Bok Dolls, Kormanj Lives

© Morteza Beiglou - Image from the Bok Dolls, Kormanj Lives photography project © Morteza Beiglou - Image from the Bok Dolls, Kormanj Lives photography project © Morteza Beiglou - Image from the Bok Dolls, Kormanj Lives photography project View all images ↓
View all images ↓
Report issue

Photographed inside Kormanj homes in northeastern Iran, this series follows women making Bok dolls, capturing shared routines, family presence, and the dolls as carriers of memory, care, and living tradition.

In the northeastern region of Iran, among Kormanj nomadic and semi-settled communities, Bok dolls are made by women as part of everyday life. These handmade figures are created using simple materials and traditional techniques, passed down through generations.

This project was photographed during time spent inside their homes and shared living spaces. Rather than focusing only on the finished objects, the series observes the relationships around them: women working together, children watching, men present in the domestic space, and moments of quiet routine shaped by light, texture, and proximity.

The Bok dolls function both as objects of labor and as silent carriers of memory, care, and continuity. They are not symbols imposed from outside, but part of a living process rooted in family, tradition, and survival.

By moving between interiors, gestures, portraits, and collective presence, this series aims to offer a respectful and intimate view of Kormanj life — not as spectacle, but as lived reality.

© Morteza Beiglou - Image from the Bok Dolls, Kormanj Lives photography project
i

Women Making Bok DollsI photographed two Kormanj women outside their adobe home as they handmade a traditional cloth doll. The scene was taken during my visit to their rural settlement in Esfarayen, capturing a quiet moment of daily creativity and shared craftsmanship.

© Morteza Beiglou - Image from the Bok Dolls, Kormanj Lives photography project
i

: Elderly Woman & Tourists EncounterThis image shows a brief encounter between local Kormanj women and tourists who stopped by their village. I took it during a casual moment in the courtyard, observing how curiosity and unfamiliarity shaped their interaction.

© Morteza Beiglou - Image from the Bok Dolls, Kormanj Lives photography project
i

Hands Weaving a Bok DollThis close-up shows the detailed embroidery and handwork of Kormanj women as they assemble a traditional doll. I photographed it to highlight the tactile nature of their craft and the cultural knowledge passed across generations.

© Morteza Beiglou - Image from the Bok Dolls, Kormanj Lives photography project
i

: Three Women by the WindowInside a dim interior, a mother, her 10-year-old daughter, and the family’s 16-year-old bride sit together as the bride presents a newly finished Bok doll. I captured this using the soft window light that revealed their shared attention, the textures of the room, and the quiet intimacy of the moment.

© Morteza Beiglou - Image from the Bok Dolls, Kormanj Lives photography project
i

: Portrait of the Teen GirlA quiet portrait of a Kormanj girl taken outside her family’s home. I made the photograph while spending time with the community, hoping to capture her natural expression and the simplicity of the environment surrounding her.

© Morteza Beiglou - Image from the Bok Dolls, Kormanj Lives photography project
i

: Girl in Traditional Dress, Low LightIn a softly lit interior, a woman sits wearing her colorful Kormanj dress. I took the photograph to show the beauty and detail of the clothing as well as the calm, grounded presence she carries within her family’s home.

© Morteza Beiglou - Image from the Bok Dolls, Kormanj Lives photography project
i

: Girl Preparing Herself IndoorsA young Kormanj woman adjusts her scarf using the light from a small window inside the house. I captured this quiet moment as she got ready for a gathering, using the contrast between darkness and daylight to frame her gesture.

© Morteza Beiglou - Image from the Bok Dolls, Kormanj Lives photography project
i

: Young Mother with BabyI photographed a young Kormanj mother holding her smiling baby in her right arm, while a handmade Bok doll rests in her left hand. Taken outside their home, the image brings together care, craft, and daily life, set against the textured adobe wall of their village.

© Morteza Beiglou - Image from the Bok Dolls, Kormanj Lives photography project
i

: Father and Two Sons IndoorsInside a modest room, a father and his sons sit together during a break in their daily routine. I took the image while documenting family life within the Kormanj community, showing their closeness and shared space.

© Morteza Beiglou - Image from the Bok Dolls, Kormanj Lives photography project
i

: The Teen Boy with His MotorcycleA teenage boy leans on his motorcycle outside an adobe wall. I photographed him during a casual moment in the village, reflecting the pride many young men take in their bikes, often a symbol of independence in rural life..