and shows us what he experienced and focused on during his artistic career. Although Babak is deeply tied and focused on cultural issues, the truth in his artworks takes on a more philosophical meaning, featuring a display of both the past and the future along with the personal adventures of his own life.