Iranian photographer awarded with posthumous German prize

Renowned Iranian photographer Bahman Jalali on Friday was honored posthumously with this year's 'Spectrum' photography prize awarded by the German-based Lower Saxony Foundation.


Reacting to the posthumous award for Jalali, his widow Rana Javadi said in the north German city of Hanover, 'I feel his presence here very strongly. The award is an honor.'

Javadi will reportedly receive Jalali's prize on Sunday.

Jalali's photos have been on display in Germany for the first time.

Worth 15,000 euros, the prestigious 'Spectrum' photo prize is handed out every three years.

Previous winners include American photo artist Helen Levitt.

Jalali who passed away on January 15, 2010, was one of the leading representatives of contemporary photography in Iran.

In more than 40 years, Jalali's photos have documented the 1979 Iranian
revolution, the Iran-Iraq war as well as the post-war reconstruction years.

Jalali who had also been teaching photography at different universities in
Iran for 20 years, was one of first Iranian photographers to have
transformed photography in his country into an art status, triggering broad
recognition by the Iranian public.

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