Years ago, when I had to leave Iran for many reasons, I found myself in Georgia, where I lived for over six years.
There, I began an eight-year-long project to capture the lives of the Georgian people through my lens, focusing on common pains and struggles that mirrored my own experiences.
This project, Game Changer (2021), highlights the aspirations of a rebellious generation in Georgia, one that seeks to distance itself from Russian influence and align with the European Union.
As a former Soviet republic, Georgia is in a historic moment in which most young people want to replace the old Soviet mentality with a new, modern way of thinking and, for many, a shift toward a Western lifestyle. It is a generation that, in recent years, has launched several movements, including significant protests demanding the protection of social and civil rights.
This generation reminded me of the young generation in Iran that I am part of: a generation that is rebellious and desires to shake up old structures in pursuit of a better future, as seen recently in Iran with the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement.
This essay symbolically portrays the birth of this distinguished generation from the heart of massive structures built during the Soviet Union, buildings that serve as metaphors for the Soviet mentality, where individuals did not matter.
About Hossein Fardinfard
Hossein Fardinfard, born in Iran in 1985, is an Amsterdam-based visual storyteller working across photography and videography.
His artistic career began with street photography. A web developer at the time, he found that his encounters with street photography subjects led to more meaningful dialogue with people he passed by every day. This phase of his career was inspired by a desire to experiment and to explore questions of identity and social issues.
Over time, his artistic journey led him to specialize in documentary photography and, especially, environmental portraiture. His evocative portraits reflect his dedication to uplifting those around him, drawing inspiration from the rich tapestry of human stories that surround him.
Long intrigued by the contours of the Earth, Fardinfard holds a B.S. in Cartography, a B.A. in Information Technology, and an M.A. in Geomorphology. Increasingly drawn to exploring the human spirit, he studied at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, graduating with a B.A. in Photography in 2022. [Official Website]
