The book Caspian by Iranian photographer Khashayar Javanmardi captures the environmental crisis along the shores of the Caspian Sea with an activist’s perspective, blending climate anxiety with classical documentary. Growing up on its shores, Javanmardi witnessed the degradation of the world’s largest enclosed body of water due to pollution, unregulated exploitation, and climate change.
Through a series of powerful images, Caspian documents the lives of Iranian communities affected by this ecological disaster. Javanmardi’s unique approach harmonizes poetic, atmospheric visuals with urgent documentary storytelling, portraying both human resilience and the challenges they face as they struggle to survive amid environmental collapse.
Published by Loose Joints with editing by Sarah Chaplin Espenon, the book will be featured at Paris Photo and Offprint 2024 and has received several awards, including the “Eyes Wide Open” Photobook Award and a special mention for the Prix Elysée.