Press Release -- Staged and Documentary Photographs by Distinguished Young Female Iranian Artists

Press Contact: Maja Orsic, maja@robertkleingallery.com

High-resolution digital images available upon request

To view a PDF version of this press release, click HERE

FEBRUARY 4, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- BOSTON

Robert Klein Gallery and Robert Klein Gallery @ Ars Libri to Exhibit

Staged and Documentary Photographs by Distinguished Young Female Iranian Artists: Shadi Ghadirian and Tahmineh Monzavi

SHADI GHADIRIAN, Be Colorful, 2002 | TAHMINEH MONZAVI, Tina, 2010-2012

BOSTON, MA - SHADI GHADIRIAN (Iranian, b. 1974) and TAHMINEH MONZAVI (Iranian, b. 1988) belong to Iran's newest generation of photographers, artists who studied under BAHMAN JALALI, Iran's foremost photographer and photography professor, who died suddenly in 2010.

Selections from Ghadirian's series Be Colorful, 2002, and Qajar, 1998, will be on display at ROBERT KLEIN GALLERY (38 Newbury St); work from three of Monzavi's projects -- Tina, 2010-2012; Brides of Mokhber al-Dowleh, 2012; and Mirrors of Mashhad Bazar -- will be exhibited at ROBERT KLEIN GALLERY @ ARS LIBRI (500 Harrison Ave). Both shows will run from February 6 through March 28, 2015. A First Friday opening reception will take place at Robert Klein Gallery @ Ars Libri on Friday, February 6, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. The event is free and open to the public.

Ghadirian uses photography to explore contemporary life in post-revolutionary Iranian society, focusing especially on the role of women in her generation. In two particular series, Be Colorful and Qajar, Ghadirian uses portraiture to examine the ever-shifting standards of female appearance in Iran. Women in brightly colored veils are shielded from the viewer by a spackled layer of paint. Women in traditional nineteenth century clothes pose with banned items from the twentieth century, like Pepsi cans and mountain bikes. On display together at Robert Klein Gallery, the two series play off each other nicely. Ghadirian's work was included in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, exhibition She Who Tells A Story: Women Photographers from Iran and the Arab World and is in the collections of Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France; and Victoria and Albert Museum, London, United Kingdom, among others.

Monzavi began working as a documentary photographer in 2005, when she was 17. Since then, she has earned the trust of subjects who largely keep to themselves: drug addicts, the homeless, and a transgender woman, Tina, whom she met at a shelter in Tehran and then photographed for two years. Monzavi has been reprimanded by the authorities for her work, but she continues to explore difficult themes in earnest. The three black and white series on display at Robert Klein Gallery @ Ars Libri showcase the depth and breadth of Monzavi's talent. Previously, her work has been exhibited in Germany, Iran, Georgia, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Questions? Please email

maja@robertkleingallery.com

ROBERT KLEIN GALLERY was established in 1980 and ranks among the world's most prestigious showrooms of fine art photography.

Robert Klein opened his Newbury Street space with early exhibitions of Diane Arbus, Annie Leibovitz, Sally Mann, and Hiroshi Sugimoto. From 1995 through 2008, Robert served as President of the Board of Directors of the Association of International Photography Dealers (AIPAD). During his tenure, Robert engineered the 2006 expansion of The AIPAD Photography Show New York to the Park Avenue Armory. The AIPAD Photography Show's move firmly established it as one of the leading photographic fairs in the world.

Robert Klein Gallery maintains an extensive and ever-changing inventory of 19th century, 20th century, and contemporary photographs. Participating in international art fairs such as Paris Photo, The Armory Show - Modern, and The AIPAD Photography Show New York, Robert Klein Gallery provides its contemporary artists with international exposure while exhibiting works by recognized masters such as Ansel Adams, Helen Levitt, and Irving Penn. With over 40 combined years of experience and a profound knowledge base, the gallery staff is committed to serving as a resource for both novice and seasoned collectors.

In June 2012, ROBERT KLEIN GALLERY began a long-term collaboration with ARS LIBRI, the rare and out-of-print bookdealer, to host satellite installations in the South End bookstore. Exhibits at Robert Klein Gallery @ Ars Libri supplement and complement Robert Klein Gallery shows with additional works and printed material.

In 2013, Robert Klein Gallery and Ars Libri partnered with AZITA BINA to introduce Western collectors to the work of contemporary Iranian artists -- in particular, contemporary Iranian photographers. Bina, a Boston-based chef and restaurateur, was born in Tehran, Iran, and lived there until the 1970s. Returning regularly to her homeland, Bina maintains close ties to the Persian art community and possesses an informed understanding of contemporary Iranian artists.