Mehdi Vosoughnia

“Anzali”
That place is Anzali; a port city on the coast of the Caspian Sea. Somehow when I saw this city, I discovered myself in it; although I was not even born there. As I wandered constantly in different seasons, I found it a lonely city. I saw the city in rainy days, looked at the people closely, and even watched it keenly in its reckless silence. Once I focused accurately on this geographic site, and as I encountered certain issues and faced the existing elements in the city, I came across a rather unconventional conversation; I encountered decay and dampness in addition to grayish, gloomy people. Then I realized that the body of this city, including its architecture, buildings, benches, alleys, streets, shops, docks, and the beaches speak for what is called Anzali beyond the words.
For me, the metal bridge, the Qazian Bridge, the Lagoon, the Boulevard, the Ghalam Goodeh Island, and the Mianposhteh Island are graphic haikus in the seasons in which there are no tourists around.
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The “Anzali” collection is a sequel to the photos I have taken from the cities, places, and other landscapes of my country, Iran, which has had my eyes fixed on it during the recent years. The collection of the photos presented in this book was photographed within two years (2012-2014) during my short trips.