Photographer | 8th Persbook Contemporary Art Festival
Yazd, Iran | 2018

The 8th Persbook Contemporary Art Festival moved away from competitive structures, prioritizing interaction, collective production, and a collaborative approach that extended beyond conventional curatorial practice. In this context, Yazd—specifically its historical Sharbafi (textile) workshops—was selected as the site for a spatial project focusing on the intersection of historical architecture, ecological art, and contemporary textile practices.

Elahe Panahi participated through photographic practice, examining the intricate relationship between the artisan, the machine, and the architectural space. Her work functions not merely as documentation, but as a visual reactivation of the tactile and ecological dimensions of traditional weaving. Through her lens, Panahi captures the material memory of the craft, examining how the textures of the past are repositioned within contemporary artistic discourse.

Collaborators: Yazd Visual Arts Association
Directions: Neda Darzi and Negar Farajiani