About You Are Not Alone Exhibition

Mina Momeni's subjects of photography are the women who’s inner Anima is their guardianand worries about them. These are women who are present in every corner of this universe, and while their flesh is exhibited forsnobby eyes,their quintessence spirits are released in the boundless space wondering about the woman'sessence more than anything else.

In her photos, architectural spaces find meaning by women. It seems all houses, vaults, and passages have been constructed just for a woman so that she can accommodate, imprison or keep herself in; however, she takes wing and flies like a petal in the wind in her divine ascent to the welkin of creation.

Ms. Momeni's photo called "Eblis" is not of less artistic quality than Edward Munch's "scream". It reveals the inner fury in a light passing over the time and place, and only in this passing speed might the encounter with demon be possible. Otherwise, I would rather call this work "volition" or "determination". Mina Momeni's photos are kind of a reconstruction of great painters' works. "Anahita" and "Gol Khatun" which simultaneously depict different angles of the same face reminds us of a distinct Picasso painting which is both transparent and semi-transparent. She delegates the paintbrush's duty to the camera. Although, I tried to judge the artist's works from the catalogue and invitation brochure, I do know that she will be the meeting point of painting and photography considering her scientific reservoir.
I keep my fingers crossed to enjoy more of her works in the coming years.

Banafsheh Hejazi / 2007

" I Talk on behalf of them by Lens "

Mina Momeni is a young photographer to whose exhibition of photos we were witness before. The exhibition, titled “You Are not alone”, composed of 17 photos. It was held in Elahe Gallery and pictured women who are present in every part of the world. In Mina Momeni’s photos, the architecture environments are meaningful with the presence of woman, and it seems that the houses and hallways are built for the woman. With the excuse of the Fair’s title, we go to have a short talk with her about the artist woman.

• Please introduce Mina Momeni in a few sentences.
I have Painting Diploma from Imaginary Arts Academy. I am also a BA graduate of photography. Until now, I have had 3 individual and 14 group exhibitions inside and outside of Iran.

• It seems that “Woman” is one of your favorite issues in photography, why?
Woman is a complicated creation. In the course of history, as all human life dimensions have revolutionized, Woman has also changed during the revolutions; a change that has made her more complicated. Our women’s complexities have increased, while attempt to know and understand them is still insignificant. Lack of sufficient recognition of women in society, has made women more isolated.

• And is that why you have named your exhibition “You Are Not Alone”?
Yes, I have felt this emptiness in many women.

• The footstep of fables can be seen in your photos. Even you have taken the name of your pictures from mythical women, why?
In human beings, there are characteristics and qualities whose allegories can be found in the myths. For example, Zahak is a symbol of cruelty and heartlessness. In my photos, I have tried to picture mythical women, and infuse women’s dynamism, movement and change to the viewer’s mind at the same time.

• And what is the role of colorful and lively scarves in your photos?
These scarves are somehow the symbols of my subjects’ thought; an Eastern thought which I have tried to picture besides all changes and transitions of today’s woman.

• In your colored photos, Red can be seen tangibly, why?
I believe Red is the best choice to inspire excitement, madness, and all the changes in my mind.

• What was your purpose of taking all the pictures in traditional spaces, and using black background in black and white pictures?
I wanted the space of my pictures to be dramatic. I couldn’t approach the theme of fables in a closed space. The fables come from the ancient world. Some of my photos are taken in the Great Mosque of Saveh and Isfahan.

• As an artist woman, how do you analyze the position of the artist woman?
I think this expression is a fantasy slogan. We have a lot of artist women in our country, but not much attention is paid to them as it should. Unfortunately, our artist women are disadvantaged of the least facilities that artist men are equipped with.

• Do you mean financial facilities?
I mean financial, cultural, … facilities. The number of men, who can refer to foreign countries to expose their works with the government’s support, is much more than the number of women. Basically, in spite of all difficulties, there are fewer obstacles in front of artist men.

• Have women really attempted to attain such facilities?
Yes, to a certain extent. However, sometimes the situation is so annoying that we prefer to proceed independently trusting our own capacities and even financial abilities.

• Do you believe an artist man’s insight differs from an artist woman’s?
Yes, the difference in their insights -from choosing the subject to the kind of offering the work and classifying the theme- exists, and influences the work step by step. However, I think we can not always determine certainly if the creator of a work is a man or woman by just one look. Possibly, sometimes a man creates an infinitely emotional and soft artistic work, while a woman creates a very heartless work at some time.

• Which difficulties are women photographers involved with mostly? Could you easily go to the heart of the society and people to find your ideal subject?
Sometimes yes, and sometimes no. Certainly, it is more difficult for a lady to take pictures in the street; particularly the areas in which people’s insight regarding women are the same as old insight. In these areas, the presence of a woman with a camera in her hand is not accepted easily, and people look at her so surprisingly and uncertainly as if they are confronted with a strange and unheard-of creation. These looks, behaviors, and gatherings influence the person’s self-confidence up to a great extent. However, as I told, being a woman sometimes helps. For example, a lady photographer can take pictures from women -especially rural and tribal women- more easily than a man photographer without facing with the prejudice and disagreement of those women’s husbands.

• How the women in the traditional societies encounter you as a woman photographer?
Very good. Although sometimes they disagree at fist, but they accept very soon and cooperate, as if you are a representative of the women society that are supposed to speak on the behalf of them through the lens of the camera.

• In the trips which you go for photography, are you alone or not?
It depends. It’s not possible to go to some trips alone, because it’s dangerous and it doesn’t depend on being a man or woman. In these cases, I try to go to the place with another photographer.

• Why with another photographer?
Because a photographer may stop in a place for a long time for photography, and a non-photographer gets tired during these long hours.

• Could the young girls who are interested in photography choose this are as their main profession, or financial problems will force them to look at it only as a second job and art?
Photography is my only source of income. In this job, you cannot expect a regular monthly income as an office job at first. There is no insurance and other certain facilities, but you may achieve this goal by double persistence, effort and knowledge.

Shahrzad Abdiye | Tehran Emrooz Newspaper | Dec.23.2007