Nation of Desire

Nation of Desire is a fine art photography project utilizing portraiture, still life and poetry to represent the Iranian diaspora community in the US and explore my place within it.

To be a part of a diaspora is to live with a wanting.  To want in equal parts a place that was, a place that isn’t, and a place that could be.  

Nation of Desire is a fine art photography project utilizing portraiture, still life and poetry to represent the Iranian diaspora community in the US and explore my place within it. The relationship between Iran and the United States has oscillated between fragilely collaborative to openly hostile, culminating in a combined bombing campaign launched in February of 2026 by the US and Israel against Iran that has left thousands of civilians dead, a hardline regime further radicalized and entrenched, and the threat of continued violence and military escalation ever looming. While many in the US are at least partially aware of this history, the Iranian community residing here have largely been relegated to obscurity for fear of facing ostracization and violence. Some hope for political autonomy to finally be an inalienable right for all Iranians, others pray that the US intervention will instate the son of the last western backed ruler.  This project examines the Iranians holding their breath, balancing their histories and identities while navigating America's dreams and realities.