Morteza Soorani

Soorani employs a variety of mediums –– including video, text, photography, and installation –– to examine the role of water in myths, cultures, and human memories as well as the importance of water in contemporary life. Since 2017, he has been focusing on creating works that address the pollution and drying up of the Karun river, Iran’s longest freshwater river, where he was born and raised.

Through his artwork, Soorani depicts the impact of the water crisis on families, ecosystems, and individuals who once relied on the river’s abundance. Soorani’s work explores the imagined relationship between humans and their environment and how it can influence emotions and affections. In 2023, Soorani moved to the Netherlands to continue his research on the relationship between humans and water.