At Craigmillar Now – award winning photographer presents unseen work

Edinburgh Reporter

26-05-2025

A new exhibition opening on 31 May presents a selection of Laleh Sherkat's early work, taken during her studies at The University of Tehran and shortly after graduating.
Laleh Sherkat (b. 1963) is an Iranian photographer living in Craigmillar.
The photographs focus on the lives of women in Iran during the politically turbulent period that followed the Islamic Revolution in 1979. There are six series of work in the show: 'Women in Prison,' (1984); 'Women at Work,' taken in factories across Tehran between 1984-1988; 'Morgue Workers,' (1993), Bandari Women, (1993) and Nomad Women, (1988).
There is also a selection of work taken during the last few months of the Iran-Iraq war in 1988.
Laleh Sherkat said: 'I faced restrictions that my male counterparts did not, but I sought to transcend these limitations and enrich my personal and artistic experience. I have always been deeply committed to documenting the realities of women's lives and amplifying their voices—an enduring concern that lies at the heart of these bodies of work.'
As a woman Laleh was able to navigate women's spaces more easily and gain the trust of female subjects. This allowed Laleh to capture women and communities that might have otherwise remained undocumented.
These photographs have never been exhibited in the UK and offer audiences a rare glimpse into the life of women in Iran during the 1980s and early 90s.
Laleh Sherkat is a highly accomplished Iranian photographer living in Craigmillar. She graduated with a BA in photography from Tehran University in 1989 and has won various awards for her work, including the Golden Medal for the International Asahi Shinbone Competition in 1988.
Between 1991-99 Laleh held academic teaching posts at Alzahra University, Soureh University and the Faculty of Iranian Cultural Heritage. She is a member of the Press Photographers Society and Women Photographers Society in Iran.
Laleh's work has been published in several magazines and the war photography book 'A Growth at Dawn.' She has exhibited widely, with several solo shows in Iran and Edinburgh as well as participation in group shows in Paris and London.
Recent projects include collaborations with the Festival of Migration with Art27, the Scottish Mental Health Art Festival and Craigmillar and Niddrie Community Festival.
Craigmillar Now is a community-led organisation committed to supporting people living in the greater Craigmillar area to access the arts and local history. We do this through a wide-ranging programme of creative activities, which include free-to-access arts workshops, exhibitions, film screenings and events. We host a free, weekly hot meal, prepared by local chefs and are the caretakers of a thriving community garden.
Craigmillar Now also holds the local archives, which are cared for by a team of volunteers. We regularly take our collections to venues across greater Craigmillar and further afield, reaching new communities and championing local history.
This exhibition has been generously funded by Creative Scotland and Hope Scott Trust.
The exhibition runs from 31 May to 29 June 2025.
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