In the winding alleys of southern Iran, artist Adel Yazdi has taken it upon himself to turn his rustic old neighbourhood into a cultural and tourist hub through vibrant paintings and carved relief faces.
Narenjestan, a neighbourhood characterised by crumbling, uninhabited houses, is nestled in Shiraz, a southern city celebrated for its historic architecture, lush gardens and revered poets.
“Most of the dilapidated walls in old Shiraz have no historical value,” said Yazdi, a bushy-bearded, bespectacled, 40-year-old artist who has dedicated himself to revitalising Narenjestan.
Over the years, Yazdi has turned the long-neglected neighbourhood walls into a vivid visual tapestry “telling the stories of the people living here”, he said.
Arabesque patterns and relief faces now adorn the walls, carved with intricate details and painted in an array of vivid hues of greens, pinks, blues and purples.