Zahra Motallebi, an Iranian photographer, was born in 1998 in Isfahan. Since her teenage years, she has sought to immerse herself in the world of art and photography. Throughout her photographic journey, beginning with her studies in graphic arts at art school, she has developed a keen interest in visual storytelling and expressing her personal concerns. Zahra has showcased some of her collections through group exhibitions. She holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in photography from Tehran University of Art. Based in Tehran, Zahra is recognized for her international artwork. She has also been acknowledged in the Photography Talent Search Course at the University of Applied Science and Arts in Dortmund, Germany (2019, 2021). During this fellowship, she gained valuable experience in combining staged and documentary photography. In a recent interview with Aperture magazine titled “What It Means to Make Photographs as a Young Artist in Iran,” she spoke candidly about her concerns and experiences throughout her photographic career. In her work, Zahra addresses themes such as femininity, sexuality, the human body, and performance in front of the camera through visual storytelling. She skillfully merges staged and documentary photography within an Iranian and Oriental context.
