"I wanted to kill that image": Why a Magnum photographer tore up her picture of a girl in a headscarf
Iranian photojournalist Newsha Tavakolian returns to the crooked, out-of-focus frames of her early years
Newsha Tavakolian, an Iranian photojournalist and member of Magnum, captured a striking image in 2001 of a girl in a dark headscarf smelling a rose during an election rally. The photograph, which depicted hope and innocence, later became a symbol of the political promises made to young people. However, Tavakolian grew to despise the image due to the deception and the naivety of her generation.
She tore the negative apart, sealed the pieces in a drawer, and only revisited them after her father's death. The resulting book, "And They Laughed at Me," features her "eyesore" photos, a collection of failed and imperfect shots from her early career. The book delves into the hope and dreams of youth, contrasting them with the disappointment of reality, ultimately urging readers to fight against darkness and pursue the light.
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