Urban Iran is a curated collection of the country's graffiti, and the anthology works to paint the movement within a sociopolitical context. Released by the influential Mark Batty Publisher and drawing on the images of Karan Rashid and Sina Araghi, the compendium of photographs strikes at how Iranians see themselves.
Concerning this idea of representing the self-image within Urban Iran, Mark Batty Publisher states that the book "documents how the Western media gaze influences how much of the world views Iran, but also how this gaze impacts how Iranians see themselves, especially in the realm of the creative arts."
The essays that accompany the images in Urban Iran set the stage for the images within a social context and illustrate the resistance against the status quo.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Sociopolitical Graffiti as Artistic Resistance
- Opportunity for curated collections that highlight socio-political struggles around the world through the lens of urban art.
- Anthologies That Blend Photography and Political Commentary
- Opportunity for publishers to create curated collections of photography and accompanying essays as a means of exploring social issues and sociopolitical movements.
- Visual Storytelling as Social Commentary
- Opportunity for artists and photographers to use their work as a medium to comment on social issues and challenge the status quo.
Where This Applies
- Publishing
- Opportunity for publishers to showcase the intersection of art, politics and culture through their printed works.
- Art and Photography
- Opportunity for creatives to not only document sociopolitical struggles but as a way of commenting on them as well.
- Ideological/political Commentary
- Opportunity for writers, creatives and publishers to offer thought-provoking insight into cultural and sociopolitical topics through art and photography.
