In 2007, Ali Tahayori fled Iran to escape a life shrouded in fear and shame due to his sexuality.
Now based in Sydney, Tahayori channels his experiences into art that addresses themes of displacement and LGBTQIA+ identity.
His works, often featuring fractured mirrors, text, and imagery, reflect a journey marked by both personal and political struggles.
Ali Tahayori: Raising awareness for the LGBTQIA+ community through art
Tahayori’s recent exhibition poignantly addresses the tragic reality of ‘honour killings’ in Iran, focusing on the 2021 murder of Alireza Fazeli Monfared, a young gay man.
Monfared’s death, allegedly at the hands of his family, was a stark reminder of the dangers faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals in Iran. Tahayori, deeply affected by the news, felt compelled to honour Monfared’s memory through his art, aiming to raise awareness about homophobia and the injustices faced by the LGBTQIA+ community.
“Denied a proper funeral, Alireza was buried in secret with no ceremony to honour him. This secrecy stemmed from his family’s fear of societal disapproval surrounding his sexual orientation and his death,” Tahayori explained to SBS Persian.
In response, he created a multimedia work titled After Everything Has Been Said, which includes photographs and a video installation depicting traditional grief ceremonies. Through these pieces, Tahayori seeks to highlight the ongoing persecution of LGBTQIA+ individuals in Iran, using Monfared’s story as a poignant call to action.
“The work consists of a series of photographs and a video installation depicting a traditional grief ceremony in various stages, performed by me,” he said.
“I always felt ashamed, living a lie that hid my true self”
Tahayori’s journey to self-acceptance has been fraught with challenges.
Growing up during the Iran-Iraq War, he faced constant displacement and fear, compounded by the societal pressures of hiding his true identity.
“I always felt ashamed, living a lie that hid my true self,” Tahayori recalled.
“Growing up, I felt increasingly different, even though I didn’t yet have the word ‘gay’ in my vocabulary. I yearned for a label that could help me understand and express what I was going through, believing it would bring clarity and a feeling of belonging.”
It wasn’t until he discovered an online LGBTQIA+ community that he began to find a sense of belonging, albeit in secret.
In one harrowing incident, Tahayori and friends were arrested at a private gathering, suspected of engaging in illegal activities simply for being together. The event left a lasting impact on him and highlighted the perilous situation for LGBTQIA+ people in Iran.
“Someone alerted the authorities. These ‘revolutionary guards’, armed and threatening, raided the house. They blindfolded us all before hauling us off to the police station,” he said.
“They held us captive for days, inflicting torture on some and levying fines on others. Forced calls were made to families, securing our release on bail.”
“Confined within those walls, a realisation struck me: ‘this wasn’t a life’. I wanted a life free from shame and fear,” he said. This realisation led him to seek a new beginning in Australia, a place where he could finally live authentically.
“I craved a place where I could be authentically myself. That’s when I resolved to find a new beginning, a place where freedom awaited.
“Australia beckoned as the farthest possible escape, a place where I could finally be myself, unknown and free.”
Despite the freedom he’s found in Australia, Tahayori continues to grapple with the complexities of his identity as a queer Iranian artist.
His work, often incorporating elements of traditional Iranian mirror work (aine-kari), explores themes of fragmentation and reconstruction, mirroring his own experience of displacement.
“The mirror holds a direct connection to identity. Breaking it into pieces and reconstructing them reflects my experience of life as a queer migrant — a fragmented reality,” he explained.
Ali Tahayori’s latest collection is currently on display at Linden New Art gallery in St Kilda, Melbourne.
While he has exhibited his work in Australia, Europe, and the Middle East, Ali Tahayori dreams of one day showcasing his art in a “free Iran.”
For now, however, returning to his homeland as an openly queer artist remains an impossibility, highlighting the ongoing struggles faced by LGBTQIA+ Iranians both at home and abroad.
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