From 1975 – 1977, Iranian documentary photographer Kaveh Golestan took photographs of women working in the Citadel of Shahr-e No, the red light district of Teheran. Although his jarring realism and artsy street photography has influenced many Iranian artists, it has not been prized to the same extent in Europe. Yet 11 years after his death, Golestan’s ‘The Citadel’ will be exhibited for the first time at Foam in Amsterdam from 21 March to 4 May, 2014.
Image: Kaveh Golestan
Normally known for war photography, Golestan’s series of prostitutes shines a softer but equally stirring light on a harsh reality. The images were published in the Iranian newspaper Ayandegan and were shown in 1978 at the University of Tehran. The exhibition was however shut down after 14 days — probably because of pressure from the Iranian intelligence. Tragically, one year after the show the Citadel burnt down during the 1979 revolution killing some of the women and getting those who survived arrested. This also means that Golestan’s images are some of the rare memories of what happened in The Citadel of Shahr-e No.
Image: Kaveh Golestan
Image: Kaveh Golestan
Image: Kaveh Golestan
Image: Kaveh Golestan
Image: Kaveh Golestan
Image: Kaveh Golestan
Image: Kaveh Golestan
