Ruins of a Body

“Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. Because for those who love with heart and soul there is no such thing as separation.” - The lines by Rumi hold Azamat’s anguish at losing her sister.

On the 8th of January 2020, flight PS752 was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile causing the death of Ghanimat Azhdari, a PhD student at the University of Guelph. The heinous act by the brutal government took 176 lives and an unborn child.

This project depicts the lifelong imprint left on Azamat Azhdari’s vulnerable soul after her sister’s early demise. The perpetual rage against the barbaric act has left her to live for justice and to dream of overthrowing the Islamic Regime. Despite living in London, she is still haunted by the old reminiscences. Waving her anti-government props and screaming slogans in London-based Iranian protests, she supports the women’s life freedom movement and hopes for a revolutionary change.

 In this documentary project, I wanted to knit a narrative that explores the ineffable agony Azamat experienced after losing her sister. I portrayed their transcending bond: photographing Azamat with her sister’s necklace, a pomegranate symbolising immortality. The installation also includes pieces of jewellery, a diary, and artefacts of Ghanimat Azhdari giving us some knowledge about the lost life.