Persian Rugs and the Iranian Everyday: Photographer Jalal Sepehr in Yazd

Jalal Sepehr’s Knot series (2011) is comprised of 12 images all including a Persian rug (1m x 70cm) taken in the historic city of Yazd in central Iran. Contrary to initial intentions, some of the images in Knot make use of the historic scenes and examples of architecture found in Yazd.

In this series, Sepehr strove to depict a space in between traditional and everyday life in his pictures. To do so, he made use of the rug and architecture as representative of tradition in opposition to the individuals pictured, dealing with the issues of everyday life.

The colors’ silent whisper

The wool’s palpitation of blood through the knot’s vessels

And the fingers’ sweet souls which are trampled …

-from Ahmad Shamlu’s “To the Scarlet Blossom of a Dress”

"A Contrast"
“A Contrast” from Knot Series (Yazd, 2011)
Knot Abanbar
“Uncertainty” from Knot Series (Yazd, 2011)
“A Procession of Mourning” from Knot Series (Yazd, 2011)
“A View” from Knot Series (Yazd, 2011)
"A Gate in the Way" from Knot (Yazd, 2011)
“A Gate in the Way” from Knot Series (Yazd, 2011)
"Two Windows" from Knot series (Yazd, 2011)
“Two Windows” from Knot series (Yazd, 2011)
Knot Jahesh
“From this side to that side” from Knot Series (Yazd, 2011)
"A Look at the Past" from Knot (Yazd, 2011)
“A Look at the Past” from Knot Series (Yazd, 2011)
"Hands" by Knot series (Yazd, 2011)
“Hands” by Knot series (Yazd, 2011)
“Closing and Leaving” from Knot Series (Yazd, 2011)
"Thrown Away" from Knot (Yazd, 2011)
“Thrown Away” from Knot Series (Yazd, 2011)
"A Half Look at the Past" from Knot (Yazd, 2011)
“A Half Look at the Past” from Knot Series (Yazd, 2011)

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jalal Sepehr was born in 1968 and currently resides in Tehran. A self-taught photographer, Sepehr took up amateur photography in 1994 while living in Japan. In 1999, he began his work as an industrial and advertising photographer. Later, he transitioned into fine art photography and became co-director and co-founder of the website Akse Fanoos (the “Lantern’s Picture”), which he was involved in for six years. Beyond having participated in tens of exhibits both abroad and within Iran, Sepehr’s photography has been featured in galleries worldwide, including his series titled Water at the Silk Road Gallery (Tehran 2004), and his series Knot at the Khaki Gallery (Boston 2011).

Total
1K
Shares

11 comments

  1. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder -great photographer. Great designers and weavers . Wish I had one or two of those carpets in my home.

  2. I just bought a Yazd carpet in Sharjah three days ago. I knew nothing of the city or the carpets of Yazd. I simply liked the carpet. Your photographs have put this carpet in its context and confirmed my overall sense of beauty and respect for my 40 year old carpet. Your photos allow the carpets to speak their own beauty. Thank You!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*
*