Cemetery Worker

In my dreams, I see myself lying in a grave. Occasional clouds cross over my head in the sky, the sound of the wind blows and echoes in my ears, and then…

When awake, Kuchakali, the cemetery worker, passes through my camera frame with his wheelbarrow.

An incarnation of Death.

Each time he goes and returns, the feeling grows stronger. I begin to think I know with certainty that he is Death itself.

Cemetery Worker is a black-and-white photographic project comprising five works centered on the figure of a cemetery worker within the landscapes of an Iranian cemetery.

Kuchakali is worried about photographs. He says:

“If the photos are not spoiled, they will be beautiful for sure!!!”

Cemetery Worker, Iran, 2003 © Tooraj Khamenehzadeh