Graduate student Maziyar Derakhshani has been awarded a Levitetz 2024 Innovation Seed Grant for his photography project titled “Is It Real?” The grant will support some of Derakhshani’s travel expenses as he takes photos around the southern and midwestern United States. Derakhshani is working toward a Master of Fine Arts degree in photography and holds a teaching assistantship at UA.
Derakhshani, a native of Iran, had his early perceptions of the U.S. shaped by American media, including Western cowboy movies. “I used to believe that cowboy hats and boots belonged solely in the realm of old movies,” he wrote in his proposal, “a relic of the past. So, whenever I encounter someone donning these iconic symbols of the Wild West, I’m utterly captivated.” His photos, so far taken in Alabama, New York, Virginia, Maryland, and Atlanta, Georgia, reflect that fascination. Now he hopes to venture further west, to Nashville, Tennessee, Texas, or Oklahoma. And, with the support of the grant and through his photography, Derakhshani hopes to learn more about American culture and how “cowboy culture” is part of that.
“I am eager to explore and portray the U.S. through the intersection of my past perceptions and my current experiences.” And, he adds, those experiences have often been positive. “To me the camera is both a voice and a bridge, connecting me to others regardless of our diverse backgrounds.” His picture-making can lead to new acquaintances, he notes. “Often people’s curiosity about my camera sparks engaging conversations, leading to the opportunity to capture their portraits.”
“I don’t see myself as a tourist; America is not a museum to me. It’s crucial that I engage with people, understanding their values and viewpoints on diverse phenomena.” See more of Maziyar Derakhshani’s photography on Instagram.
The Levitetz Innovation Seed Grant Initiative gives UA students opportunities to apply for grants to create a new or to further develop an existing business idea, a social entrepreneurship project or a creative project. The initiative is a part of the Levitetz Leadership Program (LLP) and is made possible through a generous gift of UA New College alumnus Jeff Levitetz. Winning project presentations are scheduled for Wednesday, March 22, 2024.
For more information about The University of Alabama’s programs in studio art and art history, visit our Degree Programs page.