Like Every Day

“Being a woman in Iran is hard, and working as a woman photographer is even harder.” So says Shadi Ghadirian, one of the two female Iranian photographers showcased in the (outdoor) public program at this year’s Ballarat International Foto Biennale. In her work, Like Everyday (2000-2001), Shadi Ghadirian shines a light on gender and social issues in Iran.

The Like Everyday Series was created from the plethora of domestic gifts Ghadirian received after her wedding – items completely foreign to a young professional. Using these objects – such as irons and frying pans – as masks to cover the faces of her veiled sitters, Ghadirian’s photos ironically portray a one-dimensional interpretation of housewives, absurdly reducing their identities to cooks and cleaners.

Ghadirian’s images describe a positive and holistic female identity, humorously taking issue with the traditional roles by which women – both in the Middle East and universally – have been defined.