Elizabeth Taylor in Iran
26 Feb - 12 Jun 2011
ELIZABETH TAYLOR IN IRAN
Photographs by Firooz Zahedi
26 February – 12 June, 2011
In 1976 Elizabeth Taylor visited Iran for the first and only time. Accompanying her was Firooz Zahedi, a recent art school graduate just learning his craft, who has since gone on to become a successful Hollywood photographer. Iran provided an exotic and engaging locale for Taylor, a tireless global wanderer still at the height of her fame. For Zahedi, who left Iran as a child, this was a reintroduction to his own country. It was a remarkable journey, documented by Zahedi’s vivid photographs, shown together here for the first time. The pair traveled to the main tourist sites: ancient Persepolis, Shiraz, home of poetry and wine, and Isfahan, renowned for its beautiful tile-clad buildings. In the Isfahan bazaar, Taylor was attracted to and purchased a traditional tribal outfit. Dressed in this colorful costume and in full make-up, she posed as an odalisque, an especially suitable persona for one who was herself a male fantasy. Though Zahedi was to photograph Taylor many times in the years following their Iran trip, none are as personal, candid, or creative as these unique images.
Photographs by Firooz Zahedi
26 February – 12 June, 2011
In 1976 Elizabeth Taylor visited Iran for the first and only time. Accompanying her was Firooz Zahedi, a recent art school graduate just learning his craft, who has since gone on to become a successful Hollywood photographer. Iran provided an exotic and engaging locale for Taylor, a tireless global wanderer still at the height of her fame. For Zahedi, who left Iran as a child, this was a reintroduction to his own country. It was a remarkable journey, documented by Zahedi’s vivid photographs, shown together here for the first time. The pair traveled to the main tourist sites: ancient Persepolis, Shiraz, home of poetry and wine, and Isfahan, renowned for its beautiful tile-clad buildings. In the Isfahan bazaar, Taylor was attracted to and purchased a traditional tribal outfit. Dressed in this colorful costume and in full make-up, she posed as an odalisque, an especially suitable persona for one who was herself a male fantasy. Though Zahedi was to photograph Taylor many times in the years following their Iran trip, none are as personal, candid, or creative as these unique images.