Women of Our Mahalla
Documentary photo project
2021

A photo project about women living in the neighborhood adjacent to the original location of the 139 Documentary Center at 210 Sultanalish Mashhadiy Street.

Together with my colleague at 139 DC, Albina Yun, we spoke with the women. They invited us to their homes for tea, and we spent hours talking about their lives, what they had been through, their dreams, their worries, their families, and their losses. Through their individual stories, the history of the place began to emerge.

Albina tenderly documented our long conversations, while I created portraits of the women and their small worlds. The result was an exhibition that opened on March 8, 2021. It was a touching event attended by the women themselves, their families, children, grandchildren, and neighbors.

The center is now closed and no longer exists at that address.