It all started when…
To be a part of a diaspora is to live with a wanting. To want in equal parts a place that was, a place that isn’t, and a place that could be.
Nation of Desire is an ongoing body of work exploring the Iranian diasporic community here in the United States. The relationship between Iran and the United States has oscillated between fragilely collaborative to openly hostile. While many in the US are at least partially aware of this history, the Iranian community residing here have largely been relegated to obscurity for fear of facing xenophobia and violence. As an Iranian American I wanted to write a love letter to my community celebrating the beauty of a people who despite incredible odds have integrated into and contributed beautifully to the mosaic of American life.
-2022