About

Hossein Tavazoni-Zadeh is a theatre maker, dramaturge, and lecturer at the University of Groningen. Integrating his research in Cultural Memory Studies with his creative practice, Hossein’s work often explores the memory of places, nostalgia, and the social issues embedded in images of the past. In 2012, he founded the Kariz Theatre Group in Iran, directing a diverse range of performances, including site-specific, online, and stage productions, with a particular emphasis on documentary theatre in recent years. His projects have received multiple awards at national and international festivals, including three consecutive honors in the experimental theatre section of the International Fadjr Theatre Festival: Best Play for The Butterfly (2017) and Aras (2019), and Best Performance for Narges (2018).

Beyond his work with Kariz, Hossein has taught and led workshops at institutes and theatre schools in Iran, the Netherlands, and France. He has also collaborated as a writer, dramaturge, and stage designer on various theatre and film productions.



Inspired by his series of site-based performances in Tehran during the 2010s, Hossein’s doctoral research, as a final-year PhD candidate at the University of Groningen, explores how media and fiction shape the collective emotional memory of domestic spaces, with a focus on Iranian cinema and social media. He also holds a master’s degree in Film Studies from Sooreh University, Iran, where his thesis examined Iranian site-specific theatre and the use of filmic techniques to express architecture. Currently, he is conducting an artistic research project, derived from his PhD, that investigates the sense of otherness and the memory of place.

Kariz Performing Arts Group

Kariz Performing Arts group was founded in 2012 with the goal of breaking away from conventional theatre in Tehran. Their productions span various hybrid forms, including stage performances, site-specific works, documentary theatre, and online pieces. The group often delves into various expressions of memory and the societal issues arising from conflicts or nostalgia tied to the past. They have also extended these explorations into short films and documentaries.

Kariz, or qanat, refers to the underground network of wells and channels that bring water to the surface. Its significance becomes clear considering the challenges of accessing water in Iran and neighbouring regions.