Isabelle
Eshraghi

Isabelle Eshraghi

biography

Franco-Iranian photographer, based in Paris (France)

Born in 1964 in Isfahan of a French mother and an Iranian father, Isabelle Eshraghi was raised in France. At the age of thirty-two, she felt the need to return to her roots and her homeland.

It is quite naturally that her documentary style photography crystallized this double belonging that questions her identity. Her work is a form of self-portrait that questions, beyond the clichés, the current state of Iranian culture. Her photographs contribute to an in-depth approach to society.

While her personal projects dictate the bulk of her photographic activity, she collaborates with the French and international press. Since the beginning of the health crisis, Isabelle Eshraghi has produced a series of assigments for Mediapart on the Vulnerability of Women and precariousness in France.

In 1997, Isabelle Eshraghi was awarded by the Kodak Prize for Photographic Criticism for her work on the women of Isfahan. “By observing their  everyday gestures, I tried to discover through them, what kind of woman I could have become if I had lived in Iran“. In 1999, she was awarded by the Villa Medici Hors les Murs Prize for her stories on Iranian youth, and in 2001, she received a grant from the Ministry of Culture’s Incentive Fund for Creation for her work on the sages of Iran.

Isabelle Eshraghi has published four books: Vietnam, l’Esquisse d’un Sourire (L’Harmattan, 1991), Avoir vingt ans à Téhéran (éditions Alternatives, 2002), Femmes hors du voile, with texts by Laure Adler (éditions du Chêne 2008), and L’Oeil d’Ispahan, published in Teheran (éditions Rowzaneh 2018).

She also participated in the collective book : Regards sur le monde: Les visages de la faim, published in 2004 on the occasion of the twenty-five years of Action Contre la Faim (éditions Acropole Belfond) and in 2014 Le Siècle des Femmes which gives a view – through twelve series –  of women today (editions Les Arènes).

Series

Another side of Isfahan, 2017

Serie | Since the removal of international sanctions against Tehran last year, which marked the Iran return in the world economic system, the country image is being renewed.

Qatar football lovers, 2013

Serie | Since the announcement that the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by Qatar, this state has taken on a dominating role in the economic world of soccer.

The Debutante Ball, 2012

Series | 25 carefully selected young girls under 20 are being introduced to society during the Bal des Débutantes, created in 1957.

To our Troops, 2011

Series | Isabelle Eshraghi decides to chronicle the honours ceremonies organized by the Army for its soldiers.

Saudi Arabia: Women on the move, 2011

Serie | An historical decision of King Abdallah will give the vote to women and the right to run for election as from 2015.

Iranian holidays on the Caspian sea, 2003

Serie | Since 1979 and the islamic revolution, Iranian beaches are splitted in two by boardings, one side for men, the other for the women, who ought to keep their clothes on.

Being twenty in Iran, 1999

Serie | It's through the eyes of a woman-photographer-child of this country that I ask myself : what will the future be like ?

Another side of Isfahan, 2017

Serie | Since the removal of international sanctions against Tehran last year, which marked the Iran return in the world economic system, the country image is being renewed.

Qatar football lovers, 2013

Serie | Since the announcement that the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by Qatar, this state has taken on a dominating role in the economic world of soccer.

The Debutante Ball, 2012

Series | 25 carefully selected young girls under 20 are being introduced to society during the Bal des Débutantes, created in 1957.

To our Troops, 2011

Series | Isabelle Eshraghi decides to chronicle the honours ceremonies organized by the Army for its soldiers.

Saudi Arabia: Women on the move, 2011

Serie | An historical decision of King Abdallah will give the vote to women and the right to run for election as from 2015.

Iranian holidays on the Caspian sea, 2003

Serie | Since 1979 and the islamic revolution, Iranian beaches are splitted in two by boardings, one side for men, the other for the women, who ought to keep their clothes on.

Being twenty in Iran, 1999

Serie | It's through the eyes of a woman-photographer-child of this country that I ask myself : what will the future be like ?

Another side of Isfahan, 2017

Serie | Since the removal of international sanctions against Tehran last year, which marked the Iran return in the world economic system, the country image is being renewed.

Qatar football lovers, 2013

Serie | Since the announcement that the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by Qatar, this state has taken on a dominating role in the economic world of soccer.

The Debutante Ball, 2012

Series | 25 carefully selected young girls under 20 are being introduced to society during the Bal des Débutantes, created in 1957.

To our Troops, 2011

Series | Isabelle Eshraghi decides to chronicle the honours ceremonies organized by the Army for its soldiers.

Saudi Arabia: Women on the move, 2011

Serie | An historical decision of King Abdallah will give the vote to women and the right to run for election as from 2015.

Iranian holidays on the Caspian sea, 2003

Serie | Since 1979 and the islamic revolution, Iranian beaches are splitted in two by boardings, one side for men, the other for the women, who ought to keep their clothes on.

Being twenty in Iran, 1999

Serie | It's through the eyes of a woman-photographer-child of this country that I ask myself : what will the future be like ?

Multimedia

Carnet de route à Ispahan, 2018

FILM l One month after the Trump administration announced sanctions against Iran, French-Iranian photographer Isabelle Eshraghi returned to her hometown of Esfahan.

Carnet de route à Ispahan, 2018

FILM l One month after the Trump administration announced sanctions against Iran, French-Iranian photographer Isabelle Eshraghi returned to her hometown of Esfahan.

Carnet de route à Ispahan, 2018

FILM l One month after the Trump administration announced sanctions against Iran, French-Iranian photographer Isabelle Eshraghi returned to her hometown of Esfahan.

books

L'Oeil D'Ispahan

Éditions Rowzaneh - 2018

Le Siècle des femmes

Éditions Du Chêne - 2008

Femmes, hors du voile

Éditions Du Chêne - 2008

Regards sur le monde : Les visages de la faim

Acropole Belfond - 2004

Avoir 20 ans à Téhéran

Éditions Alternatives - 2002

L'Oeil D'Ispahan

Éditions Rowzaneh - 2018

Le Siècle des femmes

Éditions Du Chêne - 2008

Femmes, hors du voile

Éditions Du Chêne - 2008

Regards sur le monde : Les visages de la faim

Acropole Belfond - 2004

Avoir 20 ans à Téhéran

Éditions Alternatives - 2002

L'Oeil D'Ispahan

Éditions Rowzaneh - 2018

Le Siècle des femmes

Éditions Du Chêne - 2008

Femmes, hors du voile

Éditions Du Chêne - 2008

Regards sur le monde : Les visages de la faim

Acropole Belfond - 2004

Avoir 20 ans à Téhéran

Éditions Alternatives - 2002

awards

Grants of the FIACRE for her series on Iranian men

2001

“Villa Médicis Hors les Murs/AFAA” Award for her series « Bering twenty in Iran »

1999

“Prix Kodak de la critique photographique” for her series on Isfahan’s women

1997