The suicide of butterflies

  • Dates
    2014 - Ongoing
  • Author
  • Topics Portrait, Contemporary Issues, Documentary
  • Location Iran, Iran

In an act of a suicide, the murderer cannot be identified. So what determines the line between committing suicide and murder when the world encourages you to do both? Who is the killer? What about the circumstances? Environment? Life?

In an act of a suicide, the murderer cannot be identified. So what determines the line between committing suicide and murder when the world encourages you to do both? Who is the killer? What about the circumstances? Environment? Life?

In the past I have had several attempts of committing suicide, but each time I have changed my mind. I could not do it since it requires a great deal of courage. Each time a reason, a ray of hope has stopped me from doing it. But how desperate can people who commit suicide be? Every time I read or hear about a suicide attempt, my heart beat rises, my breath tightens, and fear takes all over my body And I always ask myself,” Who will be next?” Maybe one of my friends? Maybe one of my loved ones?

In Iran, according to the un-official statistics, more than 4,000 people with an age range of 18 to 25 years old have ended their lives in 2015 and the number of people committing suicide in this year is greater than years 2014 and 2013 which demonstrates the increasing rate of suicides in Iran.

It is well known that mental health problems are related to deprivation, poverty, inequality and other social and economic determinants of health. Economic crises are therefore times of high risk to the mental well-being of the population and of the people affected and their families. Mental health is an indivisible part of public health and significantly affects countries and their human, social and economic capital. Mental health is not merely the absence of mental disorders or symptoms but also a resource supporting overall well-being and productivity.

In this work you will not find any signs of suicide at first glance and I don’t mean to illustrate violence. What I’m trying to show is a concept of life that drags people to a point that they feel non-existence is better than existence and everything is absurd. Most of the characters in my photos are the people who I know them. All these characters have something in common and that is pondering over death. The suicide of butterflies is a work about the thinking of suicide. Who is thinking about it and who has done or failed to do it.

© Farshid Tighehsaz - She said; I fear from people, they steal my soul.
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She said; I fear from people, they steal my soul.

© Farshid Tighehsaz - Image from the The suicide of butterflies photography project
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April 8, 2016 a girl suicide from the balcony of the apartment in picture. Mohammad who saw her in the kitchen and he took her picture just few second before she jump.

© Farshid Tighehsaz - Image from the The suicide of butterflies photography project
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Mehdi is 25 years old. He has done open-heart surgery and he touched the death. Now he always speak about the death and suicide. Mehdi is a sculptor but he can't publish his works because of the censorship.

© Farshid Tighehsaz - Image from the The suicide of butterflies photography project
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Narges is 25 years old. She did suicide in 2014 and she survived from death. Sometimes she stifle the cigarettes on her breast.

© Farshid Tighehsaz - Waiting...
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Waiting...

© Farshid Tighehsaz - Image from the The suicide of butterflies photography project
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November days, 2016 at the metro in Tehran city. On this day I read a news about the suicide of 4 person at the metro of Tehran.

© Farshid Tighehsaz - asphyxia...
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asphyxia...

© Farshid Tighehsaz - He says; I have big dreams but little world and achieve that seems impossible. So, why I live?
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He says; I have big dreams but little world and achieve that seems impossible. So, why I live?

© Farshid Tighehsaz - Image from the The suicide of butterflies photography project
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She says; I do not know my identity as a woman in Iran. My life is defined by restrictions. In such a situation, death is better than being.

© Farshid Tighehsaz - On the day that I wanted to commit suicide. However, showing this fact in photography stopped me from doing suicide.
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On the day that I wanted to commit suicide. However, showing this fact in photography stopped me from doing suicide.

© Farshid Tighehsaz - Metamorphosis...
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Metamorphosis...

© Farshid Tighehsaz - She did suicide in 2016 and she survived from death. After committing suicide, she is hospitalized in a mental hospital.
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She did suicide in 2016 and she survived from death. After committing suicide, she is hospitalized in a mental hospital.

© Farshid Tighehsaz - He asked; what is the death color? Do you know?
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He asked; what is the death color? Do you know?

© Farshid Tighehsaz - The holiness...
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The holiness...

© Farshid Tighehsaz - Mina is 26 years old. She always spoke about suicide. I can't find her
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Mina is 26 years old. She always spoke about suicide. I can't find her

© Farshid Tighehsaz - She committing suicide in 2012 with a blade. She has hanging a fake blade on rear-view mirror of the car for remembering.
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She committing suicide in 2012 with a blade. She has hanging a fake blade on rear-view mirror of the car for remembering.

© Farshid Tighehsaz - Suicide attempt among students has increased in Iran.
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Suicide attempt among students has increased in Iran.

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