Laleh Sherkat: Photographing Iran, 1984 - 1993 “Nomad Women” (1984)
Courtesy of Laleh Sherkat
This series of photographs were commissioned by the Iranian women’s magazine Zan-Rooz (Today’s Woman). They capture the Nomadic Qashqai tribe, who move through the semi mountainous terrain of the southern Zagros in southwest Iran.
This series focuses on the daily lives of women in the tribe and their central role as caretakers for their community.
Coloured landscape photograph of a group of women dancing outdoors beneath a wide, cloud-dappled sky. The women, dressed in vibrant, embroidered garments with long flowing sleeves and headscarves, raise colourful veils and scarves in expressive gestures. Their movements suggest rhythm and celebration. Behind them, a nomadic-style tent and scattered onlookers hint at a communal gathering. The scene is animated with motion, colour, and cultural expression, foregrounding tradition and festivity in a rural Iranian landscape.
Coloured landscape photograph of the interior of a traditional nomadic tent, richly decorated with hanging textiles and woven wall coverings. A central wooden pole supports the tent’s peaked roof, draped with shimmering and patterned fabrics. Tasselled garlands and vivid red, green, and checkered cloths adorn the walls, creating a warm, textured atmosphere. Seated on an ornate carpet is a solitary figure draped entirely in a white veil, facing forward in a posture of stillness and composure. A small case and tray rest nearby. The scene evokes ritual, privacy, and cultural specificity, with the absence of others amplifying the quiet focus on the veiled figure and her environment.
Coloured portrait photograph of a woman seated inside a richly decorated tent, surrounded by layers of woven textiles and household items. She wears a vivid, pleated red skirt with golden trim, a dark blue patterned shawl, and a green underlayer. She sits in ambient light. The backdrop is filled with geometric and floral designs on thick blankets and fabrics, stacked and draped with care. Her gaze is calm and direct, with one hand resting on her knee near her chest, capturing a moment of poised reflection. The textured, domestic setting highlights both cultural identity and personal presence, inviting attention to detail, pattern, and emotion.
Coloured landscape photograph of two women preparing flatbread on an open fire in a rural, mountainous setting. In the foreground, one woman, wearing a purple headscarf and patterned skirt, extends her flour-dusted hand toward a domed griddle, where dough cooks over open flames. A metal pot and woven tool rest beside her. Behind her, another woman kneels, spreading the dough on a cloth over the ground. Nomadic tents and a low stone wall populate the background, with distant hills and a lone chicken underscoring the remote environment. The earthy tones and natural light highlight the manual rhythm of traditional food preparation, centering gesture, heat, and landscape.
Coloured portrait photograph of a woman holding a young child inside a woven shelter. The woman, wrapped in a dark floral-patterned shawl with gold accents, gazes directly at the camera with a firm expression, while the child, swaddled in pale layers, looks off to the side with wide, curious eyes. Behind them, netted walls and a backdrop of translucent fabric filter light into the space. A mirror hanging nearby reflects a blurred, colourful scene, suggesting layered perspectives and lives beyond the frame. The shelter’s handmade details—colourful tassels and textile linings—convey both modesty and care, anchoring the intimate mother-child moment in a tactile, lived environment.