A Collective Fantasy looks at the gradual loss of Persian gardens in the North of Tehran. The loss of nature in Iranian culture is more than environmental destruction: it is a piece of cultural identity slipping away.

Persian gardens in Iranian culture form an institution of their own and are a representation of a recognisable way of Iranian life. The garden could be compared to a mythical creature in Persian literature, with all its aspects being used as metaphor. They represent everything from paradise to inward reflection, as seen within the works of Hafez. Hafez-e Shirazi, a beloved 14th century poet from Shiraz, reflects on this Iranian way of life, which is one of presence, contemplation, and savouring life’s simple pleasures. His poetry celebrates companionship, and the joy of social gatherings.

The project further reflects on the garden’s symbolic role as a space of connection. Historically, the garden in the home offered a neutral zone between private and public. With hospitality being a strong value in Iranian culture, the doors would be open, creating a space for neighbours to engage in short visits without crossing the threshold into the personal intimacy of the home. The home is considered a hyper-private space in the Iranian-Islamic culture.

With the loss of gardens to modern developments, these gatherings now spill into the streets and sidewalks of Northern Tehran where makeshift “gardens” and this “way of life” emerges through roadside food stores. Packed with people late into the night, Hafez’s poetry is often recited as people purchase Fal-e Hafez envelopes to seek guidance from the poet.

A white plastic table and chair, common fixtures of Tehran’s modern street cafés, are layered with calligraphy of verses of Hafez. Through the box on the table, resembling a Hafez book, the viewer is invited to peer into an imagined Tehran, which forms a collective fantasy, rooted in cultural memory and a vision of our city which we may have lost but still hold onto.