Iranian photographer Sadeq Tirafkan dies at 48

TEHRAN,May 11(MNA) -- Iranian photographer Sadeq Tirafkan, famous for his photomontages, died in Toronto on Thursday at the age of 48. He had been suffering from brain cancer over the past few years. Tirafkan was born in Iraq in 1965 to Iranian parents and moved to Iran when he was 6. He continued his studies at the University of Tehran and was a graduate of photography. His works mostly focused on themes of Iranian traditions and religious rituals. He used his knowledge of culture to explore his Persian identity. Since the late 1980s, he participated in numerous solo exhibitions and group shows around the globe and his works have been made part of the permanent collections of several museums worldwide. He used different media in his works including photography, video installation and collage. His works are preserved in the collections of several museums including the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, British Museum, Brooklyn Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. In one of his solo exhibits held in Tehran’s Asar Gallery in 2008, the artist mentioned about his struggle with cancer and that he has been recovering. He believed in the power of his mother’s prayers, which have surprised the doctors. Ha had dedicated his installation to the love of mothers, especially his own mom.