Exit of Shirin and Farhad

The title of this series is "Exit of Shirin & Farhad," inspired by a well-known, tragic, and romantic legend involving a love triangle. The photographs in this series draw inspiration from a scene in this timeless story, which has also been depicted by many famous Iranian miniaturists.

The tale of Shirin and Farhad centers on a tragic love triangle involving Farhad, a stone mason, and King Khosrow, both of whom are in love with the beautiful Shirin. Aware of Farhad’s love, Shirin uses it to provoke jealousy in the King. To eliminate Farhad, the King assigns him an impossible task: to win Shirin’s hand, he must remove a mountain.

However, Farhad’s love proves stronger than either Shirin or the King anticipated, and he tackles the task with determination. Impressed by reports of Farhad’s progress, Shirin travels to the mountain to see for herself. Exhausted from the journey, she faints, and Farhad carries both Shirin and her horse back to the palace on his shoulders. This scene is a focal point in traditional miniature paintings of Shirin and Farhad.

Babak Kazemi revisits this 16th-century tragedy to comment on the contemporary struggles of lovers who must leave their homelands in search of the freedom to love. For him, the story highlights the historical roots of what we now recognize as forced migration and immigration. The figure of King Khosrow serves as a powerful symbol of the emotional control and suppression that both men and women still experience today.

Ultimately, however, Kazemi’s message is that love can triumph over even the most challenging circumstances.