I live in Tabriz, a city of around two million people that was once among the largest and greenest garden cities in Iran. But over the past two decades, Tabriz has faced two major environmental crises: drought and unmanaged waste. As water resources have dwindled, many parks and public green spaces have been abandoned, and the once lush landscape has become dry and desolate.

At the same time, thousands of tons of garbage are dumped daily on the city’s outskirts with little to no oversight—waste that damages the environment, distorts the landscape, and threatens local ecosystems.

This project is an attempt to document and reflect on these overlapping crises; a visual narrative of how neglect, drought, and pollution have reshaped a city once full of life and greenery.

Tabriz: From Garden City to a City in Crisis

An unfinished and abandoned residential complex — a victim of water shortage and halted development in the drought-stricken outskirts of Tabriz.

An unfinished and abandoned residential complex — a victim of water shortage and halted development in the drought-stricken outskirts of Tabriz.

A deserted park on the city’s edge; once a gathering place for families, now a symbol of neglect and dryness.

A deserted park on the city’s edge; once a gathering place for families, now a symbol of neglect and dryness.

Another abandoned park, left empty due to the drastic decline in water resources.

Another abandoned park, left empty due to the drastic decline in water resources.

Plastic waste has become a constant presence in the natural landscape — scattered everywhere, unmanaged and invasive.

Plastic waste has become a constant presence in the natural landscape — scattered everywhere, unmanaged and invasive.

Unauthorized construction at the edge of nature; a sign of unchecked human encroachment without planning or infrastructure.

Unauthorized construction at the edge of nature; a sign of unchecked human encroachment without planning or infrastructure.

A once-active park, now slowly abandoned in the face of water scarcity and environmental decline.

A once-active park, now slowly abandoned in the face of water scarcity and environmental decline.

The visible scars of drought on suburban parks — where greenery has vanished and dry earth has taken over.

The visible scars of drought on suburban parks — where greenery has vanished and dry earth has taken over.

Illegal developments rising in the heart of the mountains, disturbing the once-pristine natural landscape.

Illegal developments rising in the heart of the mountains, disturbing the once-pristine natural landscape.

Abandoned traditional kilns, once used for brick-making, now left to decay in the middle of nature.

Abandoned traditional kilns, once used for brick-making, now left to decay in the middle of nature.

Masses of waste dumped on the outskirts of the city — an ever-growing, disturbing presence in the landscape.

Masses of waste dumped on the outskirts of the city — an ever-growing, disturbing presence in the landscape.

Asphalt roads cutting through nature, disrupting habitats and forcing wildlife to flee their homes.

Asphalt roads cutting through nature, disrupting habitats and forcing wildlife to flee their homes.

Trash is sometimes burned by shepherds or passersby, leading to further air pollution and environmental damage

Trash is sometimes burned by shepherds or passersby, leading to further air pollution and environmental damage

Fatemeh Jedari Faridi

Fatemeh Jedari Faridi (born on June 28, 1997, in Tabriz, Iran), known professionally as Mana, is a documentary photographer working within the field of social and human sciences. She graduated in Iranian Painting from the Tabriz University of Islamic Arts. Simultaneously with her studies, she began pursuing social documentary photography and has been actively working in this field since 2015.

Her work focuses on urban spaces, social issues, women’s topics, and environmental impacts on everyday life. Mana’s photography is grounded in human-centered narratives, exploring the overlooked dimensions of contemporary society through long-term projects.

She has participated in numerous group exhibitions across Iran and has received several national and international photography awards. Her recent projects include a series on night gatherings and environmental crises in Tabriz, the city where she lives and which deeply influences her work.