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Majid PanahiJoo
Photographer
Iran
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Born in 1969, Tehran
Panahi grew up in a warm family environment. His father was an army officer and his mother chose to stay at home and look after her three children, the youngest of whom was Majid.
His father’s military life style meant that the family was often on the move and so it was that at the age of five Majid experienced the blistering heat of the oil rich city of Ahvaz. The surreal surroundings must have made an impression on his young mind as roaring flames from refinery gas pipes constantly reached up to the skies. He finished his primary education at Deh-khoda School in another southern Iranian city called Dezfol.
His family moved North to Tehran after the Islamic Revolution where he went to two different high schools (Falagh and Sadr) before moving on to Azad University to study physics. However after just two years his patience wore thin as he saw that he wished to do something more creative with his life.
On completing two years of compulsory military service he moved to England but after a stay of six months he decided to make his home in Iran. He started photography in 1990 and having completed his preliminary training at the Youth Cinema Association he set up a compact laboratory and embarked on what was in his own words an experimental stage in his career.
He was taught developing and printing by Mr. Jora Abedian the owner of a professional laboratory of film developing (RB laboratory) for 3 years.
At this point he was fortunate enough to meet Masoud Masoumi, who is considered by many to be a master of commercial photography. “He was my mentor” says Panahi. “I learnt so much form him and it was with his encouragement that I established my own studio.” Panahi has been working as a professional photographer since that time.
Exhibitions
The 4th Annual Photo Exhibition of Iran. (1992)
Iran Photo Biennial (6th Exhibition). (1994)
Individual Exhibition at Vali Art Gallery. (May 1995)
Individual Exhibition at Vali Art Gallery. (Mar 1996, to fall in love with Mussouleh)
Group Exhibition at Sabk Art Gallery. (Jan 2002, another look)
Group Exhibition at Asar Art Gallery. (2004)
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