About two years ago, Italian photographer Matteo Lonardi traveled to Tehran as part of a project called “Reframe Iran.” His goal was to portray Iran away from “the news headlines” and “politics” by using virtual reality (VR) webcams from inside the studios of Iranian artists. But one wonders how well known this new technology is inside Iran and how often is it used.
Many of the artists who participated in Lonardi’s project are actually not very familiar with the technology. Hooman Mortazavi, an Iranian graphic designer and painter who took part in “Reframe Iran,” told Al-Monitor, “I think we have to wait another 10 to 15 years before witnessing the production of a serious and grounded work of virtual reality inside Iran. Here, digital communications, facilities and outputs are a novelty.”