Zadoc Nava is a British photographer and filmmaker, this book focuses on
his most recent photographic series, Shadowlands, which documents life
on the streets of Tehran. Reflecting a mood of uncertainty and
melancholy, the images reveal a glimpse of ordinary life in the
neighborhoods of what is remarkably turning into one of the world's most
documented cities.
Shadowlands is punctuated by images of the monumental, propagandist
street-art and religious posters that dominate the city. The photos
reveal the separate but parallel existence of men and women within
Iranian society, living under the gaze of the mullahs, the tension
between modernity and tradition, and an atmosphere of uncertainty and
disquiet. The congested streets and cityscapes of Tehran provide the
backdrop to a series of portraits that show the inhabitants immersed in
their own reverie, strangely disengaged from their surroundings.
Through a lyrical documentary approach, Shadowlands presents a
complex, moving, and unfamiliar image of Iran, with moments of
unexpected humor. The implication of narrative apparent in much of the
work reflects Nava's background as a filmmaker.
In addition to Nava's work in Iran, Shadowlands covers several other
projects, revealing his fascination with people and culture, from the
situations documented in Havana Cuba and Undercurrent in South East
Asia, to his latest project A Feminine Touch, about British women
boxers in the run up to the 2012 Olympics.Shadowlands, like Nava's
photographs, provides an unusually honest and thought-provoking look
into the reality of a city and its cultural identity. This book
therefore is an essential read for anyone interested in recent
developments in contemporary photography.
